Contents
J U LY 2 0 2 2
Events
11 6 8
SUMMERTIME, & THE LIVIN’S EASY Camps & workshops for the little ones, cocktail trails for the grownups, BBQ fests for all
REFLECTIONS You say Tomayto ... by James Fox-Smith
NEWS & NOTEWORTHIES
VO LU M E 3 9 // I SS U E 7
Features
30
35 38
Publisher
CHEFS STEPHANIE & MICHAEL PAOLETTI
James Fox-Smith
Fostering one-of-a-kind culinary experiences in Ocean Springs by Alexandra Kennon
CHEF TRENT BONNETTE Bringing brown bag ingenuity to Marksville’s Broken Wheel Brewery by Lauren Heffker
CHEFS MATTHEW & ALEXIS INDEST Taking the best of Cajun Country and adding a twist by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
On the Cover
LOCALLY-RAISED CHEFS Cover image by Katherine Swetman
For eight years now, Country Roads has had the distinct pleasure of discovering and celebrating the Gulf South region’s Small Town Chefs through our annual awards, which honor chefs working in towns with populations under thirty thousand. Nestled meekly in between the raging culinary destinations of this food-centric region, these small towns—for one reason or another—offer something to these chefs that the big cities can’t. This year, our winners are drawn to Coastal Mississippi, to Central Louisiana, to small town Acadiana for a very particular reason: it’s where they grew up. After acquiring experience in the restaurant business elsewhere, they each felt a calling to open something new, innovative, and elevated in their own small town—bringing with them new experiences, economic opportunities, and ways to support local food producers. Take chefs Stephanie and Michael Paoletti, for starters, whose pop up experience, Food, Booze & Hiccups, in Ocean Springs is featured on our cover. Their creative take on dining experiences allows them the flexibility to curate intimate interactions with food selected precisely for its locality, seasonality, and its intrigue. Read more on this year’s Small Town Chef Award Winners in our Features section, starting on page 30.
Cuisine
42
CAJUN PATÉ The traditional delicacy of hog’s head cheese
44 48
by Kristy Christiansen
SUPPER REIMAGINED 3 Unconventional NOLA dining experiences by Alexandra Kennon and Jyl Benson
RAISING THE BAHR Catching up with Monroe’s celebrity chef by Chris Jay
4
Culture
50 54 55
THE VILLAGE OF VERSAILLES A world within a world in New Orleans East
by Jason Christian
NOTES ON THE WEATHER Searching for a chance of rain
by Ed Cullen
CHAMPION ON MUDDY WATERS Meet Hanna Straltsova, the #2 ranked woman water skier in the world. by Beth D’Addono
J U L 2 2 // C O U N T R Y R O A D S M A G . C O M
57
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SATCHMO The history of Louis Armstrong’s chosen July 4 Birthday
Associate Publisher
Ashley Fox-Smith
Managing Editor
Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Alexandra Kennon
Creative Director
Kourtney Zimmerman
Contributors:
Jyl Benson, Jason Christian, Kristy Christiansen, Paul Christiansen, Ed Cullen, Beth D’Addono, Shannon Fender, April Hamilton, Sam Irwin, Chris Jay, Emily Kask, Paul Kieu, Kimberly Meadowlark, Hays Porter, Katherine Swetman, Elizabeth Chubbuck Weinstein
Cover Artist
Katherine Swetman
Advertising
SALES@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM
Sales Team
Heather Gammill & Heather Gibbons
Custom Content Coordinator
Lauren Heffker
Advertising Coordinator
Laci Felker
President
Dorcas Woods Brown
Country Roads Magazine 758 Saint Charles Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Phone (225) 343-3714 Fax (815) 550-2272 EDITORIAL@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM WWW.COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM
by Sam Irwin
Escapes
58 62
TOURS IN THE HEARTLAND A new agritourism venture, hosted by local musicians by April Hamilton
PERSPECTIVES The legacy of Angela Gregory‚—sculptor, artist, and trailblazer by Elizabeth Chubbuck Weinstein
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Copyrighted. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Country Roads magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. Country Roads magazine retains the right to refuse any advertisement. Country Roads cannot be responsible for delays in subscription deliveries due to U.S. Post Office handling of third-class mail.
