flavoring

Garlic

A timeless and medicinal flavoring

BY PAMELA MARQUIS

USE

Cultivated for the distinct flavor of its bulb, garlic is a robust and frequently used ingredient in almost everyone’s kitchen. Additionally, it has many medicinal applications, especially for regulating blood pressure.

LEARN

Garlic is in the same family as onions, chives, shallots and leeks. It is one of the oldest food flavorings. Archaeological records show that garlic was used even in Neolithic times.

GROW

To grow successfully, be sure to add a lot of organic matter, such as compost or well-aged manure, to your soil. Separate the garlic bulb into individual cloves.Then plant the cloves about an inch deep. The fatter end should be at the bottom of the hole. Your garlic is ready to harvest once their leaves turn brown.

ROAST

Roasting garlic is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy it. This process mellows the pungency of the bulb and releases natural sugars, giving it a rich caramel flavour.

LAGNIAPPE

But don’t forget about garlic scapes — the first tender green shoots. Scapes add a delicate garlic flavor to salads, soups and sauces. Once you’ve tried these delicacies, they will become a favorite addition to your culinary arsenal.

STAYING COOL

Peter Patout reveals what we can learn from historic homes

DENIZEN OF THE FRENCH QUARTER, PETER PATOUT KNOWS classical Southern homes. As both an architecture historian and licensed historic property realtor, Patout says there’s much to be gleaned from the structures of old New Orleans houses. Going back to the early roots of the city, new inhabitants embraced design elements that were beautiful and practical; that embraced gracious living while cooling down the house. With summer upon us, Patout shares here how historic home design can inspire us, particularly in staying cool during the sizzling summer months.

New Orleans homes of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries were designed in

response to climate. The earliest vernacular homes were designed in what became known as French Creole Louisiana architecture. Then, it evolved into neoclassical, to Victorian architecture, to bungalows, and finally to midcentury modern. I grew up in a midcentury home that my parents built. In the beginning, we didn’t have air conditioning, so from a young age I was comfortable using fans and the porch to beat the heat.

Shutters were included on most of New Orleans’s earliest

homes. They were solid or louvered shutters of great quality and style. They also served as built-in hurricane protection, and still do. As Hurricane Katrina approached, we closed our shutters to protect us from the storm. Closing the shutters is a wonderful (and free) way to provide shade and coolness. Plus, you can paint shutters in myriad hues to add a festive, fun pop of color to your home. My shutters were inspired by a trip to Cuba, where I discovered the most impeccable shade of sky blue.

Ceiling fans are used for circulation. With the advent of electricity, many homeowners invested in ceiling fans, which arrived in the late 19th century. Transom windows over doors were also used to further ventilate rooms. Today, the iconic Southern fans and transom windows are still used for moving stale air and providing a light wind. I’ve never bought a new fan, but for those who prefer new, I advocate a four-blade Hunter fan, which lasts forever. I always am sure to invest in vintage fans. Historic ceiling fans come in a variety of colors and are great quality. Usually I opt for a flat black fan with wood blades, though I also invested in a cerulean blue fan with a yellow stripe on each blade.

Balconies and porches add charm, while serving as wonderful

places to visit and catch a breeze off of the Mississippi. European immigrants first built homes sans balconies and porches, but quickly learned that the weather was a challenge. They added balconies and porches to the early architecture of the area, providing eyebrows for the homes so the sun doesn’t hit the main part of the houses. Balconies and porches also provide outdoor rooms for sleeping and entertaining al fresco. This tradition has carried on in some fashion throughout our time.

Plant aromatic gardens filled with confederate jasmine and

antique roses. In the 18th and 19th centuries, they would consciously plant big gardens to combat foul odors. Settlers brought gorgeous flowers indigenous to Asia and Europe, such as Souvenir de la Malmaison roses, and planted them in Creole gardens. With the humidity, malodorous smells can still waft through our neighborhoods. I suggest planting roses, jasmine and gardenia because they’re romantic and nostalgic.

To learn more visit peterpatout.com. – BY EVA FEDDERLY

Pool Party!

Casual summer fun doesn’t mean sacrificing style

BY ANDY MYER PHOTOGRAPHY BY EUGENIA UHL

Nothing says summertime quite like a waterside soiree. These vibrant picks for al fresco entertaining are sure to make a splash. Chair, gingham tablecloth and striped throw pillow: Robert Wengler chair woven of Manau and Tohiti rattan, linen gingham tablecloth by Maison de Vacances and Tensira pillow made from 100 percent cotton in West Africa, available at Sunday Shop, sundayshop.co. Hanging blue and white tablecloth, black and white striped side table and straw bag: Cotton, paisley block print tablecloth, Maarten straw bucket bag with black detailing and Mariana bone inlay cocktail table, available at Judy, judyattherink.com. Orange wrap: Muslin cover up with frayed edges, available at Basics Underneath Swim & Gym, basicsunderneath.com. Bowl: Apricot resin serving bowl, Hilltop Shoppe, hilltopshoppe.com. Boil paddle: Three-foot sinker cypress boil paddle, handmade by GoodWood, goodwoodnola.com. Lantern: Wired vintage brass lantern, Ware and Co., waremporter.com.

Tablecloth, plates and bowls, wine goblets: Orange and blue cotton block print tablecloth by Pacific & Rose, chambray melamine tableware in Juliska’s signature pattern and Caspari acrylic wine goblets in cobalt, from Judy, judyattherink.com. Round floral placemat, cocktail napkins: Wipeable 18th-century China die-cut Caspari placemat (available in a range of patterns and solids) and set of four scalloped edge Liberty of London Thorpe cocktail napkins, available at Maisonette Shop, maisonetteshop. com. Tumblers, ice cream scoop and tray: Acrylic Milly tumblers in green, aqua and amber (available in a range of bright, mix-and-match colors), mint green resin ice cream scoop (also available in multiple colors) and Calaisio woven rattan serving tray with removable glass insert, Hilltop Shoppe, hilltopshoppe.com.

Tablecloth, luncheon napkins: Blue and white cotton block print tablecloth (round) and napkins (available in several patterns) from Judy, judyattherink.com. Placemat, cocktail napkins: Liberty of London scalloped edge cocktail napkins in Mortimer and Strawberry Thief prints and die-cut round placemat in delicate blue and white china pattern, Maisonette Shop, maisonetteshop.com. Plates, servers and appetizer dish: Blue and white floral melamine plates, One Hundred 80 Degrees enamel and stainless steel spreaders, pink resin servers (in multiple colors) and hand-woven Calaisio appetizer tray with removable glass bowls, available at Hilltop Shoppe, hilltopshoppe.com.