Sitting around yesterday on a neighbors back deck we (middle-aged parents) started the game of who-used-to-be-coolest. Who saw the most famous band in the smallest venue? Who saw their first concert at the youngest age? Who got into clubs at age 15? And so on. You get my drift.
While a winner was never established there were a number of high rollers. One story that could not be topped was that of the B-52’s playing a dance at a local high school, climaxing with the band’s destruction of the student’s lovingly crafted 10-foot papier mache rock lobster.
That brought The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to mind as crayfish, ubiquitous at the fest, are sometimes called rock lobsters. This very weekend – and next – crowds of lucky festgoers are scarfing up crawfish by the fistfull as they have at this time of the year since 1970. I do believe that once you have been to Jazzfest it never leaves your system. The sounds and smells are easily conjured for ever after.
Speaking of good smells. Speaking of eating crawfish. Speaking of rock lobsters. Did someone say LOBSTERS?
While streaming lobsters of consciousness, my mind bumped into lobster rolls. If Jazzfest is in full swing down south, lobster roll season must be just around the corner up north, say in Maine. Now there’s an iconic sandwich, one about which northeasterners bear strong opinions.
To my knowledge, and this is definitely not my purview, there are only three necessary ingredients in a lobster roll: lobster meat, mayonnaise and a toasted hotdog bun, the kind that looks like a slice from a very short loaf of bread. A New England-style bun. The opening of the bun faces UP and is stuffed with lobster meat coated nicely with mayonnaise. Bits of celery are allowable in there as well.
There is a recipe on the Food Network site that includes parsley (flat leaf no less), lemon juice, chives and basil. Oh brother. Even to this mid-westerner turned pseudo southerner, I know that is just WRONG. Salt and pepper are okay with me, probably even good, but I find the specifications – kosher and freshly ground – annoying.
On the other hand, and for full disclosures sake, one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten was a lobster roll homemade in Massachusetts by my friend Marie. The secret ingredient? Truffle oil. Just to balance the scales she served onion rings as well. Homemade they were and perfectly plain. Key word, perfectly. As I recall, she did not include flat leaf parsley. Phew.
The Lunch Encounter 
Crawfish at the Jazz Fest, Jeez. By the end of the day on Sunday the ground is carpeted with their remains, the sounds (crunch, crunch, crunch of my footsteps) and smells (crawfish shoe) do stay with you forever. And don’t forget the oh-so-clever Suck The Head t-shirts.
Also, I was thrown out of Slow Tom’s for being under age (16) 27 years ago. It’s not really that cool though.
Great Fest this year – 1st weekend.
Sandwich highlights at the fairgrounds included the Cochon de Lait Po’ Boy and the ever popular Muffuletta. Varya’s favorite delicacy, the Crawfish Pie, was sadly absent – I assume this is one more toll taken by Katrina. Wine and champagne coolers now sold in addition to beer.
Amazing weather – mid 80’s, sunny, and, unusually dry!
Discovered the Sazerac Cocktail, my new aperitif:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sazerac
Because of the present day substitutions for the illegal Absinthe, each bartender’s version is slightly different, but they all pack a wallop.
Ate at K-Paul’s, Brigtsen’s (both excellent), Galatoire’s (pretty good), Commander’s Palace (mediocre – just reopened and still trying to get it’s shit together). Lunch at Mother’s, an institution. Gained 4 pounds, after working hard for 2months to lose 11, but it was worth it.
Missed all the big name acts – saw lots of brass bands, Pharaoh Sanders, and Irma Thomas.
Stayed at the W on Poydras – completely devoid of local color … strange. Seemed like the staff was trained not to say “Y’all”.
The city is struggling, but Fest attendance was up, which is a good sign that folks still want to travel there, despite all the problems.
JAF
As a Rhode Islander, a true lobster roll is warm chunks of lobster, dressed in melted butter, and piled in the grilled bun. And the clam chowder that goes with the roll has no cream or milk, just clam broth.
Well, the specs of a lobster roll or chowder is important enough to get any North Easterner’s attention. Hot lobster deserves butter, but a lobster roll should be cold, and with just enough mayo to hold it together. No fancy ingredients please. A little celery is nice, gives it a little crunchiness. Lemon juice is ok – just a little though. But basil???