Further Fall Bounty - Food Day, Boudin, Red Baraat

Further Fall Bounty...

 

Food Day
Great Harvest Bread Co
Cafe Cohen
October 24, 2011 Monday

from Great Harvest Bread Co Facebook Page
Christine Balfa Powell, Anya Burgess, Kristi Guillory

Christine Balfa & Friends played after 3pm
I heard these girls before I saw them, love/Love the sound of a fiddle...
girl behind the bread samples counter inside the shop told me it was like having Cajun Royalty out there - as she's the grand daughter of 'the' Balfa (whom I'd not heard of but didn't want to spoil it, got to go Google him yet...am guessing he's a fiddler player too)

Link to all about Dewey Balfa--Yes, a Cajun Fiddler...how did I know that...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Balfa

(note: never saw the movie Southern Comfort either, now curious - can I rent it & just fast forward to the Cajun Fiddler part, hmmm...)

What he said...
"We are here to tell you a little bit about what a Cajun is. A Cajun is a person who his homeland was France. Went into Nova Scotia, at the time Acadia, and settled there and was there for about a hundred years, and afterwards the British took over the territory and then the French-speaking people, the French descendants, known as the Acadians, came down to the South-Western part of Louisiana, and that was back in 1755. So over all of these years, your language, and your music has been preserved from daddy to son or daddy to daughter or momma to daughter."

And what did he pass on to his 5 Children? I'm sure music, if not a fiddle...
Link to Christine Blafa Powell...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Balfa

(note: totally did not know she started Bonsoir Catin & I have their CD & love it?! Oh my the little circles that go 'round & 'round in Cajunland...nevermind or I'll be singing It's a Small Cajun World Afterall...)

Link to Bonsoir Catin Facebook page...
http://www.facebook.com/BonsoirCatin

Link to their webpage...
http://www.bonsoircatin.com/

(note: It's on my Must Do's for While I'm Living in Lafayette List--Go See/Hear Bonsoir Catin!! They'll be at the Giant Omelette Festival in November & then Mulates & Cafe des Amis, all before the end of this year so I still have a chance Hey?!)

 

Bonsoir Catin poster from their webpage & this is what the cover of their CD has on it too...
(how do I know? 'cause I own it!)

Link to a YouTube - Bonsoir Catin playing at Cafe des Amis, where I can go see them soon (Yeess!)
http://youtu.be/1W10jQxEfbU

 

Donations/Tips for the day went to Acadiana Food Circle
this a photo of their sign from Great Harvest Bread Co's webpage

Link to them directly...
www.acadianafoodcircle.org

854A Kaliste Saloom Road
Lafayette, Louisiana 70508
337-236-8966

Link to webpage...
http://www.greatharvestofacadiana.com/community_events.htm

Link to Bread Blog...
http://www.greatharvestofacadiana.com/_blog/Bread_Blog/calendar/2011/10/

Link to Facebook page...
http://www.facebook.com/greatharvestofacadiana

Link to Cafe Cohen - coffeeshop inside Great Harvest Bread Co...
http://www.cafecohen.com/
(note: who gave all their tips for the day to the Acadiana Food Circle too?!)

Link to the Official Food Day webpage...
http://foodday.org/


   /\/\/\

Boudin Cookoff

 

Poster (some piggy fun) from webpage...
http://www.boudincookoff.com/

my choice at the winner--fried boudin w/blackberry sauce...
from the boudin cooking folks up/over/down in Cottonport or was it Cottonmouth - I was blinded by my tastebuds, going gaga over the savory/sweet thang in my mouth at the time, so totally missed reading their tent sign (just know I paid $3 bucks for these babies & they were well worth it...mmm...lick fingers...mmm...)

 

a few of the 'other' samples of boudin links or boudin balls from 'other' tents...
one has brown rice, one is with crawfish & one is a boudin ball & others may be regular or smoked - sadly at the very beginning I lost track of what boudin was from what tent?! Good thing I was 'not' a judge, nor did I vote for any--because it wouldn't of been fair...

 

from the Boudin Cookoff webpage...a bigger photo & selection of How you can order/eat boudin - big links, little links, balls & with 'you name it' added to the rice & spices inside the sausage casings also...there are also boudin poboys, not shown & those fried boudin wedges with blackberry sauce that I was lucky enough to try & I'm sure locally they've thought of a whole bunch of other ways to eat boudin too...

Awards of the Day...

People’s Choice      

*the one I didn't vote on

First Place

T-Boy’s Boudin and Cracklin (Mamou and Eunice)

Second Place

NuNu’s (Youngsville and Milton)

Traditional, Specialty & Unlinked were the other Award categories for the Boudin Cookoff...

Band for the day while I was there...
The Howdies

(note: loved their old suitcase at the edge of the stage with their band name painted on the side - like they were an old vaudeville act back in the day...nice touch/detail...)

Link to their coming soon webpage link...
http://thehowdies.com/

(note: but still a list of Upcoming Shows so see Nov 12th they're back in Lafayette at Artmosphere)

Link to their Facebook page...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-HOWDIES/127479325341

(note: not one photo of that Suitcase though, shoulda took a quick pick of it--but my hands were full of boudin samples?!)

Note:
Have you noticed a theme yet? In Lafayette, In Louisiana--if there is Food, there is Music...
you could as well as if there is Food & Music--there 'is' Dancing?!

     /\/\/\

Red Baraat
Dhol 'n Brass
World Music

 

AcA's flyer @The Center Red Baraat

Thursday, October 27, 2011
Acadiana Center for the Arts
101 W. Vermillion Street, Lafayette, LA 70501
8:00-9:30 PM
Tickets: $20
*misprint, our tickets were $14 & members were less, as were student tickets

Link to AcA webpage event info...
http://acadianacenterforthearts.org/Events/EventsDisplay.asp?p1=8064&p2=Y&Sort&Archive 

Link to article: AcA Presents Red Baraat, Rounding Out the World at the Center Series
http://www.americantowns.com/la/lafayette/news/aca-presents-red-baraat-rounding-out-the-world-at-the-center-series-7155768

All the Red Baraat Band Members...

Sunny Jain - Dhol / MC
Rohin Khemani - Percussion
Aaron McLendon - Drumset
Alex Hamlin - Soprano Saxophone
Sonny Singh - Trumpet / Vox
MiWi La Lupa - Bass Trumpet / Vox
Ernest Stuart - Trombone
John Altieri - Sousaphone / Rap
(note: they did not all perform at AcA & now I'm asking myself what's a Vox? & took me a sec to go Oh yeah--that's a Tuba right?!)

Link to webpage...
http://www.redbaraat.com/

Link to Facebook page...
http://www.facebook.com/redbaraatfans

Link to their Event: Coming Back to NOLA & Lafayette, LA...
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=289172744427674
(note: after they were here in Lafayette for the Int'l Festival - which is where I heard them first...but now I have a CD to listen to & remember what they look like/feel like live--it's hard to stay still when you hear them/see them...)

Link to a YouTube they chose for their webpage homepage...
http://youtu.be/Lxv7ZZ9Mon0

Next Stop Voodoo Fest in NOLA...here an article & a link to Voodoo Fest 2011...
http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2011/10/red_baraat_to_mix_up_the_music.html

The Advertiser newspaper online photo of Red Baraat performing Thurs night at AcA theater...
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?

And The Advertiser's article: Brass music by way of India...
http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20111027/LIFESTYLE/110270302/Brass-music-by-way-India

 

photo (I know sad dark blurry) credit - all mine with my (I don't know how to use my) Droid phone...
after seeing what an iphone can do in action at a recent event, standing looking over someone else's shoulder I am shamed, impressed, feeling leftout, but as impoverished expat trailing non-working spouse, to date, cannot afford that upgrade at this point in time...sigh...can only hope that Droid will do better when it's time to upgrade my phone in July--totally another subject, nevermind... & I also know it's a FirstWorldProblem (just am not so sure either I want to be sucked into the i-world...)

Another Coffeeshop in town? Oh yeah...

Cafe' Cohen

inside Great Harvest Bread Co

Info from their webpage...
A Premier Espresso Bar & Coffee Shop

854 Kaliste Saloom Rd
Lafayette, LA 70508

m-th (7a-6p) | fri (7a-5p) | sat (7a-4p)

e-mail
info@cafecohen.com

facebook
facebook.com/cafecohen

twitter
twitter.com/cafecohen

Link to webpage...

http://cafecohen.com/

phone

337-278-5076

Photo Credit: their business card, picked up at the Grand Opening

(OK, so I scanned it & don't know how to fix it - nobody said I knew what I was doing?!)

More Beautiful photos were taken by Catherine Guidry when they opened on the 19th of Sept, last Monday...now this past Saturday was their so called Official Grand Opening then - so both days there was Free Coffee...I  mean Wow, who does that anymore for a Whole Day--let alone Two Whole Days...And of course I went both days & had the first time a lovely Iced Latte then the second time a lovely Iced Coffee...Inbetween, have to admit, took my Realtor friend in to show her what's new in the neighborhood for a change & I had a Hot Latte--again lovely, with some Latte Art in the froth & a bit of biscotte (which I have to say you hardly find anymore when ordering a coffee out - I miss the chocolate goodies you can get in Europe with your Espresso...mmm...miss 'em, did I say that--sorry, but I so do?!)

Link to her webpage...

http://www.catherineguidry.com/blog/?p=5978

note: so go here to see Jason & Jenny make coffees with their helpers (who I will yet probably learn all their names) & their great tee shirts (who I've met Jamie who designed them & had a tee shirt shop in downtown Lafayette I think make them, if I remember the converstaion over my iced latte with that first Opening Day) & their lovely coffee (forgot to even ask where their roaster is, tho I think someone told me Dallas, TX but will find out soon enough) & I like that Logo on their papercups especially because it reminds me of a flower...

Link to another blogger, Anne, & more beautiful photos of  Cafe Cohen & her coffee topped with Latte Art too...now am reading that Jason, co-owner with wife Jenny, is also a Photographer & use to serve coffee at his studio--until they decided to open this coffeebar (I may be happy they left out of the one creative arts to jump into another--because I do consider a Barista an Artista right?!)
http://heylafayette.com/2011/09/23/cafe-cohen/

note: WordPress makes for a beautiful blog...hmmm...moving on--love this following shot, not something you'd think right off to snap a shot of...am curious about these folks cameras - tho I don't think I could own anything other than a point & shoot type or my phone camera...

Dirty Spoons....Clean Spoons...
photo credit: Anne of 'Hey Lafayette' blog, see link above...
I'd like to meet Anne & her camera, must keep an eye out for a woman with a camera case hanging off her somewheres in the coffeebar/bread shop my next stops (Yes, plural-no mistake) into Cafe Cohen?!

Maybe I can run into her on her bike too - this past Saturday rode my fav white pearlie Townie bike with my basket up front to Cafe Cohen, but must of been later than Anne because didn't see any other bikes parked outside...we slipped by each other this time, but just wait--there will be some Saturday we'll pull up on our bikes & meet... that's what Coffeehouses are good for?!


Clever Coffee

On the menu chalk board is written "Clever Coffee" - but I know them as "PourOvers"
What are they you may ask? Clever they may be but also easily just a filter holder top to 'pour over' the hotwater into the grinds inside the filter & into a glass bottom which then gets poured into a coffee cup...

There is more to it, they wash the filter & they weigh things & they time things & it does indeed give coffee a different taste - there is a difference to me in an espresso or an iced coffee or a hot/cold latte or a 'clever coffee' (all this too w/o any flavoring, I am a purest I think in enjoying my coffee first as an espresso then if any other way it's sans flavors & if possible sans sugar or creamer as well?!)

photo of a Clever Coffee Dripper

Pour-over Brewing Techinque uploaded by SweetMarias
(really more than you'd ever want to know about this process--it's over 7 min's this video?!)
Link to YouTube...
http://youtu.be/r6OdG39pfTU

Espresso Machine & Coffee Beans still a mystery, or two, to be discovered...

Just know the espresso machine they use is Made in the USA & I was told a little story about how the company who made it use to make machines for Starbucks, until BurntBucks (is what I call them) changed to probably a more automatic machine...this little company went off to just start making/selling their espresso machines on their own & I like that gumpshun a lot--plus Cafe Cohen's machine is stainless steel & that just spells clean & sterile & modern to most folks...

Looked up find 3 choices it could be if Made in the USA & was it bought in Dallas or Portland...
1) Grindmaster, 2) Astra or 3) Salvatore Espresso Systems (that last one had a big Italian influence)
But looking thru all 3 webpages I don't see Cafe Cohen's machine, hmmm...(I feel like a detective, a coffee detective?!)

Cultivar Dallas, TX roaster

Link to the coffee roaster...
http://cultivarcoffee.com/

note: will be supporting the Gutemalan coffee from Finca Santa Clara on their list of coffees - as I've probably said this before I know a family from Gutemala & the Dad told us how sad it was for him & his Father too to see how the coffee farmers were losing their land/livelyhood...besides it's some really tasty coffee, so it's easy for me to support it - Fair Trade even better?!

Link to just about Finca Santa Clara & the Zelaya Family of coffee growers in Antigua valley - Cultivar Coffee's Gutemalan roast...
http://cultivarcoffee.com/coffee/guatemala-finca-santa-clara/

Cafe Cohen articles...

This one is a blog article about Jason when he was a photographer with a studio where he'd just happen to make coffee...Oct 2010 - Hope for Opelousas - Cafe Cohen Caring with Coffee...
http://hopeforopelousas.org/2010/10/25/cafe-cohen-caring-with-coffee

note: love their photo of Jason with his Love hoodie & paper coffee cup, but it's the smile that wins you over right off...


The Advertiser article...Sept 12, 2011 - New Coffee Shop Open in Lafayette Next Week...
http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20110912/NEWS01/110912023/New-coffee-shop-open-Lafayette-next-week

The Independent article...Sept 19, 2011 - Cafe' Cohen Opens in Great Harvest...
http://www.theind.com/food/9038-cafe-cohen-opens-in-great-harvest

note: I didn't know this about the chocolate they use, which is a good thing...
"The chocolate they get is one of only two distributors in the U.S. that ensure 'bean to bar,' meaning the company is invested in the chocolate from growth to when it is sold." (thanks Anna Purdy for that tidbit - missed her there on Saturday too, Anne in the morning & Anna in the afternoon--odd that, but true?!)

Other Links...

Jason's Photography Blog...
http://jasoncohenphoto.com/2011/09/12/announcing-cafe-cohen-a-premier-espresso-bar-coffee-shop/

note: I loved how Thomas welcomed Jason to the 'coffee-fold' - I love that there is a 'coffee-fold' in Lafayette & I am here for it...as I have a bit of 'passion' in regards to drinking my coffee, my espresso especially--rather than making it?!

Oh that would be, if I were to take a great guess, Thomas from Carpe Diem Gelato Espresso & a very kind gesture--but there is of course Room for Everybody & they are in different parts of town...
I just love 'em both & am happy to have these great Alternative Choices as I refuse/boycott going to BurntBucks--Oh I mean StarBucks & I've probably just stepped on a few toes there (my many friends overseas too, who are Crazy GaGa for StarBucks I just don't understand them either--but I forgave them & tried ever so hard to steer them once in a great while elsewhere...to the Indie Coffeeshops & their Baristas instead?!)

Link to Great Harvest Bread Co - which is so full of good stuff you could not list them all, I am however very partial to the healthy Go Bars (as I've traveled to CO & back with them for energy) & am (im)patiently awaiting the holidays so I can get Cranberry/Orange bread again?! mmm...my tastebuds are so ready?! These are some good people & so wonderful it's now become a community of such with Jason & Jenny in the shop with a Coffeebar - a (I'm gonna say it) Match Made in Heaven?!
http://www.greatharvestofacadiana.com/

Link to the Man Behind the TeeShirt Design--Jamie & his blog, he's not just a Designer, he's a Photographer too so of course there are photos from Cafe Cohen...
http://jamieorillion.com/blog/

note: I heard, straight from the man, he took the idea for the TeeShirt design from their commercial stainless espresso machine...am considering buying one, if they sell them, the teeshirt mind you cannot afford a real espresso machine--as I love espresso so why not have a whole machine on my chest rather than a tiny little espresso cup?!

And Jamie may have gotten the First Cup of the Day--but I'll swear I got the Second?! Hah?!

Link to the new Colossus Calendar & the announcement that Cafe Cohen was Opening - I know who posted that & was so excited I even knew about Colossus Calendar to begin with (Thank you Michael Lunsford for that insider tip & help on Twitter to figure out how to even post something on the calendar...)
http://colossuscal.com/9-19-2011/

Link to UrbanSpoon & their listing of Coffeeshops in Lafayette...
http://www.urbanspoon.com/nf/190/21814/20109/Lafayette/Coffee-Shops

Link to their Charity for the Day - Blood Water Mission - our tips on Grand Opening Day went here...
http://www.bloodwatermission.com/

note: Wiki explaining Blood Water Mission...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood:_Water_Mission


   ^^^

Last Link - to my all time favorite Barista, an award winning one too, who happens to live in Sandnes, Norway (prob the last place you would of thought I'd have a fav Barista right?!)
http://www.benkkaffebar.no/

note: you can translate the page/blog & check them out too, if you happen to be traveling to Scandinavia & possible Stavanger, Norway--then Sandnes & Benk Kaffebar is not far away...tell Thomas I said Hi & I miss his espresso - which he could do latte art in them, in the froth alone...my fav latte art of his was inside a regular latte, it was a fish eating a fish--so cute, so different, loved it (sad tho it wouldn't fit inside my espresso cup, but that's OK?!)

I watched a regional competition here at this Kaffebar in Sandnes, before they went off to Oslo for the final competition & the 2 from the BenkKaffebar did do well - am sure I blogged about all that coffee fun stuff on my Rain in Stavanger Blog, when I lived there last year & the year before that...

Of all the things I miss from Norway--this espresso by this Barista in this Kaffebar I miss probably the most?! ;o(