So what's a self-proclaimed "foodie" like me doing writing about festival food? Serioiusly, does festival "food" count as food? Isn't it just offered to absorb the booze consumed?
Well, those are good points. Here, in Atlanta, spring is upon us and with it brings an outdoor festival each weekend. We, Atlantans, love to party outdoors under the guise of appreciating arts and crafts and live folk music. And what culinary delights are offered at these weekly festivals? Well, there's no escaping the ubiquitous chicken gyro. Don't forget the corndogs. Oh, and my personal favorite: "ice cream of the future," something called Dots. Man, that's some weird stuff.
But in New Orleans, they have a different way of doing things. L, A, and I just returned from a weekend in NOLA, celebrating Jazz Fest, the outdoor festival to end all outdoor festivals. Now, the music at Jazzfest is spectacular to be sure. But the food! I think I can safely say that we go for the food. We enjoy the music, but we make the 7 1/2 hour trek for the food.
And there's so much to choose from! Leave your diet at home and sample as much as you can. This year I opted for jambalya (ok, it had the shortest line, but it's always a safe bet!), a duck confit po'boy (mmmmmm!), and crawfish monica (can't go wrong there!). Little A had some crawfish bread which is like some delicious grilled cheese only w/ crawfish in it. L had a muffaletta and God knows what else (that man can eat!) Honestly, we barely scraped the surface. I missed out on the pheasant and quail gumbo, which my friend Jen said is her favorite thing. I resolve next year to make that a priority! Cajun sushi sounds scary to me, particularly if it's been sitting in the hot Louisana sun (but I am a little curious about it!) I always plan on getting the cochon po'boy, but the long line always scares me away. Next year, I may try the catfish almondine. That looked pretty good, too. There are desserts, too. Bread pudding, anyone...
So Atlanta, step up! Next time Paul McCartney is performing in Piedmont Park, do you think you could offer some food befitting the occasion? Look to the west, maybe New Orleans can cater the event.
