New Orleans residents love their red beans and rice, celebrate the long-standing dish with new exhibit

If you’re from New Orleans, you know that Camellia Beans are essential to making rich and creamy red beans and rice. It’s a city tradition on Mondays, passed down from the days when housewives put a pot of beans on the stove while they washed clothes, utilizing the ham hock leftover from Sunday's supper. My momma was serious about using Camellia Beans, and she passed this knowledge on to me. She even mailed me packages when I lived in Los Angeles to make sure my beans were the real thing.

Don’t take my word for Camellia Beans being a vital part of culinary living in South Louisiana. The Southern Food & Beverage Museum of New Orleans honors this traditional foodway with a permanent exhibit opening Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. “Red Bean City” looks at the popular red beans and rice dish, along with the fourth generation business. Special events will mark its opening.

Events include:

Thursday, Aug. 3: Exhibit opens and visitors can take a photo with the Red Bean Car from 4-5:30 p.m. Camellia will also host a panel of New Orleans food culture and bean experts — David Beriss, Leah Chase, Poppy Tooker and Vince Hayward — to discuss the beloved dish of red beans and rice, led by historian Rien Fertel.

Saturday, Aug. 5: Free entry to the museum and complimentary tastes of red beans, plus the first 100 visitors will receive a free bag of red beans and kids will enjoy Bean Art from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The exhibit, created by Fertel, includes beans and rice traditions around the world, red bean secrets, history of the Hayward family of Camellia Beans and more. The Krewe of Red Beans marches at Mardi Gras and participants can also don a Krewe of Red Beans costume and snap a "parade" selfie.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves her momma's red beans and rice!

Solar Eclipse Part V: Arkansas and Columbia, Missouri

Buffalo River, Arkansas

For the first time in 38 years, the moon will be impertinent enough to block out the sun on Aug. 21, causing a total solar eclipse to occur across the United States. Parts of the South will be in the “path of totality,” or the place where folks will observe a complete eclipse, as opposed to those on the periphery who will only view a partial eclipse. Everyone in Arkansas will be able to view this historic event, but only those close to the path of totality, in the north and northeast sections of Arkansas, will see 95-97 percent of the complete eclipse.

“According to a chart from the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society, the eclipse will begin at approximately 11:43 a.m. in the northwest corner of the state and be over by approximately 2:50 p.m. in the southeast, with peak totality occurring between 1:13 and 1:22 p.m.,” wrote travel writer Katherine Stewart with the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. “The cities of Piggott and Corning, which lie closest to the path of totality, will see the fullest eclipse, at 97 percent totality; El Dorado and Lake Village will see 83 percent and 85 percent, respectively.”

 

Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs

In Missouri, the eclipse follows a diagonal line across the northwest to the southeast part of the state, so naturally that state is expecting thousands of visitors. One hot spot to consider is Columbia in Central Missouri, which is directly in the path of totality, so those in Columbia on the day of the eclipse will witness more than two minutes and thirty seconds of totality beginning at 1:12 p.m. This viewing is one of the longest spans of totality in the country. 

Places to visit in Arkansas

• Watch parties are planned at Arkansas state parks including Petit Jean, Lake Catherine, Mississippi River and Mount Magazine.
• The Arkansas-Oklahoma Astronomical Society will host a watch party at the Lake Fort Smith State Park marina.
• The Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs will present eclipse-themed educational programming and hands-on activities in the hours before and after the eclipse.
• The Museum of Discovery in Little Rock will host an “eclipnic”— bring a sack lunch, learn about eclipse science, then watch with provided eclipse glasses.

St. Louis Sprockets Stunt Bike Club will
perform at Cosmo Park. Photo by Kevin Dingman

Columbia, Missouri, events

The city of Columbia will host a free music festival, viewing parties, a 5k/10k race, a guided bicycle trail ride and other activities. There will be two separate viewing parties, one at the city's Cosmopolitan (Cosmo) Park, 1615 Business Loop 70, and the second at Gans Creek Recreation Area, 3360 E. Gans Creek Road.  

For continually updated details on the Show Me Totality events, location of events, pricing of rides, runs and other activities, check back often at www.CoMoEclipse.com.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is expecting heavy traffic on the day of the eclipse and suggests travelers plan to leave early for their viewing destination, stay put once they get there and leave late to avoid heavy congestion on the roadways after the eclipse. For more recommendations from MoDOT, visit www.modot.org/eclipse/.

This story was written with the assistance of tourism officials in Arkansas and Columbia, Missouri.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves weird and unusual things, and simply cannot wait until the total solar eclipse.

Solar Eclipse Part IV: Nashville

The Aug. 21 total solar eclipse darkening our nation passes directly over the South, scooting past Nashville, Tennessee. Naturally, the Music City is offering a few incentives for eclipse watchers since it's the largest city in the path of totality.

The Westin Nashville near Nashville’s entertainment district and adjacent to the Music City Center, will offer everything from a Solar Eclipse 2017 Room Package to a Solar Eclipse 2017 Watch Party at L27, Nashville’s highest rooftop bar. The package includes a minimum two-night stay at the Westin Nashville starting Sunday, Aug. 20, an in-room breakfast for two off the SuperFoodsRx Menu the morning of the Total Solar Eclipse, and a comp Rhapsody Spa welcome gift. In addition to this accommodation and in-room dining experience, guests will be given access to a complimentary yoga class for two at the L27 Rooftop Bar at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21, and will receive two tickets to the Solar Eclipse 2017 Watch Party.

The Westin Nashville’s Solar Eclipse 2017 Watch Party begins at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21, at L27 Rooftop Bar and is open to guests of the hotel. Eclipse progression begins around 11:58 a.m. and the fun concludes at 2 p.m. Access for the general public is not guaranteed, but will open at 1 p.m. pending available space.

Other eclipse events happening include:
Watching the animals react to the sun's disappearance at the Nashville Zoo
Viewing party at the Nashville Adventure Center Aug. 19-21

Want more suggestions on where to view the total solar eclipse in Tennessee? Click here.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves weird and unusual things, and simply cannot wait until the total solar eclipse.

Triangle - it's not just for calling people in for supper

It may look like a simple instrument to conquer, but the triangle, or tit fer in Cajun French, is a vital part of a Cajun sound. And yes, it doubles as a way to call people in for supper.

But the musical side of this piece of steel is why Vermilionville will host a class on teaching Cajun rhythms on the triangle on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, part of the historical village’s monthly workshops that teach crafts from master artisans.

During the Aug 5 workshop in Lafayette, Louisiana, members of the Huval family who make up the band ŒUVAL will teach Cajun rhythms on the triangle from 10 a.m. to noon. Based out of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, ŒUVAL is made up of the extended and musical Huval clan of St. Martin Parish. Kevin Huval on vocals and guitar is joined by his sons, Joshua on accordion and Daniel on bass, plus Christian Lejeune on fiddle and Jimmy Breaux on drums.

Participants must have their own triangles for this class but Vermilionville is offering triangles made by its resident blacksmith, Jay Steiner, at a reduced price of $10 when purchased in conjunction with the workshop. There are only 10 triangles available at this cost, and they can be purchased at the time of online registration. To register, visit Vermilionville.org, or call (337) 233-4077 or email Vville@BayouVermilionDistrict.org.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves weird and unusual things, including fun instruments.