chez Josh in New Orleans

(The photos with me in it are by our friend Jill Dupré)

We arrived late this afternoon to New Orleans. And I found myself immediately installed in the kitchen cooking for ten. We are celebrating tonight, a visit that's two years overdue for me, and a homecoming of sort for David. We are at a gorgeous old house belonging to Josh, David's old school friend, and Jill, his lovely wife.

The house, sitting on the beautiful and high-ground Esplanande, survived Katrina with only a window blown out. Some other friends around the table tonight didn't fare so well. But no matter, they are now back in their beloved city. And the night brought exciting news of even more of their friends moving back to town. "That's what dinner conversations here are like these days", Josh turned to explain to me. They are preoccupied with putting their lives and their city back together. Even the once rousing sign at the airport "Laissez les bons temps rouler" has changed to the sober "Laissez les Economy rouler."

I'm so excited to be here. David just can't wait to show me all his old favorites. This city was where he found his love of food, where he had his first kitchen job, and he is more than eager to show it to me. It's going to be a fun few days.

It might seems a little odd, coming to New Orleans to appreciate the food, but ending up cooking a big Thai dinner the first night in town instead of dressing up and going to -say- Galatoire. But Josh spent quite a few years working in Bangkok, so this is a homecoming of sort for him too. The cooking was fun, everyone helped, even little Mathilda and Mose. The free flowing champagne probably helped some too.