Let’s give bodies a spring cleaning
Nathan Tipton started making king cakes about 5 years ago and says he’s finally found the perfect dough recipe.
“I will stick with this one until the end of time,” he said recently as he finished up one cake and got started on another, two of the 20 or so that he prepared for the Tennessee Equality Project Gumbo Contest last weekend.
But what he puts in the cake is anyone’s guess. Tipton goes with traditional fillings, from the simple cinnamon and sugar to a variety of fruit flavors — and some surprises. First, a little history.
King cakes have been around for hundreds of years, back to ancient times when Saturnalia was celebrated and a galette was baked with a bean in it; whoever received it was king for the day. By the Middle Ages, the cake became part of the tradition of Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, and honors the three wise men who visited the baby Jesus. At its essence it’s the same today, but in New Orleans, king cake is more about party season.
Carnival begins the world over on Epiphany and is a time of feasting and celebration that lasts until Fat Tuesday, the day before
After a couple of weeks of eating gumbo — the things I do for you — I realized I just felt bad. Ugh. I ate a lot of gumbo, and you can read about it in this Friday’s GoMemphis. It’s all good stuff, so go out and eat it, enjoy it, then join up with me March 1 for a month of healthy eating. Let’s call it Spring Cleaning. I’m going on some sort of a detox/ cleanse/diet, though I’m not following one specific program. Sure, I’ll watch my carbs, I’ll increase my healthy protein, and I’ll stick to my exercise schedule, but I’m primarily concerned with eating wholesome food. I spend a lot of time in search of food that tastes good, and now I want food that makes me feel good.
But of course it will also have to taste good to me. I don’t mean fried chicken good, but I’ll need more than fat-free salad dressing good if I’m going to make it through a month.
With my job, I’m never going to complain if I drop a few pounds, but losing weight is not really my goal. I just want to feel better and have more energy. Coincidentally, March 1 is also the first day of Lent, so it’s a good time to start. And come on, did you really stick to your New Year’s resolutions? Good for you if you did, but if you didn’t, no shame. Come redeem yourself with me now. And don’t worry: We’ll still have wine (I said I want to feel better). I’ll give you a better idea of what I plan to do next week and share some recipes with you.
Michael Donahue will also be focusing on healthy foods for Best Bets, and we’re both open to your ideas for places to eat. Drop me an email, and tell us about places you like or just about healthier options you choose when you dine out. Don’t have any? You will soon. It’s not all barbecue, bacon and fried chicken out there. So here’s the word on Front Street Deli: It’s been sold. It was purchased by local developer Jon Hodge, and it’s going to stay Front Street Deli, though Hodge does have plans to enhance things down the line. More on that to come. It won’t be long until Babalu Tacos & Tapas opens in East Memphis. Jesse Robertson has been named the general manager, and co-owner Bill Latham says to look for the new place, in the development on Poplar just east of Massey, to open in the first half of April. Folks love cooking classes, and here’s one you better jump on if you want to attend as one night has already sold out. Karen Roth of Les Jardin (formerly of Erling’s, Alchemy and sever-
al other places) is teaching a class to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. The class is March 27 at Arkansas State University Mid-South in the Jeremy Jacobs Hospitality Center, 2000 W. Broadway in West Memphis. Roth’s class is $65, it’s hands-on, and you’ll make shrimp and grits, a filet with brandied mushroom cream sauce and sticky toffee pudding. To reserve your spot, call 901-218-8308.
CA Lunch Bunch
If you’re on the list, remember to meet us at noon Friday at Mardi Gras, 496 N. Watkins. We’ll celebrate Mardi Gras Memphis-style a few days early.
Recipe of the week
A Mardi Gras casserole? I saw several recipes for gumbo casserole and couldn’t quite get behind them, but then I found this Cajun shrimp casserole from Southern Living and was able to work up some enthusiasm for it. I’m done with Louisiana food until Friday lunch, but if you try it, let me know what you think. (I would definitely buy peeled and deveined shrimp because that saves a lot of time.)
Contact Jennifer Biggs at biggs@commercialappeal.com or 901-5295223. Friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/jennifer.biggs.100.