The Party Is Over and We Have Moved On

Sorry I have taken so long to update the Blog but there has simply been no time.
Thursday we were off to tour the Tabasco Plant on Avery Island. Who knew, before they went on the tour, that Tabasco ages their sauce 3 years in reconditioned bourbon barrels? Me either! Their product line seems endless. They have Tabasco Teryaki sauce, Tabasco Worcestershire sauce, and they have now introduced Chipotle Tabasco sauce. These are only a few of their products.

Next we toured and had lunch at the Rip Van Winkle House and Gardens which was fascinating. There are 5 underground salt "hills". One on Avery Island that Tabasco mines and uses to seal the barrels for the aging of the Tabasco sauce. The salt actually turns to cement over the period of time to age the sauce.

Another is under a lake where the Rip Van Winkle House and Gardens is located. In November, 1980, the salt mine collapsed under the lake and a huge vortex was created and the lake was sucked into the salt mine. The Bayous moved backwards into the lake and vortex and shrimp boats were left high and dry. The devastation caused by the event was significant and yet most of the Sisters, including me, do not recall hearing of this event.

The cause was never determined it was suspected that they were drilling for oil adjacent to the salt mines and either punched through a chamber and weakened a chamber wall.

The gardens at Rip Van Winkle were beautiful. There was an Asian influence to these gardens. Large stand of clumping bamboo that were as big as the manor house and Buddhas were the main garden statuary.

Next we visited the Konriko Rice Mill and on to a tour and wine reception at the antebellum Shadows on the Teche. It was also a beautiful and gardens on the Teche River.

Dinner was at the great Cajun restaurant in Lafayette known as Mulate's. A great band played Zydeco and the night was danced away by Sisters and restaurant customers.

We had left in the morning at 8 a.m. and it was after 11 p.m. when returned to Morgan City. A big full day but not like we were going to have the next day - Friday.

HELLO NOLA!! 50 of us were off to a great cooking class at The New Orleans School of Cooking in the French Quarter. We had a great instructor who gave us the overview of just how the food culture of New Orleans and Louisiana came to be. Wonderful history lesson.

Corn and Crab Bisque, Shrimp Creole, Banana's Foster recipes were passed and their preparation was demonstrated by a very knowledgeable and witty instruction. If only I could remember the women's name. I was too in grossed in the process and eating this fabulous food. Finally, we learned the correct way to make Pralines. Did you know that from the moment they are dropped on the parchment paper or wax paper to set up, they are going back to being granulated. That is why they need to be eaten fairly soon.

The Sisters who did not attend the cooking class were free to have coffee and benigets at Le Cafe Dumond, sight see, shop, etc. As for me, after the cooking class I headed to the Garden District. Of all the times I have been in NO, I had never been to the beautiful Garden District which was not damaged by Katrina. The homes were breathtaking and particularly since it is spring and all the magnificent azaleas and dogwoods were blooming.

I returned to the French Quarter and walked along the Mississippi, ate benigets, shopped. There was an art festival going on and the French Quarter was jumping with great music and alot of people. It was a fun place for people watching and browsing through the wonderful art in Jackson Square.

The Sisters came together at Muriel's on Jackson Square. Unfortunately, there was a snafu in the arrangements on the part of Muriel's and we were either had to eat out of the balcony with a huge refer truck generator making so much noise, it was not pleasant or we ate in shifts at the too few tables and chairs.

We made the most of it and had a good time anyway. Got back to Morgan City around 11 p.m. dead tired.

Saturday was a free day if you had gone on the Swamp Tour already. Otherwise, the remainder of the Sisters went with Cajun Jack to see all the Swamp has to offer.

Some Sisters left Saturday because they had very long drives ahead of them. Those left were packing up and getting ready to leave on Sunday. But there was more event - Voodoo Party.

Great costumes, again from very creative Sisters. The dinner was catered and was craw fish boil. For many of us it was the first time eating craw fish and many of us mastered the art of twisting the head from the tail and getting that sweet succulent meat out.

Once again, the Sisters danced the night away to a great band who were so impressed with how we partied, late sent us an email saying they would be our band anytime anywhere. They felt like they were a part of the party and not just getting paid to be the band. A great compliment!

Sisters were caravaning out early Sunday morning and by Sunday night, I was pretty much all alone.

All in all a great time was had by all who attended. Next Giddy UP will be Chicago. And to those Sisters who are hosting, you have very big shoes to fill, not that I think Anita and Karen have big feet -LOL- but they were simply the best. Good you Midwest Sisters. We are looking forward to a great time next.

I will continue the blog but it will be all about Bob and my adventures on the road to Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and may Yellowstone. Everyone is more than welcome to follow us.