Pitts-burgh

So this week my mom came to visit and I thought I would bring her down to the lower ninth ward to see Brad Pitt's Make It Right houses. Wendy had met Mr. Pitt when he was holding a contest to choose architectural designs for his restoration project.


Well, here we are five years later and a number of houses built and delivered. I have to tell you that I am impressed. Through much trial, tribulation, and red tape Make It Right has managed to put up over 50 houses by my estimation. The designs are very modern and may not be everyone's cup of tea but the residents are quite thankful. I have to say that a person with Brad Pitt's stature and only cursory connection to New Orleans has much love and respect from me. He didn't have to do this, and when things got difficult he didn't have to keep at it but in spite of all of the roadblocks, development continues. If you haven't visited the lower nine, you should. It's not the place it once was but the people are nice and willing to visit and it is heartwarming to see a success story.

Here's to you Brad for really making a difference.



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Southeast Citrus Sightings

Back in the winter, our good friend Michael Karam invited us to a Grey Hound party in his backyard. Translation: Pink grapefruit picking party to make greyhounds on a Sunday morning, with King Cake too.

A group of Irish Channel dwellers gathered in 30 degree weather and collectively picked 700 pink grapefruits. It was just the coolest experience and I could honestly say, that morning, we were the only people on earth participating in such an activity. I brought home a huge box which I used to make cocktails for a whole month!

Fast forward a few months to a crawfish boil at another friends house in the Channel. This time, the citrus showed up in the boil and those lemons were as big as cabbage balls. They were picked righ off her giant Meyer lemon tree. Although not the focus of the cuisine, I just thought how awesome it was to use what she had available to season the boil.

This particular friend also served bacon wrapped tater tots. Odd, but delicious.

Pascal's Manale on Napoleon Ave makes a Meyer lemon pie occasionally. The lemons come from the backyard of a staff and it is just divine.

The other day a co-worker brought a bag of limes to share that he picked from his neighbors backyard. My old boss has an orange tree and used to share as well.

Every fall around Thanksgiving, Drue and I drive down Hwy 23 to Becnel's for a 40 lb box of satsumas. The drive down is a leisurely one with satsuma orchards lining either side of the road for miles. It's one of those things that you don't necessarily think of when you think about Louisiana, but local citrus is one of my favorite fruits. Drue loves those satsumas and they too, make for a wonderful mimosa to accompany Sunday brunch.

For Christmas last year, Drue's Aunt Judy gave us a Satsuma tree and it's now planted in our backyard. Maybe in 10 years, we can walk out in our backyard and save the drive down the road.

Do you think of Southeast Louisiana as a source of citrus? Other fruits? Share.