Four days in the shadow of Katrina.

MONDAY

"These are not fat and happy times."

As he says this, John Besh, chef and owner of Restaurant August, smiles and places in front of me the kind of salad that only in New Orleans could be considered an appetizer. There are greens, yes, but also: three hard-boiled quail eggs, at least three ounces of crispy bacon, and an entree-sized pile of the best crabmeat I have ever tasted. The salad, if nothing else, is fat and happy.

It is mid-summer in New Orleans, traditionally the time when the locals take off for the beach and the tourists stay away rather than face the subtropical Louisiana heat and humidity. If you don't stray from Bourbon Street or the bustling Uptown neighborhood, you might not notice that the streets are even quieter than normal. However, you'll know what's going on when chefs like Besh, with full dining rooms and glowing critical reviews on the walls, are saying things like, "I could be out of business in a couple of months."

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This is the reality of a chef's New Orleans, post-Katrina, and the only people who seem to be fat and happy are the landlords and real estate brokers that have made it very difficult for cooks and managers and servers and dishwashers and porters and regular customers to come back to the restaurants that have for so long helped to define their city.

"We have a city that's much smaller than it used to be," says Besh, "and the price of real estate has just gone through the roof. How does a cook survive on $30,000 a year, which would be the salary for a well-paid cook? How will they do that when their rent is $1,500 a bedroom?"

Behind Besh, Kerry Blackmon answers the telephone and graciously steers deliverymen back toward the kitchen. Her great-grandmother is Willie Mae Seaton, proprietor of the eight-table Willie Mae's Scotch House restaurant, a legendary down-home joint whose physical home was destroyed by the winds and flooding wrought by Hurricane Katrina. Blackmon worked alongside her grandmother, and hopes to return once a volunteer-led reconstruction is completed.

"This used to be a 24-hour city," says Blackmon with a sad smile. "It's taken some getting used to, the way things are now."

TUESDAY

In the morning, we load up the photo gear and drive straight across Lake Pontchartrain, on the aptly-named Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the longest of its kind. It's incredible, if disconcerting, to enter a bridge by automobile and not be able to see land on the opposite side. Miraculously, the Causeway was not damaged or flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

We arrive at our destination--the Longbranch, in Abita Springs--and are greeted by Allison Vines-Rushing, Slade Rushing and their friendly, drooling bloodhounds. The air is swamp-thick and humid, and grayish sunlight languishes in patches across the lawn. For us first-time visitors, the tranquility of this lakeshore community is deceptive. I mention that things don't look too bad in Abita.

"It used to be really green up here," says Slade wistfully. "We lost a lot of trees in Katrina. A lot of the cosmetics of Abita have changed drastically. There were pine trees here that were hundreds of years old. It was gorgeous." Last year, says Rushing, there were more wild chanterelles growing in the nearby woods than he could ever hope to pick. "It's been raining for the last few days, so I went out yesterday hoping to get some mushrooms. I found two."

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The couple lost their home, a cottage on the restaurant property, when a massive tree fell on it and "split it down the middle. It looked like a Chinese take-out container. We lost everything we had in there."

Back in New Orleans, we catch our first glimpse of utter destruction: rows and rows of houses, abandoned, with garish orange spray-painted notations on their sides, awaiting demolition, awaiting an answer from parish, state, federal governments: May we rebuild? Will you help us?

WEDNESDAY

There are tiny pockets of life in mostly-quiet French Quarter, like the bar across the street from Bayona, where, at 7 a.m., music and laughter and the twittering of an electronic gambling machine spill out the open door and into the steamy street.

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The glass front door at Bayona drips condensation like a sweaty athlete. For breakfast we enjoy potato chips, made locally and seasoned to taste like crawfish.

While we're waiting between shots of Susan Spicer's iconic food, a flyer from the Gray Line bus tour company catches my eye. "Hurricane Katrina," it says. "America's Worst Catastrophe." For $35 a head, you can take a narrated three-hour tour, stopping at an "actual levee," learning about the "direct connection between America's disappearing coastal wetlands, oil and gas pipelines, levee protection and hurricane destruction," and hearing an account of those terrible days from the perspective of an "actual local."

I ask Spicer whether she thinks such a tour isn't a bit morbid. "Sure, but it needs to be seen," she responds. "People think, 'New Orleans, what are they bellyaching about?' In order to understand, they've got to see it."

We venture out onto Bourbon Street that evening, past a few more signs of life: a burly gentleman holding a sign that reads "HUGE ASS BEERS INSIDE." A group of conventioneering teachers gathers onstage at Cat's Meow, a karaoke bar. They're singing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" with a kind of giddy, unashamed joy. The windows at Preservation Hall are thrown open to the street, and if you close your eyes, the rollicking Dixieland music can make you forget, for a second, what happened here last year.

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THURSDAY

We spend our last day in town with Paul Prudhomme and his inner circle, in the dining room at K-Paul's. A manager confides that they've only been serving dinner on one of two floors most nights since Katrina, and Prudhomme himself confides that "hundreds and thousands of dollars have gone away in the last ten months."

So could there possibly be a silver lining in all of this? Donald Link, chef and owner of Herbsaint and Cochon, sees one in the way that people have begun to help themselves in spite of government inaction.

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"The best thing you can say right now is that the people who are here, they're taking care of everything," he says. "They're building their houses back up, in spite of the codes, in spite of the government." He reports that although his business has been even more brisk than he'd anticipated, his labor costs have "gone through the roof. Dishwasher pay has gone up two or three bucks an hour." During the first days after re-opening his restaurants, Link says that he and his skeleton crew would scour the streets outside the restaurant, "offering and exorbitant amount of money to anyone we could find, just to wash dishes for one night." Back in the Northeast, I find myself at a loss when people ask me to describe what I've seen and heard. It's a jumble of contradictions: thriving restaurants whose bright facades hide deep financial distress; the Superdome, scrubbed and ready to welcome back the Saints just a year after becoming the hurricane's most obvious signifier of suffering and neglect; brightly-lit shops crammed with memorabilia and devoid of customers.

Susan Spicer probably put it best. "People have one picture or the other; they think everything's back to normal, or they think that they have to get immunizations before entering the city," she laughs. "People need to come down and have a look around for themselves. Things are better, but we've still got a long, long way to go."

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PAUL PRUDHOMME

K-Paul's

New Orleans, Louisiana

AC: I understand that you cooked all over the country before returning to your native Louisiana. What was it that called you back to the area?

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PP: You know what dirty rice is? Well I was home visiting, and I was with my niece, and we went to the grocery store and she bought a little container of dirty rice mix. I was just amazed that she would buy that, because my sister, her mother, would make dirty rice. Her aunts and uncles, the nieces and nephews, would all make dirty rice. I asked on the way back why she bought it, and she said it was too much trouble to make dirty rice from scratch. So she put the mix together, and it was one of the worst things I had ever tasted, like a slap in the face of dirty rice. It made me realize that the culture of our food was gonna go away. Another generation and it would be gone. So I made a decision to come back and do Louisiana food. I sold everything I had and came back.

AC: Early in your career, you would sneak your own seasonings into dishes before they left the kitchen. Did that ever get you into trouble?

PP: The last time I did it, I quit just before I was terminated! (Laughing.) I shouldn't have done it. Everybody loved it, but the circumstances weren't correct for it. I was making the chef look bad, but I wasn't thinking about that.

AC: What was the genesis of your restaurant K-Paul's?

PP: Before I went to work at Commander's Palace, I was the chef at [hotel] Maison Dupuy, and I met [my late wife] Kay there. We admired each other's work. She was a wonderful waitress. She knew everything that was happening in the dining room. We got into the habit, at the end of the evening, we'd sit down and sort of debrief about what had happened that night. I eventually left there and went to Commander's. We were going out together, and we started to talk about it, over the span of about a year, we said, "Why don't we get our own restaurant?" We started looking. It took two years. The real estate lady called me one day and she said, "I think this may work, but I'm gonna wait for you outside, because it's kind of a tough place." (Laughing.) It was a real dump. The sailors would be in here waiting to take off on their ships, and all the waiters and cooks in the French Quarter would come, because the owner would cash checks, and he also took bets. We started the place thinking that it would be a place for Kay. We decided we'd never do the weekends. It was working person's restaurant, that's what we wanted. I wanted to do five-dollar food.

We came here in March of 1980. It was the first time blackened redfish was served in a restaurant. After a few weeks, there was just a line of people out the door and around the corner.

AC: What was your experience of Hurricane Katrina, and how are things for you and your businesses now?

PP: Those were terrible days, but the only damage to the restaurant was that some water came through and the floors buckled and the roofs were damaged. We finally just got the insurance company to give us the money to repair it. I called the city within a few weeks and said, "I'm ready to open," and they said, "You can't." And so that delay is what got the Chefs Cook for Katrina Foundation going. We came over and ripped out two ovens [at K-Paul's] and took all the pots and pans and put 'em in a tent right behind the Magic Seasonings building and started feeding people. This is on a Friday, and by the next Sunday we were running strong enough that we went to the military base across the river and fed maybe four or five thousand people. It was supposed to be about 3,200 on the base, but then folks from another area heard about it and came over. There are so many devastated areas, but St. Bernard Parish, they had nothing, nothing. The first two times we did it, we'd bring a few cases of [my] cookbooks, maybe ten of each book. And we'd get there and everybody that came by had lost all of their books in the flood. So the next time, we'd bring boxes and boxes and boxes of books.

One of the kids that works here, he heard a noise on the day the levees broke. He goes outside and there's water coming down the street. Within 15 minutes his house was full of water. I don't know how he did this, but he took his refrigerator door off. He had a dog, and that's why he stayed, his family left but he was taking care of the dog. So he gets his fridge door off, which will float, which was genius, and he puts him and the dog on the refrigerator door and paddles himself over to a neighbor who has two stories, and gets him out of the top window. This guy and his neighbor and his dog, floating on a refrigerator door. These are stories you hear over and over.

It's a just horrendous time, it really is. I've got a great seasoning company and a meat processing plant, and we sell all that we can produce. But the restaurant was always the thing. It was always the heart, and it's having a hard time, it really is. There's nobody here. The good thing, the wonderful thing, is that the locals have returned. We did four times last night the business of any restaurant in the French Quarter, and they had be 90% locals. Ain't nobody else in town! (Laughing.) But I think we'll make it, and I think the city's gonna make it. We're hoping that it won't take more than three years to get back to relatively normal. If you haven't been here and you haven't toured, you don't understand. After the first few days, you'd drive through the neighborhoods and you'd see a house three stories high that got picked up, with the brick that it sat on, and got taken down the street and crashed into another house. How can anything do that? Or you'd see cars stacked in threes or fours. Can you imagine what was happening, to stack three cars on top of each other?

But I think the restaurant community is made up of tough people. People I've talked to pretty much feel the same way. You get up in the morning and you think about it for five minutes, and then you have to put it away and go to work. You get back home at night, and if you're lucky, you can put it aside after five or ten minutes. It's a tough thing, but it truly is part of life. Everybody has bad times, but some of them are bigger than others, tougher than others. You take it day to day and deal with it. And eat onion rings when you can. (Laughing.)

Barbecued Shrimp (Serves 4)

Amber Beer

Abita Brewery

Ablta Springs, Louisiana

For the shrimp: In large saute pan, heat eight ounces butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic, Worcestershire sauce and Seafood Magic[R] seasoning. When butter foams and subsides, add shrimp and cook until just done, about three minutes. Remove shrimp from pan. Add remaining butter and stock to pan, whisking to incorporate. Whisk in beer.

To serve: Mound rice in center of plate and arrange shrimp around. Drizzle with butter sauce, garnish with parsley and rosemary, and serve.

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For the shrimp:

18 ounces butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic[R]
  seasoning
48 large whole shrimp, rinsed and drained
1 cup shrimp stock
4 ounces beer

To serve:

2 cups cooked white rice

For the garnish:

Finely chopped parsley
Rosemary sprigs

Stuffed Soft-Shell Crabs Bienville (Serves 8)

Chardonnay

Bryon Vineyards

Santa Maria Valley, California 2002

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For the Bienville stuffing: In large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Add ham and cook until crisp, about four minutes. Drain off all but one tablespoon fat. Add onions, celery and peppers and saute until softened. Stir in mushrooms and cook until tender. Add shrimp and oysters with liquid and simmer two minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in stock, garlic and Seafood Magic[R] seasoning and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer six minutes. Meanwhile, in separate skillet over medium heat, heat butter and whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is pale yellow. Stir flour mixture into shrimp mixture and simmer until thickened. Stir in cream. Remove from heat and add green onions. Transfer to food processor fitted with metal blade and process until almost smooth. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Creoleaise stuffing: Heat butter in skillet over high heat. Add onions and cook until lightly browned. Add celery and cook until softened. Stir in garlic and cook about two minutes. Add parsley and green onions and remove from heat. Transfer to sheet pan to cool. In food processor fitted with metal blade, combine egg, yolk, mustard, vinegar, horseradish, sugar, tamari, Magic Pepper sauce, juice, Meat Magic[R] seasoning, cayenne pepper and cooled vegetables. Process until almost smooth. With machine running, add oil slowly to emulsify. Fold 1/2 cup Creoleaise mixture into crabmeat and refrigerate. Reserve remaining Creoleaise mixture for another use.

For the pasta sauce: In non-stick pan, heat butter over high heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Stir in Pizza and Pasta Magic[R] seasoning, then add tomatoes. Cook until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in stock, tomato sauce and sugar and season with salt. Bring to boil and cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until just cooked through. Keep warm.

For the crab: In deep-fryer or tall-sided pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. In bowl, combine flour and one tablespoon Seafood Magic[R] seasoning. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and one tablespoon Seafood Magic[R] seasoning. In third bowl, combine breadcrumbs and one tablespoon Seafood Magic[R] seasoning. Carefully lift shell on back of crab and fill with Bienville stuffing. Lift shell on underside of crab and fill with Creoleaise stuffing. Sprinkle Seafood Magic[R] seasoning on both sides of crab. Dredge crab in flour, dip in egg mixture and coat with breadcrumbs, packing crumbs into openings to seal completely. Repeat with remaining crabs. Fry crabs until golden brown and transfer to paper towels to drain.

To serve: Toss linguini with pasta sauce and place on plate with bell peppers. Top with crab, garnish with chives and thyme and serve.

For the Bienville stuffing:

2 ounces bacon, finely chopped
2 ounces tasso ham, finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
6 ounces shrimp, finely chopped
6 oysters, shucked, liquid reserved
1/2 cup seafood stock
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic[R] seasoning
2 ounces butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 green onions, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Creoleaise stuffing:

1/2 ounce butter
2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped onions
1/2 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/2 lightly beaten egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated horseradish
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoons tamari
1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Pepper Sauce[R]
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1/4 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic[R] seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pound lump crabmeat, shells removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the pasta sauce:

3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup Chef Paul Prudhomme's Pizza and Pasta Magic[R] seasoning
2 pounds Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 pound shrimp, peeled
Salt to taste

For the crab:

2 quarts canola oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic[R] seasoning
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup breadcrumbs
8 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
Bienville stuffing, from above
Creoleaise stuffing, from above

To serve:

1 pound linguini, cooked

For the garnish:

Sauteed julienned red and yellow bell pepper
Chopped chives and Thyme sprigs

Leek and Shiitake Champagne Cream Soup (Serves 6)

Fume Blanc

Ferrari-Carano

Sonoma Valley, California 2005

For the soup: In pot, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in Meat Magic[R] seasoning and cook two minutes. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and cook until mushrooms are softened, about four minutes. Stir in 2 ounces Champagne and bring to simmer. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add cream and bring to boil. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining Champagne. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

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For the soup:

3 tablespoons butter
2 pounds leeks, dark green leaves removed, halved, rinsed and thinly
  sliced
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic[R] seasoning
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
6 ounces Champagne
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 ounces shredded Gouda cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Shanghai Pick-Up Sticks (Serves 4)

Viognier

Miner Vineyards

Madera, California 2005

For the dipping sauce: In saucepan, combine San Francisco Teriyaki marinade[R], stock, mirin and sugar and bring to simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in water and whisk into teriyaki mixture. Simmer until mixture thickens, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the filling: In bowl, combine Vegetable Magic[R] seasoning, ground ginger, mustard seeds and chilis. In large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until softened. Add pork and seasoning mixture and cook, stirring, about three minutes. Add mirin, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic and sugar. Stir to combine, then add shrimp. Cook one minute and add green onions and sesame oil. Continue cooking until shrimp are done and remove from heat. Transfer mixture to parchment-lined sheet pan and refrigerate.

For the sticks: In deep-fryer or tall-sided pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Place wrapper on work surface and spoon thin line of filling down center. Roll wrapper tightly into cylinder about 3/8-inch in diameter. Brush edge of roll with egg white and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Brush outside of rolls with egg white and roll lightly in sesame seeds. Fry until golden brown, about three minutes. Arrange on plate with dipping sauce and serve.

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For the dipping sauce:

6 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's San Francisco Teriyaki Marinade[R]
3 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons mirin
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water

For the filling:

1 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Vegetable Magic[R] seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Ground Dried Magic Chile Anaheim[R]
1/4 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Ground Dried Chile Ancho[R]
1/4 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Ground Dried Chile New Mexico[R]
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
4 ounces ground pork
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
6 ounces shrimp, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

For the sticks:

1 quart canola oil
16 spring roll wrappers
Filling, from above
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons black
sesame seeds
2 tablespoons white
sesame seeds

Pecan and Sweet Potato Pie (Serves 6)

Brut Yellow Label

Veuve-Clicquot

Champagne, France NV

For the dough: In bowl of mixer fitted with paddle, combine butter, sugar and salt and mix on high speed until creamy. Add half of egg, reserving other half for sweet potato filling below. Beat mixture until egg is just combined Add milk and beat on high speed two minutes. Add flour and mix until just blended. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate eight hours. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan. On lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/4-Inch thickness. Transfer to prepared pan and press into place, trimming any excess. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

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For the sweet potato filling: In bowl of mixer, combine all ingredients and mix on medium speed until smooth, about two minutes. Set aside.

For the pecan pie: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl of mixer, combine sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and mix on slow speed until smooth and opaque, about one minute. Stir in pecans. Fill dough with sweet potato filling. Top with pecan mixture and bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Let cool.

For the chantilly cream: In bowl of mixer, combine cream, vanilla extract, brandy and liqueur and beat on medium speed until increased in volume, about one minute. Add sugar and sour cream and beat until soft peaks form, about three minutes.

To serve: Place dollop of chantilly cream on plate and top with slice of pie. Garnish with pecans and mint leaves and serve.

For the dough:

1 1/2 ounces butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 ounce milk
4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour

For the sweet potato filling:

6 ounces cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
2 ounces light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 beaten egg, from above
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the pecan pie:

5 ounces granulated sugar
8 1/2 ounces dark corn syrup
2 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
2 1/2 ounces pecan halves
Dough, from above
Sweet potato filling, from above

For the chantilly cream:

5 1/2 ounces heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier liqueur
2 ounces granulated sugar
1 ounce sour cream

For the garnish:

Chopped toasted pecans
Mint leaves

SUSAN SPICER

Bayoua

New Orleans, Louisiana

FULL CIRCLE IN THE CRESCENT

For Susan Spicer, it's all about the people who keep New Orleans going.

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With more than 25 years' experience in New Orleans restaurants, Spicer knows the value of loyalty in a city that relies heavily on its tourist trade. She's always made sure her regular customers have a seat, even after national acclaim made Bayona a dining destination. "That's who really sustains you through the whole year," she says. Now, in the quiet that persists after Katrina, the wisdom of her actions has become poignantly clear. "We're back to being mostly locals again, so we've come full circle. Thank goodness for the locals."

The dedication of her customers is hardly surprising in light of her own. Her father refused to send her to the CIA, so Spicer followed a more traditional path to becoming a chef, eventually finding a place in the kitchen of Louis XVI, and a mentor in chef Daniel Bonnot. Four years later, in 1982, Spicer staged for several months under Roland Dumont at the Sofitel in Paris. "I was the only woman in the kitchen," she recalls, but with the backing of the chef, "people wouldn't mess with me."

She returned to New Orleans to open Bonnot's new restaurant, Savoir Faire. When Bonnot named her executive chef, she admits, "I thought he was nuts, but he had a lot of confidence in me." The casual chic bistro was a success, but following Bonnot's departure, Spicer also decided to leave. "That was right around the blackened redfish craze, and the owner of the company really started wanting me to go in a Cajun-Creole direction. I didn't really want to do Cajun cuisine, so I just kind of took off." Her search for new inspiration took her to the Nice Jazz Festival, where she ended up learning a few things about Creole cooking anyway, making gumbo and jambalaya with legendary New Orleans chef Buster Holmes. "It wasn't that I didn't like [Creole food], I just didn't feel that it was who I am," she explains.

That began to change when she took the chef position at The Bistro at Maison de Ville in 1986. There she started developing her signature style, creating Creole, Indian, Southeast Asian and Mediterranean dishes for the menu while avoiding fusion on the plate. By the time Regina Keever--one of her biggest fans--approached her about starting her own restaurant, Spicer was ready. Together, they opened Bayona in 1990.

Spicer quickly garnered national acclaim, being named Best Chef, Southeastern U.S. by the James Beard Foundation and "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine magazine. Soon, with Bayona consistently voted one of the city's top five tables in Gourmet magazine's Reader's Choice Poll, Spicer began exploring new ventures, opening Herbsaint as a partner in 2000, and Cobalt as a consulting chef in 2001. And although her specialty market, Spice Inc., was "locationally challenged," forcing her to close it in 1999, the artisanal bakery it spawned continues as a wholesale operation called Wild Flour Breads.

Hurricane Katrina brought numerous challenges that Spicer continues to meet on a daily basis. Although she suffered the loss of her home, Bayona's 8,000-bottle wine inventory, and the closure of Cobalt--which, at press time, had still not reopened--she sees these as minor setbacks compared with the change in the city itself. "In general, life is just a little bit harder and more complicated these days for everyone," she says. "It's going to be 'pre-' and 'post-Katrina' for years to come. Everybody is looking for leadership, and that hasn't really been there quite yet."

Spicer has offered her own support, spending much of October 2005 traveling around the country to fund-raisers and trying to make contact with employees who were unaccounted for. Meanwhile, she was able to get Bayona up and running again by mid-November, albeit with a smaller staff, fewer service periods and a reinvented menu. At first, the outlook was promising. "We were insanely busy between mid-November and New Year's, and again when Mardi Gras came," she points out, but the slow periods have been slower than usual.

Now she spends much of her time "letting a lot of important people in the food world know that New Orleans is open for business," a message that hasn't yet fully sunk in. The reluctance of some to return to the city makes staffing a huge obstacle, one that almost put Wild Flour Breads out of business forever. "I was unwilling to let go," Spicer muses. "Somehow we managed by the skin of our teeth to hang in there." But she acknowledges that tenacity alone won't be enough.

"Honestly, nobody feels optimistic right now," she says as New Orleans hold its breath through the 2006 hurricane season. Still, she's determined to stay, and places her faith in the dedication of few who stay along with her, saying, "It's all about the people you work with and the people you cook for."

Sauteed Sweetbreads with Lemon-Caper Butter (Serves 4)

Bordeaux Blanc

Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte

Graves, France 1998

For the roasted beets: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wrap beet tightly in foil and roast until tender, about one hour. Let cool, then peel and cut into small dice. Transfer to bowl and stir in shallots, vinegar, oil and salt to taste.

For the lemon caper butter: In saucepan, combine lemon juice, zest and segments, wine and shallots. Bring to boil and simmer until liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Reduce heat and whisk in butter a little at a time to emulsify. Stir in capers, season with salt and keep warm.

For the sweetbreads: Heat oil in saute pan. Season sweetbreads with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Saute until just browned on one side. Add potatoes and continue cooking, turning sweetbreads once. Add mushrooms and cook until all ingredients are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to paper towels to drain.

To serve: Place sweetbreads mixture on plate and drizzle with lemon caper butter. Arrange beets alongside, garnish with chives and serve.

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For the roasted beets:

1 medium beet
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

For the lemon caper butter:

Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 lemon, peeled and cut into segments
1/2 cup white wine
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 ounces butter
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained
Salt to taste

For the sweetbreads:

1 ounce clarified butter
12 ounces sweetbreads, poached, cleaned and trimmed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 potato, peeled, cut into small dice and blanched
2 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
2 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 ounce morel mushrooms, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Chive tips

Crab Risotto-Stuffed Artichoke with Charred Tomato Vinaigrette (Serves 4)

Sauvignon Blanc

Schiopetto

Friuli, Italy 2004

For the vinaigrette: Preheat grill. Char tomatoes on all sides and let cool. Peel, halve and seed tomatoes and coarsely chop flesh. Transfer to bowl and stir in shallots and vinegars. Whisk in oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the artichokes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place artichokes, cut side down, in small baking dish. In bowl, combine wine, water, oil, garlic, thyme, lemon, orange, coriander, fennel, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Pour over artichokes. Cover dish with foil and seal tightly. Bake 15 minutes, turn artichokes over, reseal with foil and bake 15 minutes more. Remove foil, turn artichokes again, baste with cooking liquid and roast until tender and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool in liquid, remove center chokes and transfer artichokes to separate dish. Strain liquid through fine-mesh sieve and add to artichokes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the risotto: In small saucepan, bring stock to simmer. Add basil stems and keep warm. In small pot, heat oil over medium heat and add onions and fennel. Cook until softened, add rice and continue to cook, stirring, for five minutes. Stir in wine until absorbed. Add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring each time until absorbed. Season with salt and pepper and stir in butter and crabmeat. Remove from heat and add cheese and basil leaves, stirring to combine.

To serve: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide risotto between artichokes, place on sheet pan, and bake until risotto is hot and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Spoon vinaigrette on plate and top with artichoke half. Garnish with mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes and basil, drizzle with additional vinaigrette and serve.

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For the vinaigrette:

2 Roma tomatoes, stem end cored
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the artichokes:

2 artichokes, trimmed and held in acidulated water
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 sprigs thyme
1 lemon, quartered
1 orange, quartered
1/2 teaspoon toasted coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon toasted fennel seeds, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the risotto:

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 sprigs basil, leaves chopped and stems reserved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 fennel bulb, finely chopped
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 ounce butter
8 ounces lump crabmeat, shells removed
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Sauteed chanterelle mushrooms
Shaved Sottocenare al Tartufo cheese*
Red and yellow grape tomatoes
Basil leaves

*Semi-soft Italian cow's milk cheese with truffles. Available through Marky's Caviar, [phone] or www.markys.com.

Crispy Smoked Quail Salad (Serves 4)

Cabernet de Saumur Rose

Domaine du Val Brun

Loire, France 2002

For the quail: In bowl, whisk together honey, kecap manis, oil and bourbon. Place quail in shallow dish and pour mixture over quail, turning to coat. Marinate at least one hour. Drain quail and, using smoker, cold-smoke according to manufacturer's instructions for about 30 minutes.

For the dressing: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bones on sheet pan and roast in oven until browned. Transfer to large saucepan and add stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by three-quarters. Strain liquid through fine-mesh sieve and place in bowl. Whisk in molasses, vinegars, shallots and oil. Stir in bourbon and season with salt and pepper.

For the spiced pecans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in pecans, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt and cayenne. Spread pecans on parchment-lined sheet pan and roast until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool and chop coarsely. For the salad: In bowl, combine frisee, pears, onions and celery. Add dressing and toss to combine.

To serve: In deep-fryer or tall-sided pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. In bowl, whisk together flour, water, salt and pepper. Dip quail in batter and fry until golden brown, about four minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Cut quail into quarters and arrange on plate with salad. Sprinkle with pecans, drizzle with dressing and serve.

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For the quail:

1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon kecap manis*
1/2 cup peanut oil
1 tablespoon bourbon
4 quail, deboned

For the dressing:

1/2 pound chicken bones
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon walnut vinegar
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon bourbon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the spiced pecans:

1/2 ounce butter
2 ounces shelled pecans
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cayenne pepper to taste

For the salad:

6 ounces frisee, torn into small pieces
1 ripe pear, halved, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped pickled red onion
1 celery heart, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dressing, from above

*Indonesian sweet soy sauce. Available through Thai Supermarket Online, [phone] or www.importfood.com.

To serve:

1 quart canola oil
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Lemongrass Scallops with Roasted Pineapple Relish and Green Papaya Salad (Serves 4)

Sauvignon Blanc

Cloudy Bay

New Zealand 2002

For the pineapple relish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In shallow dish, whisk together sugar, juice of one lime and rum. Add pineapple, turning to coat. Transfer pineapple to sheet pan and roast 10-15 minutes, turning twice. Let cool, then coarsely chop. In bowl, toss pineapple, chili sauce, lime leaf and remaining juice. Season with salt and reserve.

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For the green papaya salad: In bowl, combine papaya, cucumber, green onions, cilantro, mint and basil. In separate bowl, whisk together fish sauce, sugar, chilis, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, juice and oil. Add fish sauce mixture to papaya mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt.

For the scallops: Preheat grill. In bowl, combine oil and lemongrass. Add scallops, turning to coat. Divide scallops between four lemongrass skewers and season with salt. Sear scallops on both sides until medium-rare and arrange on plate with papaya salad and pineapple relish, and serve.

For the pineapple relish:

3 tablespoons brown sugar
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and quartered
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 kaffir lime leaf, finely julienned
Salt to taste

For the green papaya salad:

1/2 green papaya, seeded and julienned
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Small bunch cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Small bunch mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Small bunch basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Thai chilis, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemongrass
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon canola oil
Salt to taste

For the scallops:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass
12 1-ounce dry-pack scallops
Salt to taste

Five-Spice Pork Chop with Candied Turnips and Plum Sauce (Serves 4)

Moulin a Vent

Trenel et Fils

Beaujolais, France 2004

For the candied turnips: Place plum peels in bowl with vinegar and let steep 10 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve and mix vinegar with honey, water and salt. In saucepan, combine turnips and vinegar mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, and add star anise, ginger and cilantro. Cover and cook five minutes, then uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until turnips are tender and lightly glazed. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove turnips from liquid and transfer to bowl. Add plums and gently combine.

For the plum sauce: In saucepan, combine plums, sugar, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, water and cilantro. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until plums are soft and liquid is syrupy, about 20 minutes. Discard cilantro and transfer mixture to food processor fitted with metal blade. Puree until smooth and strain through fine-mesh sieve. Transfer to saucepan and bring to simmer. Stir in cornstarch and cook, stirring until sauce thickens. Remove from heat, stir in hoisin sauce and keep warm.

For the pork chops: In bowl, combine ginger, garlic, five-spice powder, sambal oelek, sesame oil and canola oil. Coat pork chops with mixture, place in shallow dish and marinate in refrigerator one hour.

For the smothered greens: In saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about five minutes. Stir in greens and cook over medium-high heat until wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Preheat grill, and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season pork with salt and pepper and grill until well-marked. Transfer to oven and cook to medium-rare. Let rest five minutes. Slice pork and arrange on plate with greens. Top with plums and turnips, and drizzle with plum sauce. Garnish with green onions and serve.

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For the candied turnips:

2 red plums, peeled, peels reserved, flesh cut into wedges
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup honey
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 small turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
1 star anise
2 1/8-inch slices ginger root
1 small bunch cilantro stems, tied together

For the plum sauce:

2 ripe plums, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup water
Small bunch cilantro, tied together
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

For the pork chops:

1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek*
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 10-ounce double-cut pork chops

For the smothered greens:

1 ounce butter
1 smoked onion, coarsely chopped**
6 ounces mustard greens, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Hot sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Julienned green onions

*Indonesian ground red chili paste. Available through Thai Supermarket Online, [phone] or www.importfood.com.

**Made in-house.

Smoked Duck, Cashew Butter and Hot Pepper Jelly Sandwich (Serves 4)

Pinot Noir, Mt Jefferson Cuvee

Cristom

Willamette Valley, Oregon 2004

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For the smoked duck: In bowl, combine soy sauce, molasses, sambal oelek, cumin, chili powder and oil. Coat duck with mixture and marinate at least four hours in refrigerator. Using smoker, cold-smoke duck according to manufacturer's instructions. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer duck to pan and roast until cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove duck from pan and let cool, reserving pan juices. Coarsely shred meat and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the onions: Preheat grill. Season onions with salt and pepper and grill until just tender. Transfer to bowl, add vinegar and oil and let cool. Coarsely chop onions and set aside.

For the cashew butter: In food processor fitted with metal blade, puree cashews, peanuts, honey and molasses until smooth. Season with pinch of salt, add butter and process again until smooth. Blend in water and another pinch of salt Store in refrigerator, but let soften to room temperature before use.

For the apple celery salad: In bowl, combine apples, celery and shallots. Add oil and vinegar, tossing to coat. Season with salt.

To serve: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place duck, onions and 1/4 cup reserved pan juices in ovenproof saucepan and heat in oven. Preheat grill. Soread butter on one side of each slice of bread and grill, buttered side down, until toasted, about one minute. Spread ungrilled side of four slices with cashew butter, and remaining four slices with pepper jelly. Divide duck mixture between cashew buttered bread slices and top with pepper jelly slices. Cut sandwiches in half and arrange on plate with salad. Garnish with celery leaves and serve.

For the smoked duck:

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon sambal oelek*
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup olive oil
5-pound duck cut into breasts and legs, skin
removed, trimmed of fat

For the onions:

2 red onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick rings
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the cashew butter:

2 1/2 ounces roasted cashews, chopped
2 1/2 ounces roasted peanuts, chopped
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
4 ounces butter
2 tablespoons warm water
Salt to taste

For the apple celery salad:

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons walnut vinegar
Salt to taste

To serve:

2 ounces butter
8 slices whole-grain bread
1/2 cup hot pepper jelly**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Celery leaves

*Indonesian ground red chili paste. Available through Thai Supermarket Online, [phone] or www.importfood.com.

**Available in specialty supermarkets.

Hazelnut Ice Cream with Banana Fritters and Hazelnut Vinegar Caramel (Serves 12)

Bonnezeaux

Domaine de Terrebrune

Loire, France 2000

For the ice cream dome: In saucepan, bring cream and half-and-half to boil. In bowl, whisk together yolks, paste and sugar until yolks are pale and increased in volume. Temper yolk mixture by adding one-third of hot cream mixture while whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture back into cream mixture and return to heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened Strain through fine-mesh sieve and chill over ice bath. Stir in liqueur and process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Line twelve 2 3/4-inch Flexipan[R] dome molds with slightly overlapping slices of banana. Fill molds with ice cream and freeze.

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For the hazelnut cookie: In food processor fitted with metal blade, process hazelnuts and sugar together until mixture is finely ground Transfer to bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter and mix until smooth. Add egg and mix. Scrape down sides of bowl and add flour, cinnamon and baking powder. Mix until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate four hours Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place dough on lightly floured parchment paper, dust dough with additional flour, and cover with another piece of parchment. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve 3-inch round cookies and place on parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely and store in airtight container until ready to use.

For the caramel hazelnut: Place 12-inch piece of Stryofoam[R] about 12 inches above parchment-lined work surface. In saucepan, combine water, sugar and glucose and cook over medium heat until caramel is medium amber in color. Remove from heat and cool bottom of saucepan in ice bath to stop cooking process. Let cool until caramel is thick but still fluid. Using wooden skewer, carefully insert pointed end into hazelnut, but do not push skewer through. Dip hazelnut into caramel and insert skewer into Styrofoam[R] so that the excess caramel will drip off hazelnut and harden to create a "tail." Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. When caramel hardens, trim tails with scissors to desired length and remove skewers. Store in airtight container until ready to use.

For the hazelnut vinegar caramel: In saucepan, bring heavy cream to simmer. In separate saucepan, combine sugar and water and cook over medium heat until mixture is dark amber in color. Whisk in cream, butter, salt and vinegar. Let cool completely.

For the banana fritters: In deep-fryer or tall-sided pot, heat oil to 375 degrees. In bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, baking powder and water until smooth. Dip bananas in batter and coat with panko. Fry until golden brown and transfer to paper towels to drain.

To serve: Unmold ice cream dome and place atop cookie. Sprinkle with sugar and caramelize with torch. Drizzle vinegar caramel alongside, top with banana fritters, garnish with caramel hazelnut and serve.

For the ice cream dome:

1 pint heavy cream
1 quart half-and-half
10 egg yolks
4 ounces hazelnut paste
10 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/2 ounces hazelnut liqueur
2 bananas, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise

For the hazelnut cookie:

3 1/2 ounces toasted, skinned hazelnuts
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
3 ounces butter
1 egg
5 ounces cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the caramel hazelnut:

2 ounces water
8 ounces granulated sugar
2 ounces glucose
12 toasted, skinned hazelnuts

For the hazelnut vinegar caramel:

4 ounces heavy cream
7 ounces granulated sugar
4 ounces water
1/2 ounce butter, browned
1 1/2 tablespoons hazelnut vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the banana fritters:

1 quart canola oil
3 ounces all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 ounces water, chilled
4 bananas, cut into three pieces each
1 1/2 ounces panko

To serve:

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Passionfruit Doberge with Passionfruit Curd and Roasted Pineapple (Serves 18)

Billecart-Salmon

Brut Rose

France NV

For the roasted pineapple: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In bowl, combine pineapple and sugar, tossing to coat. Transfer to Silpat[R]-lined sheet pan and roast until glazed and tender, about six minutes.

For the passionfruit curd: In saucepan, combine passionfruit and five ounces sugar. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. In bowl, whisk together remaining sugar, eggs and pastry cream powder. Stir one-third hot passionfruit mixture into egg mixture to temper, then add to remaining passionfruit mixture. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Strain through fine-mesh sieve and transfer to container. Cover by placing plastic directly onto surface of mixture and let cool.

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For the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl of mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine yolks, confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and salt and mix until pale and light in texture. In separate bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks and slowly add granulated sugar, whisking until stiff peaks form. Whisk one-quarter of egg white mixture into yolk mixture. Fold in half of remaining egg white mixture, then half of flour. Repeat with remaining egg white mixture and flour. Divide mixture between three parchment-lined half-sheet pans and bake 10 minutes. Let cool. Remove cakes from parchment and cut each into four 3 1/2- x 12-inch rectangles.

For the filling: Place curd in bowl over simmering water and heat through, stirring constantly. Squeeze excess water from gelatin and add to curd, stirring to dissolve. Spread curd mixture over five cake rectangles and stack, finishing with sixth rectangle. Repeat with remaining curd and cake rectangles. Refrigerate until curd is set

For the glaze: In saucepan, heat cream and glucose to simmer. Place chocolate in bowl and add hot cream mixture, stirring until smooth. Remove cakes from refrigerator and place on wire rack. Pour glaze over, spreading evenly. Refrigerate until set.

To serve: Slice each cake into nine pieces. Place cake slice on plate with curd and pineapple alongside. Top with gold leaf and chocolate and serve.

For the roasted pineapple:

2 pineapples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
2 ounces granulated sugar

For the passionfruit curd:

22 ounces passionfruit puree
10 ounces granulated sugar
12 eggs
2/3 ounce hot process pastry cream powder
11 ounces butter

For the cake:

10 egg yolks
2 ounces confectioners' sugar
10 ounces butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 egg whites
7 ounces granulated sugar
7 ounces all-purpose flour

For the filling:

20 ounces passionfruit curd, from above
3 sheets gelatin
Cake, from above

For the glaze:

10 ounces heavy cream
2 ounces glucose
10 ounces 63% chocolate

For the garnish:

Gold leaf
Bittersweet chocolate

ALLISON VINES-RUSHING, SLADE RUSHING

The Longbranch

Abita Springs, Louisiana

NORTH AND SOUTH

Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing, born Southerners who met, fell in love and were married in New Orleans, were thrust into the spotlight in 2004, thanks to their team efforts at Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar in New York, and the subsequent Rising Star Chef award bestowed upon Allison by the James Beard Foundation. As their fame grew, new opportunities began to present themselves, including an offer from Alain Ducasse to take over his now-shuttered Mix restaurant. That Ducasse sought to hire the couple is a testament to the power of an award: Vines-Rushing came to her position at Jack's by way of Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, where she spent two years working her way through the stations but was never allowed to rise above the rank of commis.

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"It was frustrating," she says. "People came in after me, and moved up ahead of me. It wasn't because of my work, but I'd like to think that it also wasn't just because I was a woman." She recalls her fellow cooks repeatedly warning her that she'd never get the promotion she craved. "I toasted bread for four months and cooked vegetables for two years, you know?" says Vines-Rushing. "But I loved being there. It was an incredible kitchen, and I learned an unbelievable amount."

When she left Ducasse, Vines-Rushing had hoped to find a low-pressure job, at least until after the couple's New Orleans wedding. She applied for a counter position at Blue Goose Cafe in Manhattan, but its owner Jack Lamb look one look at her resume and insisted she run the tiny kitchen, alone, at a new restaurant that would become Jack's.

Slade, meanwhile, was the chef de cuisine at Cyril Renaud's Fleur de Sel, having previously spent time working in Chef Wayne Nish's kitchen at March. From 20 blocks away, husband supported wife as she took on her first chef role.

"Slade was there every step of the way to bail us out," says Vines-Rushing. "He would 'lend' us lobsters from Fleur de Sel when my purveyor didn't show." The menu at Jack's eventually expanded from two entrees to five, and Allison convinced Slade to join her at the stove. The pair split cooking and dishwashing duties, and were unfazed that the only path that led customers to the upstairs dining room was through the seven-by-seven foot kitchen.

"We learned quickly how to work together in a small area," says Slade. "One time our oven went out, so we borrowed the toaster oven from the sushi chef across the street. We did 65 covers with the toaster oven and four burners. Jack's approach was, 'The show must go on.' We thought he was crazy at the time, but truthfully, people make too many damn excuses."

Despite, or perhaps because of, their success at Jack's, the duo began to long for a quieter life back down South. Allison explains their decision to leave New York at the height of their success in a notoriously tough restaurant town.

"It was a little overwhelming to us," she says. "We were newlyweds. I opened Jack's a week after we got married, and there was so much attention right away. People's expectations were getting higher and higher. It's one thing if you walk into a little oyster bar and you don't know who the chefs are and you have this incredible meal and it blows you away. But when you walk into that place and the chef has a James Beard Award ... it's really hard to meet that expectation when nothing in the restaurant physically changed, and nothing was going to change."

Although they were courted by the likes of Ducasse, the couple ultimately decided to purchase a 19th-century restaurant in Abita Springs, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. With its sprawling acreage, multiple outbuildings, lush greenery and a cat that came free with purchase, the spot reminded Allison of "that quintessential three-star Michelin properly in the country, with room for a garden." They spent several months renovating the restaurant for a planned September 1 opening, but Hurricane Katrina intervened. After riding out the storm in central Mississippi, they spent two weeks clearing debris before opening on September 16. Business was slow at first--ten covers on opening night--but has built steadily since the storm.

Before leaving New York (but not their New York apartment, which they wisely held onto), Allison and Slade had begun to make plans with a partner to open a fried chicken takeout shop in the city. It didn't materialize before they headed down South, but that didn't stop them from opening Dirty Bird to Go in May 2006.

"Whatever could go wrong, went wrong," laughs Allison. "The chef we hired, who was a friend of ours that we trained down here, ended up walking out a few days before the opening." "Our fryers weren't set up," adds Slade. "Our hoods weren't hooked up."

"It just wasn't ready to open!" says Allison. "It was not a good decision to open when it did, especially since it's our name that's been dragged through the mud" by the self-styled food experts populating the internet.

"This whole blogging thing can be really annoying," Allison continues. "A lot of times it's mean-spirited and negative. I try not to pay much attention, but it's hard not to." Now that they've had a few months to work out the equipment and personnel kinks, the chicken is receiving rave reviews, even from those who showed up on opening day ready to criticize.

"It's a growing-up thing," muses Allison. "The world is not always going to be so shiny and happy about you and love everything you do. But," she adds, as Slade nods along, "we do feel that it's some really good chicken."

Pompano Amandine with Haricots Verts and Tomato Confit (Serves 4)

St. Veran

Jean-Claude Thevenet

Macon, France 2003

For the tomato confit: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bring pot of water to boil. Blanch tomatoes 15 seconds and transfer to ice bath. Peel tomatoes, quarter lengthwise and remove seeds and inner flesh. Place tomatoes on parchment-lined sheet pan, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook in oven until dried but still tender, about 90 minutes. Let cool.

For the haricots verts: Bring pot of salted water to boil. Blanch haricots verts until tender but still crisp, about three minutes. Chill in ice bath. Remove from ice bath, drain on paper towels and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pompano: Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Season pompano with salt and pepper, and press into almonds to coat one side. Place pompano in pan almond side down and cook until almonds are golden brown. Turn pompano, add butter to pan and baste for 30 seconds. Remove pompano from pan and add stock and lemons, whisking to emulsify. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into saucepan, bring to boil and reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper and stir in parsley.

To serve: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place haricots verts and tomato confit on parchment-lined sheet tray and heat in oven. Arrange haricots verts and tomato confit on plate and top with pompano. Spoon sauce over and serve.

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For the tomato confit:

3 vine-ripened tomatoes, cored
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the haricots verts:

1 pound haricots verts, ends trimmed

For the pompano:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 5-ounce pompano fillets, skin removed
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds
4 ounces butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 lemons, peeled and cut into segments
Small bunch parsley, finely julienned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Smoked Pepper-Dusted Venison Loin with Glazed Yams (Serves 4)

Gran Riserva

Conde de Valdemar, Cava, Spain 1997

For the sauce: In large saucepan, heat oil over high heat. Add venison and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, shallots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add wine and reduce by half. Add veal stock, bring to simmer and cook 30 minutes, skimming as needed. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Bring to simmer and reduce until sauce coats back of wooden spoon. Stir in butter, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the pearl onions: Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Stir in stock, cover and cook five minutes. Uncover and stir in butter. Continue cooking until onions are glazed. Keep warm.

For the sweet potatoes: Trim potato slices into circles with 1 1/2-inch ring cutter. In saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cook about two minutes on each side, until potatoes are tender and edges are golden brown. Remove from pan and reserve.

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For the cane syrup gastrique: In saucepan, bring syrup to simmer over low heat. When color changes to light amber, stir in vinegar. Reduce until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and reserve.

For the celery: Heat oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add celery and season with salt and pepper. Cover pan and let celery cook until bright green and still crisp, about two minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.

For the venison loin: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season venison with smoked pepper and salt. Heat oil in saute pan over high heat. Add venison and sear on all sides. Transfer to oven and cook to medium, about three minutes. Remove from pan and let rest five minutes.

To serve: Bring gastrique to simmer. Add onions and sweet potatoes to heat through. Slice venison and place atop sauce. Arrange onions and sweet potatoes alongside, top with celery and celery leaves, and serve.

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound venison
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
10 black peppercorns
2 cups red wine
2 cups veal stock
1/2 ounce butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the pearl onions:

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 red pearl onions, peeled
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 ounce butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the sweet potatoes:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 ounce butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the cane syrup gastrique:

1/2 cup sugar cane syrup*
1/2 cup sherry vinegar

For the celery:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ribs celery, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the venison loin:

4 6-ounce pieces venison tenderloin
1 ounce coarsely ground smoked black peppercorns**
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Celery leaves

*Available through Steen's, [phone] or www.steensyrup.com.

**Available through Terra Spice Company, [phone] or www.terraspicecompany.com.

Duck Breast with Muscadine Jus and Louisiana Goat Cheese Polenta (Serves 4)

Barbera d'Asti

La Court

Piedmont, Italy 2001

For the muscadine jus: In large saucepan, heat oil until smoking. Add bones and brown on all sides. Add shallots, garlic and rosemary and cook until shallots are softened. Stir in wine and reduce by half. Add stock, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. In saucepan over low heat, cook sugar until light brown caramel forms. Carefully stir in vinegar. Stir in wine mixture and bring to simmer. Reduce until sauce is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the polenta: In saucepan over high heat, bring milk to boil. Add pinch of salt and whisk in polenta. Continue stirring until polenta thickens, then reduce heat to low and cook until polenta is soft, about 25 minutes. Stir in cheese and oil and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. For the grapes: In saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add grapes and fry just to soften skins, about 30 seconds. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

For the duck: Heat oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Season duck with salt and pepper. Add to pan skin side down and cook until skin is crisp and browned, about six minutes. Turn and cook until medium-rare, about two minutes more. Remove duck from pan and let rest five minutes. To serve: Slice duck and arrange atop polenta. Spoon jus over duck, top with grapes, garnish with rosemary and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the muscadine jus:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound duck bones, coarsely chopped
5 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 head garlic, halved
1 sprig rosemary
1 1/2 cups muscadine wine*
2 cups veal stock
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the polenta:

1 quart milk
1 cup coarse polenta
8 ounces Bittersweet Plantation goat cheese**
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the grapes:

1 cup canola oil
20 green grapes

For the duck:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 6-ounce Long Island duck breasts, bones removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Rosemary leaves

*Sweet red wine made from muscadine grapes, which are native to the southeastern United States.

**Available through Bittersweet Plantation Dairy [phone] or www.jfolse.com.

Oysters Rockefeller "Deconstructed" (Serves 4)

Muscadet

Chateau du Cleray

Sevre-et-Maine, France 2002

For the bacon: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each slice bacon on bias into four 2-inch diamond shapes and transfer to parchment-lined sheet pan. Place another sheet of parchment on bacon, and another sheet pan on top of parchment. Bake until bacon is browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

For the beurre fondue: In saucepan, heat water to boil. Reduce heat and add butter, one cube at a time, whisking constantly to emulsify. Remove from heat, add lemon slices and steep 15 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the spinach and watercress: In deep skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Add spinach, watercress and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until greens are wilted and remove from heat. Drain excess liquid, remove garlic and chop finely. Keep warm.

To serve: Bring fondue to simmer. Add oysters and cook until edges curl slightly, about 30 seconds. Place five small portions of spinach on plate and top each with one oyster. Drizzle with fondue and top with bacon. Sprinkle with licorice root and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the bacon:

5 slices bacon

For the beurre fondue:

2 tablespoons water
12 ounces butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Salt to taste

For the spinach and watercress:

4 ounces butter
12 ounces spinach, stems removed
4 ounces watercress, stems removed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To serve:

20 medium oysters, shucked
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated licorice root

Banana Pudding Brulee (Serves 4)

Ste.-Croix-du-Mont

Chateau La Rame

France 2000

For the cat's tongue cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar and salt and mix at medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Reduce speed to low and add whites, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Fold in flour and transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with #2 tip. Pipe small circles of dough about two inches apart onto parchment-lined sheet pans. Bake until edges of cookies are golden brown, about seven to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature and store in airtight container until ready to use.

For the brulee: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla, cream and liqueur. Divide banana slices between four brulee dishes. Fill dishes three-quarters full with cream mixture. Place dishes in pan and fill pan with hot water to halfway up sides of dishes. Seal pan tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove dishes and cool to room temperature on sheet pan. Chill thoroughly in refrigerator.

To serve: Sprinkle brulees with sugar and caramelize with torch. Top with whipped cream and cookies and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the cat's tongue cookies:

4 ounces butter
5 ounces granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces all-purpose flour

For the brulee:

4 egg yolks
2 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon banana liqueur
1 banana, peeled and cut on bias into 1/4-inch thick slices

To serve:

Turbinado sugar
Lightly sweetened whipped cream