 MORE MEMORIES OF DEAR JULIA - Kumquat Season is Here As I move past her untimely late August passing and with the holidays upon us, memories of Julia Reed have and will continue to flood my mind. These are joyful memories tinged with the bitterness of her loss.. Sharing always helps. So, here goes.  I've already told a few of our stories... In a previous blog post timed after the release of her last cookbook writing effort: Julia Reed's New Orleans: Food, Fun, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll....with the front cover shot in my courtyard and a marvelous Creole Gumbo Lunch chapter. There's also a foray to my Patoutville family home and Bayside Plantation for an entertaining chapter which included the company of dear friends over an Aioli Dinner.  Then, after her passing, I shared an extensive recollection in an email linked below featuring photos she had saved over the years. She sent them to me after becoming ill. To see the story, just keep scrolling and PLEASE, if you see a house you want to purchase, contact me before continuing.... The Julia post is a celebration of our friendship filled with.our crazy wonderful adventures, and a recipe, of course. https://mailchi.mp/peterpatout/listingnewscelebratingjuliareed-826114 IT'S A HOLIDAY TRADITION! But back to why I'm posting now, the holidays are here and Julia treasured handmade delectable gifts so much that she wrote about it years ago in a New York Times essay. Julia recounts her early recipe gift failures and offers two favorites. There's a praline recipe and my Aunt Evelyn Patout's Kumquat Preserves. About this time, every year I make Aunt Evelyn's Kumquat preserves. I get so many recipe requests. It is indeed a holiday tradition! "Among the Holiday Baubles, nothing shines like real home cooking."
When I posted the video above 55 weeks ago on Instagram, there she was in the comments. Thank you dear Julia. You are missed!  Click the recipe title link below to enjoy the full story.  FOOD; EXTREMELY GIFTED
By Julia Reed an excerpt from... Evelyn Patout's Preserved Kumquats "His Aunt Evelyn's candied kumquats are fabulous on cake or ice cream, with pork or duck or sweet potatoes, and I once slivered them and used them to decorate the top of a glamorous holiday charlotte russe. Peter managed to finagle Evelyn's recipe, which calls for three days of stirring and boiling -- but only for a few minutes each morning. And Peter says he actually enjoys the ritual of fooling with them while he makes his café au lait." 1 quart kumquats 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup. 1. Scrub kumquats thoroughly. Prick each several times with a large needle or poultry pin. Put them in a large saucepan, add water to cover, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain. 2. Combine the sugar and 3 cups of water in a large saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes. Add kumquats and boil again. Remove from heat and set aside, covered, overnight. The next morning, add 1/2 cup corn syrup. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let stand overnight again. Repeat the process twice more. 3. On the fourth morning, after the kumquats have been brought to boil, spoon them into hot, sterilized, Mason-type jars. Pour in hot syrup to within 1/4 inch of the top of each jar and seal. Refrigerate until ready to give or seal in a hot-water bath according to jar manufacturer's directions and store. Yield: 2 1/2 quarts. NOTE: For directions on how to sterilize jars, see page 60 of the new edition of ''Joy of Cooking.''
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A few favorites ... presuming you already own Intimate Enemies.  Fabulous entertaining! I'm so glad to be her friend, and yes, that's my courtyard! Get the backstory here! Holiday Shopping Ideas: https://www.reedsmythe.com  Most precious new children's book - a classic already! Available nationally. See more here: jeanetteweiland.com  THE EXHIBITION CATALOGUE! CHASING THE BUTTERFLY MAN: The Search for a Lost New Orleans Cabinetmaker, 1810-1825 by Cybèle GontarBE SURE TO SEE THIS AMAZING EXHIBIT NOW AT THE CABILDO!  DRAG QUEEN BRUNCH I LOVE POPPY! Tag along with Poppy’s bevy of rollicking drag queens for an unforgettable time. Stunning photos of glamorous divas vie with world-famous brunch dishes bringing a surprise with every turn of the page.  Author Alexandra Kennon weaves classic offerings of Creole grande dames with contemporary neighborhood staples for a guide through the Crescent City's culinary soul.  THE BOOK! I CALL THIS THIS THE BIBLE! FURNISHING LOUISIANA Creole and Acadian Furniture, 1735-1835 by Jack D. Holden, H. Parrott Bacot, and Cybèle T. Gontar  ...and so does Julia Reed! Recipe featured: Julia Reed's NEW ORLEANS Food, Fun, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll  Photo by Paul Costello PETER PATOUT'S FAMOUS SATSUMACELLO A few years ago, I gave my dear friend Julia Reed a bottle of my homemade satsumacello and she loved it enough to include it in her wonderful book - as part of her fun field-trips from New Orleans…to my country home in Patoutville. P.V. is deep in the heart of sugar cane country, and I’m across the street from our family’s sugar mill. In grinding season, it’s quite the spectacle with smoke swirling, trucks unloading and all the energy the seasonal activity generates around the clock until suddenly it ends, usually by January. Citrus season coincides with grinding season and many mature satsuma trees are near my home. While Julia Reed generously credits me for this recipe. Poppy Tooker is the one who steered me to creating this wonderful treat. Sip slowly!  Vertical Divider
 Makes 6 cups Ingredients: 10 - 12 Satsumas 1 750 ml bottle of Everclear 3 cups of sugar 2 cups of water That's my courtyard! Get the backstory here! Holiday Shopping Ideas: https://www.reedsmythe.com METHOD:Wash the satsumas in hot water with a vegetable brush to remove any residue of pesticide or wax. Pat them dry. Continually zest the satsumas with a zester or vegetable peeler, being careful not to include any white pith from the peel. (The pith, the white part under the rind, is too bitter and will spoil your satsumacello. Place the zest in a large jar and fill with the Everclear. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 days and up to forty days in a cool, dark place. Turn the jar upside down 2 or 3 times to help bring out the flavor of the zest. The zest will eventually turn white. When ready to proceed, combine the sugar and the water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes, until sugar is well dissolved. Strain the Everclear/zest mixture through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel into the simple syrup mixture. Stir and allow to cool. When the satsumacello has cooled completely, you may pour it into individual bottles. Two national publications feature my homesJulia Reed, and Garden & Gun....details below  Julia Reed celebrates New Orleans & south Louisiana culture in her new book. Front cover shot in my courtyard. Julia Reed's New Orleans: Food, Fun, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll All photos are courtesy of Paul Costello Photography It's an instant classic and should be part of any southern cookbook collection. I'm so excited for my dear friend Julia Reed's accomplishment. What fun it was to be part of her effort. So when Julia called asking to shoot a chapter in her upcoming book at my house in the French Quarter, my quick answer: Well of course! gumbo lunch I have to believe that we inspire each other. Years ago, Julia Reed walked into my antique store in the French Quarter. She fell in love with some esoteric prints of bugs. They were ridiculous. After all, who buys pictures of bugs? I did and she did! Then, I realized that she lived nearby and I closed the shop and went over there for a drink, and the laughs and good times have been ceaseless since. Julia's classic Seafood Gumbo is below along with a Rum Pecan Pie. That's my kitchen stove and though it's something of a relic, countless memorable meals have been created in that galley-sized kitchen. Most days begin with a strong cup of chicory coffee made in the French drip pot sitting there on the stove. Of course, they're sweetened with natural cane sugar from my family's mill in Patoutville and it makes me think of my French heritage.
Julia Reed is a world-class tastemaker and has an extraordinary talent for bringing people together. The other New Orleans celebrations she includes are magical: phenomenal settings with wonderful dishes featuring her recipes along with favorites from prominent chefs and home-cooks...and, it's a great cultural read. Paul Costello's photos are the perfect accompaniment to her narrative. Patoutville shinesI particularly appreciate Julia's love for my home in South Louisiana. And as she started thinking about her forays over the years with me in Cajun country (we've shared many great adventures!), she decided to include a chapter at my country house in Patoutville set amongst the sugar cane background.  She penned this sweet note to Patoutville: There's no bad time to visit Patoutville, but it is especially beautiful in summer and early fall, when the sugarcane is wait-high in the fields. In late fall and winter, the trucks full of cut cane form miles-long lines at the mill and there's twenty-four hours-a-day drama as great clouds of smoke fill the sky.
Ancient Oaks at BAyside PlantationMy cousin's nearby Bayside Plantation, was another destination in this chapter. As a realtor specializing in historic properties, I'm representing the sale of Bayside (click the above Bayside link for more images and listing details.    Aioli Dinner:The culmination of the South Louisiana photo shoot was this fabulous meal celebrated with dear friends. I love that Julia was inspired by Teche country artist George Rodrigue's Aioli Supper Club and chose to recreate that celebration in her book. It's based on old Creole Gourmet Society traditions....another homage to the rich culture of South Louisiana.  Among the most cherished compliments I've known, shared here from Julia: ... she's first referring to George Rodrigue and her vision to recreate the Aioli Dinner from his painting: I think the artist would have approved of our gathering under the live oaks. He so respected the traditions of his ancestors, and Peter, with his antiques-filled houses and love of the land, honors the past and his own Louisiana history with more joie de vivre and élan than anyone I know." _______________________________ Thank you Julia Reed! As always with you, life is a magnificent celebration.  
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 | Tableau Restaurant at 616 St. Peter Street, site of Tricentennial Luncheon with the Baron & Baroness Pontalba Interestingly, the first Baron, Joseph Xavier Pontalba, owned a home on the property that's now the Tableau Restaurant site - which overlooks the Cabildo, upper Pontalba building and Jackson Square (the Almonester and Pontalba families are directly responsible for all of these important buildings). Dripping with rich Louisiana French cultural history spanning four centuries, this Tricentennial Pontalba Luncheon opportunity is a wonderful finale to the year. Of course, I'm also excited about the Founders Ball the next night at The Cabildo!  |
Taking a wrong turn six years ago in the French
countryside was incredibly fortuitous! I met the de Pontalba family!
-Read about that wonderful adventure here-
countryside was incredibly fortuitous! I met the de Pontalba family!
-Read about that wonderful adventure here-
Tickets for the Pontalba Luncheon and the Founders Ball raise funds for the Louisiana Museum Foundation which supports the Louisiana State Museum. Luncheon tickets are $125 each, most of which is tax deductible, and can be purchased by clicking this link. Please join us by reserving now. Seating is limited. These remarkable events will sell out.
Founders Ball tickets are $300 each for Louisiana Museum Foundation Members and $350 for non-members.
So, join me for Lunch at Tableau and at The Cabildo for the Founders Ball!
My best to you,
Peter
Founders Ball tickets are $300 each for Louisiana Museum Foundation Members and $350 for non-members.
So, join me for Lunch at Tableau and at The Cabildo for the Founders Ball!
My best to you,
Peter
December 1 At The CaBildo
 | Founders Ball & Exhibition Opening: The Baroness de Pontalba & the Rise of Jackson Square: How a Father's philanthropy and a Daughter's determination created the urban heart and architectural look of old New Orleans This Final Tricentennial exhibit draws on the landmark buildings and rich collections of the Louisiana State Museum, portraits, treasures from the Pontalba Family château in France, loans from other collections, and historic and commissioned photographs to revisualize New Orleans' iconic urban core: Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, the Presbytère, and the twin Pontalba Buildings. |
SUGGESTED READING
 | It’s been a thrill to meet the Pontalba family and to forge their relationship with the Louisiana State Museum...that helped in turn to develop this incredible exhibition as the finale to our Tricentennial year. None of this would have been possible if I hadn't read this book. Intimate Enemies is one of my all-alltime favorite books about New Orleans: If you haven't already read it, I encourage you to do so. It will deepen your appreciation of the exhibit and what Jackson Square means to all of us. |
Intimate Enemies New York Times book review
Ironwork detail with the signature Almonester & Pontalba family logo from the Pontalba Apartments
The Pontalba Family is Returning to Louisiana for the Founders Ball
& Launch of the Baroness Pontalba Exhibit at the Cabildo!
& Launch of the Baroness Pontalba Exhibit at the Cabildo!
Dear Friends!
I am thrilled to offer you early ticket access to the Louisiana Museum’s Founders Ball & Exhibition Opening at the Cabildo. This is one for the history books!
Taking a wrong turn in the French countryside six years ago was incredibly fortuitous! I met the Pontalbas!. This wonderful occurrence along with help from friends led to this year's Founders Ball and Baroness de Pontalba exhibition....Here's how it happened and what you can anticipate.
I am thrilled to offer you early ticket access to the Louisiana Museum’s Founders Ball & Exhibition Opening at the Cabildo. This is one for the history books!
Taking a wrong turn in the French countryside six years ago was incredibly fortuitous! I met the Pontalbas!. This wonderful occurrence along with help from friends led to this year's Founders Ball and Baroness de Pontalba exhibition....Here's how it happened and what you can anticipate.
  | Founders Ball & Exhibition Opening The Baroness de Pontalba & the Family that Built Jackson Square _______________ How a father’s philanthropy & a daughter’s determination created the urban heart and the architectural look of Old New Orleans My cousin and I were looking for a Joan of Arc site when we got lost. Then I saw a sign for Senlis, which I remembered from Intimate Enemies: The Two Worlds of the Baroness de Pontalba, Christina Vella’s biography of the Almonester and Pontalba families, as their family seat. We stopped at the Visitor Center and asked if the Pontalba family still lived in Senlis and discovered that they did! We arranged to tour their gardens and drove through alleys of poplar trees and rolling hills to the château. To our delight we met members of the Pontalba family, who graciously invited us in. That the direct descendants of the Baroness de Pontalba (1795-1874) would welcome us to Château de Mont-l’Évêque, that we would develop a warm friendship, and that they would embrace their Louisiana heritage was beyond any dream that I could imagine! Subsequently, I kept dreaming along with my friends, artist Andrew Lamar Hopkins and Louisiana Museum Foundation Director Susan Maclay. |
Pontalba Family Founders Ball Invitations
From the beginning, we set our sights on the LMF’s top fundraising event, The Founders’ Ball, and invited the Pontalba family to be our honored guests.
We also realized that Mont l’Évêque is a treasure trove of historical items related to the Pontalbas' time in Louisiana - primarily in the 19th century. So, the idea for the exhibition was born.
We also realized that Mont l’Évêque is a treasure trove of historical items related to the Pontalbas' time in Louisiana - primarily in the 19th century. So, the idea for the exhibition was born.
New Orleans’ iconic urban core: Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, the Presbytère, and the twin Pontalba Buildings - Upper Pontalba Apartments shown.
In addition to items from the de Pontalba family château, the exhibition will draw from the Louisiana State Museum, and loans from private collections. We are honored to have guest Curator, Randolph Delehanty, PhD, who will tell the city-defining story of Don Andrés Almonester and his formidable daughter, Micaela, the Baroness de Pontalba.
The Founders Ball and Exhibit are dedicated to Christina Vella
Of course, none of this would have happened if I hadn't read Intimate Enemies. We should all be eternally grateful to the late Christina Vella, author of this book that was critically acclaimed by the New York Times.
If you haven't already read Intimate Enemies, I encourage you to do so. It will deepen your appreciation of the exhibit and what Jackson Square means to all of us.
The costume Ball will be reminiscent of the elegant parties Baroness Pontalba held in New Orleans and in her mansion in Paris, which today, still known as the Hôtel de Pontalba, serves as the official residence of the United States Ambassador to France.
Late-18th-century to mid-19th-century attire, recalling the days of Don Almonester and our Baroness, are encouraged for the ball. Contemporary black tie and ball gowns will also be acceptable.
Together, we will welcome Charles-Edouard and Isabelle, Baron and Baroness de Pontalba, their son Pierre, and other family members from France!
Here’s a link to buy your Founders Ball tickets. They are $300 each for Louisiana Museum Foundation Members and $350 for non-members. I suggest you do this today for tickets are limited and this remarkable event will sell out!
The only mission of the Louisiana Museum Foundation is to support the Louisiana State Museum through community donations and programmatic support. I hope that you will join me as a proud member of the LMF to support them for this event and beyond.
Almonester Pontalba balcony ironwork detail from the Pontalba Apartments
See Press for more News!
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