Best Muffeletta?

[tessie40]

We need all occupations and some that are willing to just try a business and invest. We love newcomers!

 

We need more Drs. too. It's really a great place to live. Been here all my life even after the storm...I dug in my heels.

[UPCrawfish]

tessie40...

I read in an article that a factor in the shortage of Dr.s / Nurses, not only in the NOLA area, but across much of Louisiana is pay driven.

 

The graduates of the state nursing and medical schools are leaving the state to other areas where the starting rates are much higher.

 

Can you offer us (me and masq) any input - reflections on this? I've still got family in state and am beginning to hear comments about declining quality of care I have never heard from them before.

[tessie40]

Don't know if we can afford you but we need you. For a long time Charity was the best trauma unit around. Charity is now closed but other hospitals are picking up the slack. I know families raising kids and sending them to Catholic schools (don't cost as much here are the rest of the country) that are both nurses. Once you live here it gets in you blood and your soul and even if you leave New Orleans stays with you. There is just a spirit here that can't be beat.

[UPCrawfish]

Need a food update... Not only on the Muffaletta but also the pralines.

 

You and your DH make it to NOLA yet ??

[map70065]

tessie40...

I read in an article that a factor in the shortage of Dr.s / Nurses, not only in the NOLA area, but across much of Louisiana is pay driven.

 

The graduates of the state nursing and medical schools are leaving the state to other areas where the starting rates are much higher.

 

Can you offer us (me and masq) any input - reflections on this? I've still got family in state and am beginning to hear comments about declining quality of care I have never heard from them before.

As an OLD RN I can't speak to the Dr. shortage, but the nurse shortage isn't just local. It's all over the US and even the world. I started traveling postK and have many jobs to choose from at all times. Currently doing agency work in New Orleans 'cause I just hate leaving.

 

Many reasons factor into the nursing shortage and this is just the beginning - it's gonna get worse. Biggest factor is the aging of the vast majority of nurses. Average age for nurses now is mid 40's - that's AVERAGE age. In 10-15 years the working nurse force is going to be retiring in droves. And there aren't nurses being taught to replace those leaving because nursing schools aren't paying well enough to retain staff. Ah, well, I have one daughter that's gonna replace me - and hopefully be there to take care of me.

[masq]

We've been back for two weeks now... want to go back to the Caribbean already! :D

 

Our day in New Orleans was great!

We arrived at our hotel very early. They had one room open….it was a handicap room with no bathtub. We didn’t care about that so we checked in to our room by 11:30. We made sure no one needed the handicap room. ;)

We didn’t eat much on our way down, so we were starving for lunch. We walked to Central Grocery. There was no line and they had the sandwich ready when we ordered it. We took our Muffeletta up to the river walk (moon walk?) to eat. We polished off the entire sandwich between the two of us. ;) Wow it was good!! I am not a huge fan of olives….regardless, I loved the sandwich.

With our bellies full, we decided to walk down the riverwalk. It was brisk with the wind coming over the river, but it was still a lot warmer than what we came from in Nebraska.

We walked all the way down to the Riverwalk mall and peered thru the fence to where the cruise ship would be docked on Sunday. We walked thru a couple of shops in the mall and decided it was time for Café du Monde. WOW. Loved the Café Au Lait and the beignets. Heaven on a plate.

We walked back down Decatur St in search of Sally’s Pralines. I forgot that Crawfish said it was across the street from Central Grocery. We found them and they were really good. We liked the original better than some of the other flavors. I picked up a box for a friend at work.

We walked around Jackson square where there was a guy spray painted silver acting like a robotic man and several small jazz bands performing.

We walked back to our hotel to get cleaned up for dinner. We decided on Acme Oyster House for dinner. NO was just full of fans from Louisiana and Ohio for the game on Monday. Everyone was wearing their team gear and the team chants could be heard everywhere. We got in line for Acme… it wasn’t too long and the line went fast. So fast that I didn’t have time to finish the Mango Daiquiri my DH bought across the street for $9. I didn’t want to waste it… so DH hid it in his coat pocket when we went into the restaurant. It was still frozen by the time we left after dinner.

We met two brothers in line that were in from Texas for the game. They were LSU fans and couldn’t resist coming back for the championship game. We offered them a seat at our table if a table for four came up and they accepted. It was nice to get to know them and they gave us some tips on what to order. I ended up with a shrimp po boy with a side of Hushpuppies and DH ordered Chicken & Andouille Gumbo. It was very good.

 

Sunday morning we ate some breakfast at our hotel, checked out, and headed out again. We hit several stores and I got a few things for myself. We walked all the way down to the Mall again and we saw the NCL Dream had arrived and hit Café du Monde again. We went back to the hotel and headed over to the ship around 3PM.

 

After the cruise and on the way to the airport, we should have had our cab driver stop at Café du Monde again…because the Beignet shop at the airport was closed for the weekend. The other coffee shop’s Café au Lait was terrible.

 

By the way, I just found out last night that there is a restaurant in Omaha that serves a Muffeletta. It’s called JAZZ and it’s on 14th and Farnam. We haven’t been there to try one yet. www.jazzkitchen.com

 

Thank you all for your NO suggestions! We had a great time and would love to go back and spend more time there.

 

~Masq

[UPCrawfish]

masq,

 

glad your trip went well. You now have a 'taste' of New Orleans and Louisiana. It will be on your tongue for a while and will require another bite in the future.

 

As for the "Jazz" here in Omaha. Personally never been. Son and Dau. have eaten there and remarked that "the food is nothing like what we get when we are back home.." Guess I'll have to go down and try it for myself.

Watching a big pot of shrimp and chicken gumbo bubble right now.....:p

[map70065]

After the cruise and on the way to the airport, we should have had our cab driver stop at Café du Monde again…because the Beignet shop at the airport was closed for the weekend. The other coffee shop’s Café au Lait was terrible.

 

~Masq

 

FYI, you may have been disappointed if you would have stopped for beignets on the way to the airport. They are ONLY good when they're fresh - so unless you ate them in the cab you would have been disappointed. And Cafe au Lait is also best when fresh, which is why Cafe du Monde's is so good - they go through a lot of it. Chicory coffee gets bitter if it sits.

 

Sounds like you had a good visit - I'm glad. Thanks for visiting!!

[Hockey19]

Masq- lost your e-mail. Wanted to send you photos from Go with Gus. Send to Kleboff@aol.com Hope the trip home went smooth.:)

[masq]

Hi UPCrawfish,

DH and I tried the Jazz restaurant in Omaha last night. Their Muffuletta was pathetic. It was meat & cheese piled on a square bun…. might have been Ciabatta bread??

The olive salad was barely there and it had a big slab of tomato on it.

I don’t recall tomato on the Muff we had in NO. Maybe it did and I just don’t remember. You would be sorely disappointed. :(

The Muff came with hushpuppies and coleslaw. I subbed cheesy grits for the slaw and DH subbed fried okra for his slaw. The grits were gross but the fried okra was excellent. I liked the hushpuppies but DH thought they tasted too sweet.

For dessert we ordered beignets, but they were out of the chicory coffee, so we couldn’t have café au lait with them. The beignets were good, but not as light an airy inside as the ones at Café Du Monde. I would order them again.

We will try Jazz again because I have a $20 gift certificate…. but I will not be getting a Muffuletta next time.

Do you know if Central Grocery puts their olive salad in a jar to sell? I’d love to get some and try to make better Muff here at home. :)

 

~Masq~

[selucrey]

 

Do you know if Central Grocery puts their olive salad in a jar to sell? I’d love to get some and try to make better Muff here at home. :)

 

~Masq~

 

Yes they do. Very good I might add!

[shunga]

Masq, per board rules, if you ask I can tell you the website we use to send olive salad to my brother-in-law in Chicago. He fell in love with muffs on a visit down here and swears by this stuff.

[masq]

That is great that Central Grocery sells their olive salad. Too bad I didn't buy some when I was down there. :(

I wonder if any one has a website where I can buy some online and have it shipped to me? ;)

It would be great if someone could post it or e-mail me at masqsweeps @ yahoo . com

 

Thanks!

~Masq~

[UPCrawfish]

Hi UPCrawfish,

DH and I tried the Jazz restaurant in Omaha last night. Their Muffuletta was pathetic. It was meat & cheese piled on a square bun…. might have been Ciabatta bread??

The olive salad was barely there and it had a big slab of tomato on it.

I don’t recall tomato on the Muff we had in NO. Maybe it did and I just don’t remember. You would be sorely disappointed. :( !!!

 

The Muff came with hushpuppies and coleslaw. I subbed cheesy grits for the slaw and DH subbed fried okra for his slaw. The grits were gross but the fried okra was excellent. I liked the hushpuppies but DH thought they tasted too sweet.

 

For dessert we ordered beignets, but they were out of the chicory coffee, so we couldn’t have café au lait with them. The beignets were good, but not as light an airy inside as the ones at Café Du Monde. I would order them again.

 

We will try Jazz again because I have a $20 gift certificate…. but I will not be getting a Muffuletta next time.

 

Do you know if Central Grocery puts their olive salad in a jar to sell? I’d love to get some and try to make better Muff here at home. :)

 

Thanks for the warning

NO TOMATOES ON A MUFFULETTA :eek: THAT'S BLASPHEMY :mad:

NEVER HAD A SIDE DISH WITH A MUFFULETTA - NEVER HAD ROOM

CENTRAL GROCERY HAS NO WEB SITE BUT CAJUN GROCER DOES AND THEY SELL A OLIVE SALAD MIX THEY CLAIM IS A MUFFULETTA MIX..

http://www.cajungrocer.com/food-fresh-foods-c-1_15.html?source=google

Watched a food show once about the cafe du monde' and how they made the beignets. Quite a simple but automated process....

[shunga]

That is great that Central Grocery sells their olive salad. Too bad I didn't buy some when I was down there. :(

I wonder if any one has a website where I can buy some online and have it shipped to me? ;)

It would be great if someone could post it or e-mail me at masqsweeps @ yahoo . com

 

Thanks!

~Masq~

 

Try salandjudys.com. They are a well-regarded northshore restaurant. Their products are sold in all of the supermarkets around here. We used them to ship a care package this Christmas to my brother-in-law in the Chicago area, and he loved it.

[UPCrawfish]

To continue the muffaletta discussion, another poster on this thread (masq) has done a research project here in Omaha, NE and determined there is not such thing as a 'muffaletta' in the midwest comparable to the NOLA production. So, she has begun the procurement of the essentials.. first the olive salad from a distributor in Louisiana. Central Grocery does not sell their salad mix on line nor do they allow the recipie out of their sight. They will sell jars in the store. Then she is selecting the best bread/bun from local italian bakery sources and finally, compiling the necessary fillings of meats and cheeses.

 

I came across this recipie for an olive salad mix and the ration of meats and cheeses and post here for those who are now where near NOLA and may crave the sandwich from time to time...

 

Reduce ingredient volumes for olive salad to fit needs..

 

For the olive salad:

• 1 gallon large pimento stuffed green olives, slightly crushed and well drained
  
• 1 quart jar pickled cauliflower, drained and sliced
  
• 2 small jars capers, drained
  
• 1 whole stalk celery, sliced diagonally
  
• 4 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced diagonally
  
• 1 small jar celery seeds
  
• 1 small jar oregano
  
• 1 large head fresh garlic, peeled and minced
  
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 jar pepperoncini, drained (small salad peppers) left whole
  
• 1 pound large Greek black olives
  
• 1 jar cocktail onions, drained

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or pot and mix well. Place in a large jar and cover with 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 Crisco oil. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. Allow to marinate for at least 24 hours before using.

• For the sandwich:
  
• 1 round loaf italian bread
  
• 1/4 pound mortadella, thinly sliced
  
• 1/4 pound ham, thinly sliced
  
• 1/4 pound hard Genoa salami, thinly sliced
  
• 1/4 pound Mozzarella cheese, sliced
  
• 1/4 pound Provolone cheese,sliced
  
• 1 cup olive salad with oil

Split a muffuletta loaf or a loaf of Italian bread horizontally. Spread each half with equal parts of olive salad and oil. Place meats and cheeses evenly on bottom half and cover with top half of bread. Cut in quarters. Enjoy!Serves four timid dieters, two hearty New Orleanians or one incredible maiale.

 

ENJOY.......

[nolaAlive]

Hmm. That recipe looks like it might have been lifted from Chuck Taggart's GumboPages website:

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/samwiches/muff.html

 

Last time I was there, Central Grocery still offered mail order service.