The Journey South pt. 2

That's me eating a pickle at a high school football game. Just thought I would share the experience. It brought back a wave of memories for me although this time around I was much more comfortable with myself, 1) because I'm not in high school any more and 2)because I wasn't wearing a high school band uniform.

So, my journey South to New Orleans stalled a bit because I was having too much fun in Oxford, MS and because I was waiting for a ride down to Nola. In the meantime, I had plenty of pickle adventures. Like the night I explored a few "new to me" bars like Snack Bar-the latest venture from Oxford's very own James Beard Award winning chef John Currence. We ordered the pickle plate

and I asked the bartender to make me a pickle martini. I was extremely pleased with the results, even the pickled EGGS.

This was my first pickled egg experience and the texture was firmer than I expected and made it tolerable, but I washed it down right away with my martini which was one of the dirtiest and best pickle martini's I've had in awhile. I don't remember much after that, 'cept it was good and I had fun.

I think it was the next day that I had lunch with my newest friend, PJ. He had a jar of pickles that he picked up while in New Orleans the weekend before that he wanted to give me, so we got together to investigate.

Behold, the pickled Mirliton...and why yes, that is a shot from the front porch of William Faulkner's home!

I'd never heard of a mirliton before, have you? So I looked it up and found that its a squash-like veggie very common in Louisianna. HOW PERFECT IS THAT? A brand new pickled item to usher me to my new home. The jar was ceremonially cracked open at the Mexican place where we had lunch, but later in the afternoon I lolled about at Faulkner's place with my mirlitons and was taken by their photogenic qualities.

I was ALSO taken with the taste. The pickled mirliton is firm, more so when you stick them in the 'fridge for a littlel bit, and juicy. The texture was perfect for a crunchy pickle and these were really sour and spicy. My love affair with the mirliton began...and it continued all the way to New Orleans as I ate the jar in the car.

Me and the mirlitons have finally arrived in New Orleans!