Beth D’Addono, a food and travel writer specializing in New Orleans (NoLA), and I met through Les Dames d’Escoffier (LDEI), a philanthropic organization of women leaders in the food, beverage and hospitality industries. She was the co-founder and, then, president of the New Orleans chapter when I was on our international board as her liaison.

We became quick friends, cemented by my visits to her city. She’s quite prolific about NoLA, having penned 100 Things to Do in New Orleans Before You Die and The Hunt Guide New Orleans. You can read her impactful work about The Big Easy through her regular contributions for Eater, Gambit, The Local Palate, Fodor’s Guides, The Rough Guide to the Top LGBTQ+ Friendly Places in the USA & Canada and 1000 Places to See Before You Die, (third edition).

She most recently wrote City Eats New Orleans, published this July. It celebrates the multicultural influences and traditions that have inspired New Orleans’s cuisine. Beth profiles more than 50 chefs and restaurants, spotlighting the Crescent City’s traditions, trends and chef-driven recipes. To purchase a copy, click here. 

 

Beth lives in Bywater/St. Claude with her Westie Pearl and two cats, Lou and Al.

Which food product, ingredient or gadget would you never give up? Why?

I can’t live without a wooden spoon. It was a staple in my home kitchen growing up, and now I stir with it. Stirring with a wooden spoon has almost become a zen kitchen motion for me!

What do you like to serve when you entertain?

Years ago, I used to worry too much about things being “perfect” when I invited friends over. But I came to understand that the real magic happens when folks can relax and feel true warm hospitality – not when the host is fussing in the kitchen over complex and fancy food. I love to make a communal dish.  Here in New Orleans, it’s a gumbo – served family style and prepared beforehand. Add rice, crusty bread, and, of course, hot sauce, and the party is on.

If you got to choose what you ate, describe your “last meal?”

My Sicilian grandmother’s red gravy recipe with hot Italian sausage and meatballs over pasta is the ultimate comfort food.

When I visit my 94-year-old daddy in Palm Desert—where I am as I write these words—I bring him some frozen. It’s always our first night’s meal. He eats seconds every time.

Describe your first childhood cooking memory.  When I went to Long Island for Christmas with my grandmother Angelina and my aunt Rosie, the night before was dedicated to finishing what seemed like a million holiday cookies. Rosie had a second kitchen in the basement – How Italian is that? – with a fold-out couch, and I’d sleep down there surrounded by many tins of cookies. And yes, I did need to do some midnight sampling for quality control.

What is your go-to, neighborhood restaurant, and why? Honestly, it changes all the time. My current favorite isn’t in my Bywater neighborhood, but uptown, Mister Mao at 4501 Tchoupitoulas St, from chef and Dame Sophina Uong. She’s the queen of big, bold flavors with plenty of spice, always my go-to.

What is one food product most people don’t know about but should? I’m crazy for miso. It makes everything better, a secret umami boost that manages to elevate almost anything, from salad dressing and butter to any stew or stir fry, with a flavor that brings earthy, nutty, sweet and salty goodness to the plate.

Describe your worst kitchen disaster and how (if possible) you saved it. I remember eating a dish in Malta that I absolutely loved, stuffat tal-fenek or rabbit stew. My guide invited me to her home, cooked it for me, and gave me a blended spice mix to make it authentic.

I’d never eaten rabbit before and certainly had never cooked it. But when I got home – I was living in Philly then – I went to the Italian Market to a butcher shop that sold all kinds of game and bought a rabbit. I followed the recipe and invited friends over for a feast. Very proud of myself. At one point, I looked over and my friend Pat was heroically trying to eat a scrawny piece of back that I’d included in the stew. It hadn’t been clear that you only served the meaty legs.

I was mortified at not having enough real meat to go around. The only way to save the moment was to laugh, which we all did! Lesson learned.

What food is your secret guilty pleasure? No shaming! I allow myself onion dip and Ruffles potato chips every blue moon. They are best enjoyed with lots of wine.

Who was your most influential mentor? Renee Kientz, who I adored. She was one of the first to join our fledgling chapter in 2017. She was always my cheerleader, a gifted food writer, a native New Orleanian with an encyclopedic knowledge of local restaurants and a passion for her job writing about and promoting St. Tammany Parish on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain. Always the smartest person in the room, she was funny and warm, always supportive of my writing. I was eagerly looking forward to learning from her. Renee would serve on our chapter board and certainly become president. She had so much to teach me, and I was eager to learn from her. She so sadly passed away on March 3, 2019, at the age of 66. I miss her always.

 

—Bonnie Tandy Leblang