Christmas Eve in NOLA

Our first Christmas eve. We made our first pot of Red Beans and rice. Came out killer...I made deep fried alligator..they are right, it did taste like chicken. I liked it. Our first night in our new place we made our first pot of gumbo..I tried making this ounce back in Fairbanks (it sucked) but here it came out great!. The key was a couple of things, fresh sea food...and Taso Ham..we got this at this place called Couchon Butcher..they smoke all their own meats..and they rock...I saw them on an episode of Anthony Bourdain as well as Andrew Zimmern's bizzare world. They do amazing things with pork. So let me tell you about our first home here. Here in NOLA the older homes are called either "Shot Gun" or "Camel Back" affairs. Shot guns are long narrow homes many set up like a duplex. Few have hallways. Most of them require that you walk thru each bed room to get to the back. Camel backs are shot guns that have had a back unit added that is usually an extra story...thus looking like a "Camel Back". Ours is off a quiet tree lined street not far from the tram and kiddy corner to the Fire mans Semitary. We are around the corner from a baseball park where they had a game last weekend and there is a local tavern called the "Yaught Club"...not far is a club that features lives music weekly and free red beans and rice on Mondays and all you can eat oysters(till they run out)on Thursdays..like to gig there at some time. Our place has nice hard wood floors, this funky bathroom with white tile a claw foot bath tub that has a "Psycho/High Anxiety white shower curtain shower. Takes a bit of a step up to get in the shower and it's like bathing in a cocoon....I did it. Our back yard is nice and big, with a large tree and plenty of room the grow stuff....can't wait to grow our own tomatoes,peppers,herbs...maybe even a lemon tree..God how blessed we are to be here. Looking forward to finding a job,putting a band together and finding a gig..next post I'll share how we came to be here....let well,eat well,love long and rock hard...Steve