Hitting the Road Again
Hi, all. This coming week, I will be on the road again, heading to a writers’ conference in Orlando. It’s going to be a road trip because I’m starting out in Colorado. My companion and I are planning to go through Texas and then go along the Gulf coast to Florida. After the conference and a quick visit with friends, we’re going to drive back up to New York, possibly along the Atlantic coast. And you know what that all means? More food adventures!
Now, when I talk about food on the road, I am NOT talking about stopping at a McDonald’s or Wendy’s. I’m talking about the little places where the locals eat (if it’s not too scary—sometimes, local places can be scary). I’m talking about the little mom & pop places, where the food is locally grown and honestly made by people who have run these joints for years, possibly even for generations.
And since it’s summer, we hope to encounter some road-side stands (where people sell stuff right off their farms), farmer’s markets (where everything is fresh and cheap), and maybe even a food festival or two. Who knows, we may even eat at Guy Fieri’s next favorite place for Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. I don’t know, we haven’t made any definitive plans. That’s what’s going to make this an adventure.
We do plan on stopping in New Orleans, where I plan on getting a 
muffuletta. A muffuletta is a sandwhich made with capicola, salami, mortadella, marinated olive salad, and emmentaler and provolone cheeses on a thick, dense, focaccia-like bread. It was created in 1906 by Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo, who owned an Italian market on Decatur Street in the French Quarter called the Central Grocery Co. 
It is the olive salad that is considered to make it unique, and it is one of the quintessential foods of Nawlins. Even though several of the ingredients are meat, you can get a vegetarian version in some places.
I’m hoping to find a good absinthe house. Now that it’s been legalized in the U.S. again, New Orleans is the best place to get it. Back in the early part of the 20th century, it was THE place to get it. I’d also like to hit one of the more well-known (but not overly expensive) mainstays of The Big Easy, such as Commander’s Palace. I probably would not be able to afford Brennan’s or Emeril’s places right now (I’m on a pretty tight budget). So, if anyone has any suggestions, please offer ‘em up!
My road companion, by the way, is writer Andi Marquette. We both hope to promote our work and network at the writer’s conference. We will also be seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Andi has a series of books that she calls her New Mexico series. The first two, Land of Entrapment and State of Denial, are out by Regal Crest, and she hopes to to see the third installment, Ties that Bind, out before the end of the year. She also has a “space opera,” the first of which is called Friends in High Places. You can find out more about her and her books HERE.
I’ll fill you in on my food adventures when I return. I will also be having a guest blogger in the next couple of weeks, which I think will be really fun. Her name is Debby Maugins and she has been involved in food writing and styling for about 25 years.I hope everyone stops by to see what she will be sharing.
Hope everyone is enjoying the summer…now that we’ve actually gotten one! (For those of you reading this in the southern hemisphere, I hope your winter is a mild one. 
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