The Southern Po' Boy Cookbook
Read The Southern Po' Boy Cookbook Online
Authors: Todd-Michael St. Pierre
Copyright text © 2013 by Todd-Michael St. Pierre. Copyright concept and design © 2013 by Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Published by:
Ulysses Press
P.O. Box 3440
Berkeley, CA 94703
ISBN: 978-1-61243-263-2
Library of Congress Catalog Number 2013938635
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Acquisitions Editor: Kelly Reed
Managing Editor: Claire Chun
Editor: Susan Lang
Proofreader: Elyce Berrigan-Dunlop
Indexer: Sayre Van Young
Front cover design: TG Design
Back cover design, interior design and layout:
what!design @ whatweb.com
Photographs: © Judi Swinks Photography
Background paper image: ©
donatas1205/shutterstock.com
Interior illustrations: © Dianne Parks
Food stylist: Anna Hartman-Kenzler
Distributed by Publishers Group West
IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned or pictured within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publishers encourage readers to patronize the quality brands and products mentioned in this book.
For my sister, Mignon... Just because I
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And also an extra special thank you to Eric Olsson!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BOY OH BOY: IF IT SWIMS, COOK IT!
Measurements and Substitutions
Merci beaucoup
to Fleurty Girl New Orleans for the fantastic exposure! And thanks to the following individuals who each in their own way inspired me or guided the direction of this book: Randall Thomas, Lisa LaFleur, Tracy Babin, Dianne Parks, Laura Godel, May Wen, Anne Lockard, Lolet Boutté, Tricia Boutté-Langlo, Risha Rushing Dunn, Judy Calvin, Patricia V. Combre, Catina Laine, Lynda Church Gaber, and Richard Borja!
“Imagination is the golden-eyed monster that never sleeps.
It must be fed; it cannot be ignored.”
—Patricia A. McKillip
Fantasy author Patricia A. McKillip wasn’t referring to the po’ boy when she wrote these words, but she very well could have been. Yes, you are limited only by your imagination when it comes to po’ boy creation, whether you are a purist who travels the traditional route or an adventurer who is open to the ongoing evolution of this classic Southern marvel of a sandwich. Few things in life have truly earned legend status as much as the humble and mighty New Orleans po’ boy.
Hail to the chief of all sandwiches! In a class of its own, it’s royal yet down-to-earth and inspires love and devotion. Ask any native of New Orleans where to get the best po’ boy, and almost every single person will name a different establishment. Po’ boy eateries are as much a part of personal identity as the neighborhood a New Orleanian grew up in. Like a family heirloom, po’ boy preference is handed down from generation to generation.
To those of us who love our po’ boys, there simply is no substitute for the bona fide best damn sammich on da planet! So if I sing its praises a bit too loudly or go on too long about how mouthwatering it is, and if I dwell on the importance of The Bread and how it has to be crispy and flaky on the outside, unbelievably soft on the inside, to be the real deal, I hope you understand. This is a book for all of us who cherish the po’ boy’s simple yet sophisticated perfection — although it’s just as much a book for po’ boy newcomers, who, I know, will love this most magnificent of sandwiches.
This book contains my favorite recipes, including both standards and new twists, for you to make in your own kitchen. Of course, it’s always best to enjoy a po’ boy in New Orleans, at one of the hundreds of places that cook, serve, and sell the sandwiches. But the taste-tested offerings on these pages will get you started on your journey and show you what to do and how to do it, so you can share po’ boys with your friends and family wherever you happen to reside. Explore and get to know your own inner po’ boy with a little help from a lifelong po’ boy fanatic and native New Orleanian. Bon appetit, y’all!
A SANDWICH WITH A RICH HISTORY
From the very beginning, size was an integral part of the po’ boy sandwich. A small po’ boy is large by other regions’ standards, and in New Orleans large is gigantic. This huge sandwich is history you can eat. The po’ boy dates back to 1929, when sandwich-stand owners and brothers Bennie and Clovis Martin offered free overstuffed sandwiches to striking streetcar conductors, whom they referred to as the “poor boys.” A letter of support from the Martin brothers promised, “Our meal is free to any members of Division 194.” The letter ended, “We are with you till hell freezes, and when it does, we will furnish blankets to keep you warm.” (Martin brothers letter courtesy of Louisiana Research Collection, Tulane University Libraries.)
At first, the Martin brothers used regular French bread, but then they asked the folks at John Gendusa Bakery to make the first poor boy loaf, so they would have a better size sandwich bread without narrowed ends to accommodate more filling. Keeping their promise, the Martins provided the striking workers with big, hearty, belly-filling sandwiches. Bennie Martin said, “We fed those men free of charge until the strike ended. Whenever we saw one of the striking men coming, one of us would say, ‘Here comes another poor boy.’”
THE PO’ BOY TODAY
In the many decades since the Martins fed those striking workers, the po’ boy has become New Orleans’ signature sandwich. In recent years, it has risen to cult status, with a fanatical following. The po’ boy brilliantly sandwiches many of the area’s culinary treasures — oysters, shrimp, soft-shell crab, crawfish, andouille sausage, and so much more of the bountiful harvest that is southern Louisiana.
The bread of choice is always local, authentic po’ boy bread like a Leidenheimer loaf or other New Orleans–style bread. You can order online if you’re out of the area (see Resources on
page 83
), or you can use a regular loaf of French bread, a baguette, hero or hoagie rolls, or some other bread that appeals to you. I’ve also included a recipe from my book
Taste of Tremé: Creole, Cajun and Soul Food from New Orleans’s Famous Neighborhood of Jazz
(Ulysses Press, 2012) that several food bloggers have raved about. Get creative, because ultimately it’s your kitchen and your call. However, you should know that a traditional full po’ boy sandwich is about a foot long! If it’s “dressed,” that means it includes mayonnaise
(New Orleanians swear by Blue Plate brand), lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Personally, I like mine lightly dressed or scantily clad. Of course, a dash (or more) of hot sauce — preferably Crystal or Slap Ya Mama brand — can’t hurt. And nothing’s better with a po’ boy than a bag of Zapp’s potato chips, a local kettle-cooked favorite.
Just how important is the po’ boy to the New Orleans cultural landscape? The humble and mighty po’ boy sandwich now has its very own festival: the Oak Street Po’ Boy Festival (
poboyfest.com
), which takes place each November in the Carrollton neighborhood. It features music and food booths, along with a po’ boy competition for the city’s best creative and traditional po’ boy sandwiches. The competition is open to all kinds of cooks, from those running funky mom-and-pop stores to chefs in the fanciest white-tablecloth restaurants.
The unique and awesomely tasty po’ boy sandwich is such an important part of the city that its history is included in a permanent exhibit at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum — an essential stop on any tour of New Orleans.
If you can’t make it to my hometown sometime soon, you can still get an authentic taste of New Orleans whenever you want, with the help of this book. If you don’t already have a passion for po’ boys, you surely will once you start making some of the recipes. Enjoy!
BABY, I KNEAD YOU! HOMEMADE PO’ BOY BREAD
This is a recipe from my book
Taste of Tremé
. The consensus from my readers and several food bloggers is that this is pretty close to the real thing. So if you want to test your baking skills, try this out.
4 cups all-purpose flour
