by Amber H. | Jan 17, 2018 | Louisiana, Mississippi, United States
As we started our tour along the Gulf Coast, we kept hearing about where to get the best boudin in Louisiana, or in Mississippi. Being a couple of Yankees, though, we were confused. I had a list of Southern specialties I wanted to track down during the #USChowDown. But, we never heard of boudin. So, we asked the very important question “what is boudin?” Our boudin food guide includes the answer to the question what is boudin sausage, how to eat boudin, and where to buy boudin. What is Boudin Sausage? We learned. And, we learned in the world capital of boudin sausage. What is in Boudin? Boudin is almost a generic word for various types of sausages that are common in Cajun, Creole, and Acadian cuisine. Inspired by their French, German, and even Belgian counterparts, boudin sausages are completely different from the Italian versions. More similar to an Irish black or white pudding, a boudin sausage recipe usually includes rice as well as meat. It can also be made with pork blood, making it very similar to the Irish black pudding. As a result, there are white and black varieties, or boudin blanc or boudin noir sausage. Although the boudin sausage ingredients mixture that is stuffed inside the casing is pulverized to some extent, it’s a little less refined than a typical sausage. It’s more moist and loose. It’s normally served steamed, not grilled. And, in its most traditional state, boudin is not all that photogenic. Learn more about Boudin:Boudin: A Guide to Louisiana’s Extraordinary Link Boudin: A Guide to Louisiana's Extraordinary Link List Price: $20.00 Price: $19.08 You... 
by Amber H. | Apr 13, 2017 | Food, Louisiana, United States
After a week in New Orleans, we took the long way to Lafayette so that we could make one very important, and very tasty stop along the way. It’s no secret we like it hot, so a stop for the Tabasco Factory Tour seemed like a perfect stop while in Louisiana. The Self Guided Tabasco Factory Tour We arrived on Avery Island, the home of Tabasco. Avery Island is also home to the McIlhenny Company that has been producing Tabasco since just after the Civil War. The Tabasco Factory Tour starts in the Tabasco Museum, in the building that houses the ticket office. The museum focused on the history of Tabasco and the McIlhenny family. The tour continues through nine more phases, focusing predominantly on how Tabasco is made. The tour starts with a walk through a greenhouse that explains what kind of peppers are used to make the special sauce. Then, we learned about the barrels that are used in the aging process. This, to me, was very interesting. I didn’t know that they aged the pepper mash, or that the aging takes place in retired bourbon barrels. The blending floor includes dozens and dozens of vats where the peppers are mashed. The best thing? There is a little button to press that releases the smells from the blending floor. The smell alone was intoxicating. I could have stood there all day pressing that button. Then, we walked along the bottling floor, and through a separate section dedicated to advertising and marketing of Tabasco around the world. Although a relatively short tour, we learned a lot. Being that they offer a... 
by Amber H. | Feb 9, 2017 | Accommodations, United States
Growing up and studying American history, I always associated a road trip with roadside motels. A clean and welcoming Howard Johnson, or a motel in the shape of a teepee. It seems when traveling across the American Southeast, teepee motels are few and far between. But, there were a lot of other options of where to stay on an American road trip. We seemed to hit them all. First, I will note that we started our trip in Florida and were lucky enough to stay with a series of friends for our first two weeks in the States. So, I thank them for their hospitality. But, chances are, you will not be staying with them. Luxury Historic Hotel For our one night in Mobile, Alabama, we wanted to stay in the center of town. We knew we would only have one dinner, and one more morning to explore Mobile. We wanted something in the middle of it all. We cashed in a free night certificate to stay at the Battle House Renaissance Mobile. This hotel is the perfect example of a luxury historic hotel. The lobby was beautiful, and we chatted with the staff and General Manager about the history of the hotel. The Battle House Renaissance was a perfect way to break out of the mold of typical chain hotels. And using points is a great way to save money on your roadtrip. Rooms at the Battle House Renaissance start at $189 a night. Read what other travelers have to say about the Battle House Renaissance at TripAdvisor Historic Bed and Breakfast In a similar line, during our last... 
by Amber H. | Jan 5, 2017 | Food, Luxury, United States
The last stop on our culinary road trip across the U.S. south landed us in Charleston, South Carolina. One of the American cities that was always on the top of my list of places I wanted to visit. I never thought that we would be ending such an amazing road trip in Charleston. And, I never thought we would do it by eating some of the best food in Charleston. Best Food in Charleston – Halls Chophouse Gospel Brunch We woke up early in Athens, Georgia and raced to Charleston. We had a deadline: to partake in a Charleston, low country tradition, Sunday Gospel Brunch at historic Halls Chophouse. Halls is a family-run restaurant, with a focus on service and hospitality. We saw it first hand when a member of the Hall family held the door open for us as we entered. Halls was hopping. Every table filled to max capacity. The Gospel choir sat just inside the front door. Just after we stepped in, they broke out into When The Saints Go Marching In. It doesn’t get more Gospel than that. Because we raced to Charleston, and the atmosphere inside Halls was electric, I felt a little on edge. That feeling quickly abated after I started in on one of their famous Bloody Mary’s, complete with pickled okra and a crisp, cool shrimp. Brunch was on. Halls Chophouse is not only known for steaks, and their Bloody Mary’s, but for classic low country cuisine. Low country cuisine is the phrase used for the dishes traditionally served in South Carolina, and along the Georgia coast. It is heavily influenced by... 
by Amber H. | Dec 27, 2016 | Georgia, Podcast, United States
Eating in Athens Our first stop of our eating in Athens tour was Seabear Oyster Bar, where we sat down with Chef Patrick, and his partner Peter, about the Athens dining scene. We talked about what to eat in Athens, from the high-end dining spots to the greasy spoons. Of course, it took a little more prodding to get the low down on the college dining scene. I wanted to visit Athens because it is a fun college town. I loved our food at Seabear, but I wanted to pretend to be a college student for a few days! And Chef Patrick and Peter didn’t disappoint with their recommendations. Chef Patrick also didn’t disappoint in the dishes he brought out for us to test out the Seabear menu. Taking traditional southern ingredients, and fusing them with international flair, with one of Seabear’s most popular dishes being their okra. Thanks to both Chef Patrick and Peter for helping us out with their recommendations for eating in Athens! What We Ate at Seabear Oyster Bar Mentions on This Week’s Food Travel Podcast How We Survived Our First US Road Trip: The story of the #USChowDown What to Eat in Athens: Our recommendations for eating in Athens Georgia Seabear: The Icelandic Band: Yes, we are mentioning an Icelandic band Seabear Oyster Bar: The restaurant, not the Icelandic band The Four Courseman: Chef Patrick’s pilot on the Cooking Channel The National in Athens: Mediterranean cuisine in Athens Georgia Roasted in Macon Georgia: Amazing sandwiches The Branded Butcher: For great charcuterie Pulaski Heights BBQ: Some of the best BBQ around Athens, and go for the... 
by Amber H. | Dec 20, 2016 | Georgia, Podcast, United States
Eating Macon BBQ With Mama Honey’s In the lead up to the #USChowDown, there were was one story we anticipated telling that we were super excited, and a little anxious, about telling. The story is the one that leads us to showing up in Georgia, as guests of honor at a Macon BBQ party, hosted by a person who claims to make the Best Rub For Your Butt – Mama Honey’s Hiney Rub. We recorded this episode of our culinary travel podcast the day after the epic Macon BBQ party. Perhaps we should have recorded it the day before. Because Robert Fisher, and his partner Mariana were graceful hosts. They opened up their home to us, invited about a hundred of their friends, and made some amazing BBQ. But, we were all a little beat up, and a bit hung over, the day after the big event. But, we were thrilled to have met so many wonderful people in Macon, Georgia! And, all of this occurred because of Twitter. So, thank you, Twitter, for bring us to this corner of Georgia, and introducing us to some fine Macon BBQ. Thank you for giving us a break from our road trip weariness. Most of all, we thank Robert and Mariana for not being serial killers! Mentions on This Week’s Food Travel Podcast How We Survived Our First US Road Trip Mama Honey’s Hiney Rub: The Best Rub For Your Butt Follow Mama Honey’s on Twitter The Otis Redding Foundation: Where we met Justin, Otis’s grandson! Macon Airbnb: If you head to Macon, check out Scott’s Airbnb listing, some really unique... 
