Friday, August 17, 2007

The Thirsty Monkey

I've just come in from dinner at the Thirsty Monkey and listening to blues singer, Billie Rose here from Vicksburg, Mississippi. Wow, what a night! How great it is when you have NO expectations and get blown away.
The owners of this restaurant have another one in South Texas and one of them is from New Orleans. I grew up in Louisiana. Give me a bowl of GOOD red beans and rice and it is manna from heaven...............this was the BEST I've had in 10 or 15 years.............whenever I was last in New Orleans..........Lord they were good!
Top that off with this off-beat woman who could sing husky jazz and then blues and then some deep south music and I was "swooning" as they say in the south.
If you're reading this in San Miguel - Billie Rose - the singer is only there on Friday and Saturday from 8-10PM (darn) but she's trying to get together another "gig" somewhere else on another night. I can't wait to go back and hear more good music.....and probably eat red beans and rice...........

7 comments:

1st Mate said...

Got a good recipe for red beans and rice? What seasonings are best?

Babs said...

Hi 1st mate - I'll dig out a recipe for you today from my River Road Recipe cookbook and send it to you!

Gypsy Girl said...

Sounds wonderful...wish I was there. I hope that Billie Rose will be there this winter when I am in SMA
Red beans and rice...yummy...I want the recipe too!!!

picklesandroses.blogspot.com said...

Mmmm...jazz and blues! How cool! TAACL has started having a jazz night on Thursday but no red beans and rice. Is this place new? I don't remember it.

Babs said...

Here's a recipe from the River Road cookbook (Jr. League of Baton Rouge) from 1959.
1 c. red beans, washed & drained
3 cups of water
1 clove of garlic chopped,
1 rib celery, chopped
2T parsley, chopped
1 lg bay leaf, crushed
1 med onion
Cook beans in water. Season with salt and bacon drippings, ham or other seasoning meat (I use polish sausage or andouille. Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. If beans become too dry, add heated water, 2T sugar improves the whole effect. Serve on mounds of rice. Serves 4. Also serve with warm corn bread. Enjoy.
Those of you from the Deep South know that this dish was always served on Monday - "laundry day"!

Babs said...

Yes, The Thirsty Monkey has recently opened. It's near Espino's grocery store.........tiny but great atmosphere! My kind of place!

BRose said...

Hi, Babs - Thanks so much for the kind words and for coming back to see us at the Monkey!

Billie Rose
ps-
Good to know somebody here has a copy of The River Road Cookbook. Lost my copy years ago, but always had access to a friend's. It's a great source for Deep South specialties.