Visit http://louisiana.foodtrekker.com to learn more about any of the culinary treats mentioned below, read and write reviews of your favorite food establishments, or to plan your own customized culinary itinerary in New Orleans or elsewhere in Louisiana.

We had the good fortune to visit New Orleans twice this year - once in January and once again in April. You may notice an occasional restaurant that has not yet reopened but the city is open for business and visitors are coming back. Locals will say that the number of tourists now is nothing like it used to be - probably a good thing because it means more of the city for you to enjoy without competition for space. Bourbon Street, the famed street of drink and more, is still the place to pass the night away, although much of the jazz of yesteryear has been replaced with rock and roll with limited appeal. We eschew media coverage that talks about a storm-ravaged city. Yes, parts of the city are being rebuilt, but the French Quarter and main tourist areas are alive and well. The best gift we can give back to the city is positive word of mouth so please come and enjoy the new New Orleans.

Photo: Lionel Key of Uncle Bill Spices hand-making gumbo filé

SAVORY

Perhaps better than anything else, Louisiana is known for its Cajun and Creole cuisines. There's no space here to go into detail about how they differ and their interesting histories, but take our word for it, the dishes are wonderful. We recommend: red beans and rice; a shrimp po-boy (sandwich) with Cajun remoulade sauce; gumbo; crawfish etouffee; and jambalaya among other local favorites. Try Mother's on Poydras for an authentic selection of po-boys and other goodies. Their specialty is a "debris" po-boy. Debris is roast beef topped with the roast beef drippings from when the beef is roasted and used as a condiment on many of Mother's sandwiches. If you like spicy, a staple around here is Tabasco brand hot sauce. Be sure to apply liberally to everything you eat. There are many kinds of hot sauces, which you will soon discover, but Tabasco is the original. If you have time, make the effort to visit the Tabasco visitor center on Avery Island (just over an hour away by car).

If you like olives, try a muffuletta sandwich, which was invented in New Orleans. It's a thick, fresh French roll filled with marinated green olives, herbs, olive oil, capers, celery, minced carrots and cauliflower atop layers of hearty Genoa salami and mortadella and/or provolone cheese. Some muffulettas are made with more olives and others are made with more vegetables, so you have to experiment to find who makes the one you like best. Try Central Market grocery in the French Quarter before you try any others because theirs is considered the original and the standard by which others are measured.

Brennan's is an institution in the city, but breakfast for two will set you back about US$80 - before drinks! Palace Café, on the edge of the French Quarter, offers a more affordable alternative and equally as tasty dishes.

Palace is famous for its crabmeat cheesecake - and with good reason. Try Beignets foster or the Cajun Eggs Benedict - all tasty. You can try many of their best items as appetizers, thereby saving strain on both your tummy and your wallet.

If you like jazz, try dining in one of the cities restaurants that features jazz while you dine. Such establishments are easy to find but the Palm is a popular choice. Unfortunately, the sound of jazz no longer echoes through Bourbon Street as it once did so if you want jazz, you'll have to seek it out.

SWEET

If you're like us, you want to try every food that New Orleans is famous for - and that's a lot. Start the day with beignets and café au lait at Café du Monde. While the staff may have changed after the hurricane, the coffee and beignets offer the same flavors and are quite filing. Be sure not to wear anything fancy as the powdered sugar gets all over everything. Those with a sweet tooth will notice signs for pralines all around the city. Authentic pralines are made with brown sugar, butter, cream and pecans. If you are a purist, be sure to read the ingredients before buying. Some pralines are made with artificial colors, preservatives and high glucose corn syrup. For example, soft, chewy pralines must be made with glucose syrup as well as sugar. If you like soft, chewy pralines, try Southern Candymakers on Decatur Street in the French Quarter. They also offer the widest variety of praline flavors we've seen in the city.

New Orleans is home of the cocktail. You'll find walk-up daiquiri bars everywhere in the city. If you get outside the city, you'll even find drive-thru daiquiri bars - a Louisiana anomaly. Hurricanes are a popular cocktail, but try the Sazerac, also invented in New Orleans. A Sazerac is chilled bourbon supplemented with flavors of various bitters and typically preferred by men.

SOUVENIR

Of course a box of pralines would always be welcome back home, but could melt in your luggage on the return trip. A safer bet might be Slap Ya Mama seasoning mix (pictured above) or a bottle of Arnaud's Cajun remoulade, available everywhere throughout the city.

If you want a more distinctive culinary souvenir, had over to New Orleans Silversmiths off Toulouse St. They offer a wide variety of silver culinary tools and kitchen accessories, such as cocktail shakers, salt and pepper shakers, napkin rings, and so on. Non-US visitors should come prepared to shop, as Louisiana has a tax-free shopping program for international tourists.

Another great way to fill your mind with wonderful memories is through a culinary history tour. New Orleans Culinary History Tours will give you the scoop on who did what when in this city's rich culinary history. If you prefer to be driven, ask at your hotel for a guide and driver. Beware, however, that many of the local cab drivers speak English as their second language (French Creole being their first).

SUMMARY

If for some strange reason you are not impressed with the food in this culinarily rich city, remember, there is nothing a cocktail and a stick of butter can't fix!

One interesting thing we noticed is that people here tend to say "Have a good time" rather than "Have a good day", perhaps an indicator of their propensity to enjoy life. So prepare for a good time, for you will feast and drink well in this historical and culturally fascinating American city.

Visit http://louisiana.foodtrekker.com to learn more about any of the culinary treats mentioned above, read and write reviews of your favorite food establishments, or to plan your own customized culinary itinerary in New Orleans or elsewhere in Louisiana.