Hello My Friends,
I hope those of you who are celebrating Passover are having a lovely holiday; and that those of you who will celebrate Easter, will have a wonderful holiday this weekend.
Now among Christian peoples, there are different traditions (and even different dates) for celebrating the holiday. I remember my first holiday abroad was spent during the Easter Holy Week in Madrid. I was fascinated by the processions, the statues, the flowers and the flagellants of Semana Sancta!
New Orleans is a largely Catholic city, whose history and traditions are inextricably tied to the church in which I was raised. In The Catholic Church, as opposed to other, less hierarchic churches, there are authoritative answers on issues of law and custom. So it was not insignificant to the locals, when The Archbishop of New Orleans, definitively qualified Alligator in the seafood family for the purposes of Lenten abstention from meat. It seems that cold blooded creatures like frogs and turtles are also considered fish for this purpose. Now in New Orleans, that's a big deal. You can't swing a dead cat (definitely meat; and cat-swinging is probably prohibited on Good Friday) in New Orleans without hitting some alligator meat.
Anyway, the whole thing just fascinated me. I love New Orleans. I love old traditions like this. So we're going to participate in a New Orleanean Good Friday tradition. Catholics are supposed to fast except for one meal on Good Friday. That meal should not contain meat, but can contain fats and juices of meat or soups, gravies or sauces derived from meat.
Friday and Saturday in Stage Left, we're going to serve a special of Shrimp and Alligator with Black Risotto Appetizer ($16) or an entree ($32). In case you're wondering, I suggest the traditional glass of Madeira from our excellent list. Make a reservation here or by calling 732-828-4444.
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