(Un)Usual Beignets
We went to our (un)usual beignets place on the corner of St. Charles and Milan. The parking lot was already roped off. I jumped out of the car and asked where we could park. The attendant said, you staying for the parades? I said, no, we just come here every Wednesday and buy beignets.
He moved the cones and let us in.
We got beignets.
I felt kind of like the little old man walking through the burning house and plopping down on the sofa because it’s time for his soaps.
Beignets for (Un)Usual Inspiration
At the beignet place, we always order a variation on the same thing. One plate (or two) of regular beignets, which are about the size of a woman’s fist. We also get beignet bites. These cutie-pies are similar in size to those old-fashioned pink erasers. Except puffed. All beignets are puffed.
Today, one of the bites they brought us looked like a melting mushroom (I blame the Mardi Gras craziness). It gave me a brilliant idea about drying beignets and making (Un)Usual Beignet People (such a catchy name, right?) Before I could further explore the idea, the youngest grandson ate the beignet.
Craters the size of Beignets
When we left the beignet place, we texted the blow-by-blow of trying to get the boys to their parents and then us home. We had already done this on picking up the boys (“Still on Freret.” “Been at it 35 minutes so far.”) The boys’ parents texted back empathy and encouragement.
Driving around the city is surreal. Parades make normal routes a crapshoot. When you take side streets unknown to you, you’re more than likely gonna hit craters (other places, they call them potholes, but New Orleans does everything outsized.) The tradeoff? We can walk to the St. Charles and Magazine parades.
And we got our beignets.
#MardiGras2024, #neworleans, Beignets, beignets in New Orleans, Jimmy Buffet decorations, Mardi Gras New Orleans
Amy Wilson
Here it is the Wednesday before Mardi Gras Day and I enjoyed some awesome beignets this morning at Cafe Luzianne on Girod Street in New Orleans. Easy parking out front and the cafe looks like it’s ready for any level of tourist that chances to pull up in a charter bus! Friendly and engaging staff, delicious beignets on uptown side of Canal Street. Happy Carnival!!
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Ah, good to know! Our favorite place was out of commission after Ida for almost a year. We vagabonded all over Uptown. But I didn’t know Cafe Luzianne. So glad you got your beignets–and Happy Carnival to you as well!
Donna Weidner
Yum! I can almost taste them 🙂
Ellen Morris Prewitt
We get almost as much confectioner’s sugar on our clothes as we do in our mouths!
Emma
I LOVE those mini-biegnets at that place!! And when we lived around the corner from where you now live, we called our area Mardi Gras Island! Starting on the Thursday before Fat Tuesday you park your car and you do not leave, else someone parks in your place and you won’t be able to get back home. The fun of NOLA!
I love Mardi Gras Day and miss the walk down to the FQ to people watch and join St. Anne’s walking to the river. Y’all have fun!
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Ha, ha–I should have suspected you knew them. Our feet trod so many of the same paths. I have to go to V’Burg today, returning tomorrow morning. So I will miss Muses, which Cammie walks in, which makes me sad. But then the car won’t move until we leave early Monday morning for BSL. I’m walking with 100 Men Hall again this year, though Rachel hasn’t sent out an email on any of the particulars yet…..
Emma
I walked with the Krewe of Real People for a couple of years but my hip and knee can’t do it this year. I will cheer as y’all go by!
Ellen Morris Prewitt
If we discern line-up time….