Dance the night away to the best jazz, fill up with Creole snacks and get to know mysterious tarot card readers. One thing is certain, in New Orleans it is impossible to get bored. Here are nine reasons to give up and travel straight to New Orleans.
In Louisiana, the state of New Orleans, the food culture comes from Creole cuisine. Expect a mix of French, Spanish, West African, German, Italian, Irish and Native American influences from the colonial era. Below are some typical New Orleans dishes not to be missed:
Fritters
If you’re wondering what that meter-long line of people is waiting for in New Orleans, chances are it’s Cafe du Monde fritters on French Quarter. According to experts, they have been selling the tastiest fritters in the city since its foundation in 1862. The sweetness is reminiscent of an oliebol and is eaten with a good layer of powdered sugar, and accompanied by a caffè latte. After the fritters were introduced to Louisiana by distant relatives of French settlers in the 17th century, the delicacy is indispensable. For the New Orleans Bike Tours you need to know about this and more.
Hot sauce
That they love spicy food in New Orleans is evident from the wide range of hot sauces . In addition to having some of these spicy sauces on the table in most restaurants, there are also specialty hot sauce shops. Be sure to try the ninety-year-old Louisiana Hot Sauce Original brand: the most popular in the state of Louisiana. Moreover, the world-famous Tabasco has its roots on Avery Island: an island near New Orleans.
Jambalaya
Just like gumbo is the brother of the French bouillabaisse, so is jambalaya that of the Spanish paella. The rice dish originated with the Cajuns, a population group from Canada and living in South Louisiana. Gumbo is a composition of jambon (French for ham) and aya (African for rice). The dish that usually contains ham, chicken, sausage, shrimp, oysters, rice, onion, garlic and herbs can be ordered in almost any restaurant.
Admire street artists
Nowhere else do you see as many street poets, musicians and fortune tellers as in New Orleans. For example, you can have your tarot card reader predict your future at French Quarter, located on a beautiful park. Of course you will be provided with fine live music on the street during the lecture. Are you more into the poetry? Then walk to Chartres. Here you will find creatives who tap a rhyme on a subject of their choice on their typewriter within a minute. Tip: the craziest topics often make for the best poems!
World-class jazz at Preservation Hall
Established in 1961 to recognize traditional New Orleans jazz, this is the world-famous house band of Preservation Hall. The changing orchestra consists of no less than a hundred musicians who rotate places. The famous hotspot is located on St. Peter Street and the musicians flatten the venue every evening at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm. If you are at the door half an hour in advance, there is a good chance that you will get a nice step leak.
