RL Reeves Jr

Writer documenting life in New Orleans 9th Ward. I'm eating 500 po boys at 500 different restaurants, gas stations, corner stores and cafes in New Orleans

The Birth Of Iced Tea In The American South (extended Luzianne biography)

Luzianne Coffee and Tea advertisement. July 1911

A cold glass of iced tea is the saving grace that carries southerners through the sweltering days of summers that seem to stretch on forever in the American South.

And it’s due to the efforts of an 18th century French botanist and a Louisiana entrepreneur who built a beverage empire in the first half of the 20th century that ice tea is the common language of southerners across the United States.

Field Report: 2026 CTC Steppers Social and Pleasure Second Line

2026 CTC Steppers Social and Pleasure Second Line

A dry squall hit New Orleans bright and early Sunday morning as thousands of people prepared to take to the streets to celebrate the Cross The Canal Steppers second line. We battened down the hatches, snugged our woolen mariner’s cap on extra tight and walked a couple miles from our 9th Ward manse to the 7th Ward starting line.

This is what we saw:

Cowboy’s 5th Annual Treme Gumbo Pop Up

Cowboy’s 5th Annual Treme Gumbo Pop Up

This Sunday Feb 15, I’ll be hosting my 5th annual Treme Gumbo Pop Up at Little People’s Place, the oldest barroom in Treme, and one of the few surviving chitlin’ circuit bars in the entire Deep South.

It’s a family bar and this is a family affair. If you bring Lil Ray Ray nobody’s gonna say one word.

It’s our annual daytime party. We start ladling out big hot bowls of Cajun gumbo at 1pm and finish up when we drain the kettle.

I hired DJ Seprock to spin a nice long set of vintage 45 vinyl. Old school, two turntables and fat slabs of New Orleans Mardi Gras wax.

Tickets, free admission

Sunday February 15th, 2026

1pm

Little People’s Place
1226 Barracks St.
New Orleans

Add to your calendar right here

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Field Report: 2026 Treme Sidewalk Steppers Second Line

2026 Treme Sidewalk Steppers Second Line

Last weekend’s Treme Sidewalk Steppers Second Line was the last one for three weeks as our little village on the river’s law enforcement turns its gaze towards maintaining a semblance of control over the carnival crowds as we ramp up towards Shrove Tuesday. A windy chilly day drove the dancers through the streets of Treme; this is what we saw:

A Recipe For Tiffin Inn Beef Stroganoff

A Recipe For Tiffin Inn Beef Stroganoff

We’re still pining after the old Tiffin Inn that shuttered a decade ago in Metairie.

On a recent taxi ride, our cabby was feeling loquacious, and she rambled on for quite a bit about how sorrowful she was over the closure.

Field Report: 2026 Perfect Gentlemen Social and Pleasure Second Line

2026 Perfect Gentlemen Social and Pleasure Second Line

Since 1991 Perfect Gentlemen Social and Pleasure have rolled through the streets of Uptown New Orleans on their annual second line parades. The club is most noted for having a big kids division with dozens of children in the eight year old age range cavorting across the blacktop while their parents watch over them with stiff cocktails at the ready.

16th Anniversary Scrumptious Chef New Orleans Gumbo Party at Tamale House East in Austin

16th Anniversary Scrumptious Chef New Orleans Gumbo Party at Tamale House East in Austin

It’s hard to believe it’s been 16 years since we started throwing big gumbo parties in Austin. But here we are. What started as small backyard gatherings in the French Place neighborhood slowly turned into big affairs at Tamale House East on 6th st.

What a wonderful ride it’s been. Thanks for supporting us over the years.

Sunday January 18th 2026
16th Anniversary Scrumptious Chef New Orleans Gumbo Party
Tamale House East
1707 e. 6th st
Austin, Texas
78702
5:30pm cocktail party
6:30pm dinner

The Myth of the Holy Trinity

DD hot sausage out of Bogalusa is a crucial ingredient in our gumbo

Over the last few decades I’ve eaten hundreds of bowls of gumbo from the best kitchens across Acadiana.

During this time I’ve learned that the Holy Trinity is not sacrosanct in the 22 parishes that comprise Cajun country.

Field Report: 2025 Big 9 Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Big 9 Social and Pleasure Second Line

Many years ago Big 9 Social was the undisputed king of the 9th Ward second line rolls.

Recipe: RL Reeves Jr Crawfish Étouffée With The Holy Trinity

Chataignier Supper Club prepares crawfish etouffee

The World Championship Crawfish Étouffée Cook-Off was started in 1986 in Eunice, the ‘Prairie Cajun Capital of Louisiana’. That first year none other than Dewey Balfa provided entertainment to the 107 cooking teams, and hungry assembled Cajuns.

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