Congratulations to Viviana Acosta-Padial, CulinaryCorps alum and trip co-leader, for being the WOSO VIP of the Day.  Her culinary-focused interview was played by the Puerto Rican radio station throughout the day, reaching thousands of island listeners.  A wonderful way to recognize an amazing volunteer and chef!

Kim Severson of the New York Times did a great piece, …Into the Fryer, on the fried chicken rebirth at both Dooky Chase and Willie Mae’s.

(As a very IMDB aside; take a peek at Ms. Leah Chases’ chef jacket.  We were so pleased to see a recent CulinaryCorps gift being put to good use!)

…in roughly the same way that foie gras is like chopped liver,” writes Todd Price in “A Chill on Tchoupitoulas: The Ice Princess.” Meet Ashley Hansen and go inside Sno-Bliz, one of the best snowball stands in New Orleans.

The Times-Picayune message boards, dedicated to Dining Out in New Orleans, are a wealth of insider information posted by locals of what’s great (and maybe not so great) in the city these days.   If you’re heading down to  NOLA soon, check them out here.

Tammy Smith of the Mississippi Sun Herald wrote a wonderful piece about CulinaryCorps’ work in Ocean Springs. The day was a moving one for us as well. Every chef was touched by the town’s unique brand of Mississippi hospitality.

These trips continually remind us that cooking food for another person is one of the most pure, versatile and appreciated gestures of kindness. It is nice to know that despite the complications of today’s world, the simplest things - good food, a big smile - oftentimes make the biggest impact.

For all you Hubig’s fans out there, eGullet founder Jason Perlow’s video of the “fresh from the fryer” pies…