Stovetop Cajun White Beans

When you wanna season a pot of white beans in one fell swoop, rely on our White Bean Flavor Infusion. Whether you prefer Great Northerns, Navy Beans, Limas, or Cannellinis, you’ll be good to go.

Stovetop Creole Red Beans

Our Red Bean Flavor Infusion is a tried-and-true blend of authentic Creole spices and vegetables that’ll season a pot of red beans to perfection. You won’t believe how easy it is to get great flavor — just add beans!

Instant Pot Red Bean Soup

Enjoy the traditional flavor of red beans and rice, but in soup form! This recipe involves sautéing vegetables and sausage, then pressure-cooking with red beans, ham hock, and flavorful seasonings. After cooking, the soup is served over rice for a hearty and satisfying meal.

Slow Cooker Beef & Black Bean Chili

This slow cooker beef and black-bean chili is easy, hearty & flavorful, and it’s certain to become a gameday favorite.

Instant Pot White Bean Chili

A fast, comforting, and delicious Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe that’s great for weeknights as well as game day get-togethers.

From weeknight dinners to weekend gatherings, our seasoning blend makes it easy to whip up flavorful meals without the fuss. Here are five delicious ways to use it—each one packed with comfort, convenience, and plenty of soul:

1. Kentucky Burgoo

This hearty, stew-like dish brings together pork, chicken, and vegetables with a savory white bean base. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal that’s perfect for feeding a crowd—made even easier with the help of our time-saving seasoning blend.

2. Instant Pot White Bean Cauliflower Broccoli Soup

Creamy, cozy, and loaded with veggies, this Instant Pot soup is a weeknight lifesaver. With cauliflower, broccoli, and our White Bean Flavor Infusion, it’s a flavorful, feel-good meal that even picky eaters will enjoy.

3. Instant Pot Cajun White Beans

Short on time but still want that authentic, slow-simmered flavor? This Instant Pot version of Cajun white beans comes together quickly but tastes like it cooked all day. The Flavor Infusion does the heavy lifting, bringing that perfect balance of heat and depth.

4. Stovetop Cajun White Beans

Prefer to cook the traditional way? This stovetop version lets you enjoy all the cozy smells and the gentle simmer of beans on the stove. This all-in-one seasoning pouch blends right in for a foolproof, flavor-forward finish.

5. Creole Baked White Beans

Think baked beans are just for BBQ? Think again. This Creole-inspired version bakes white beans with rich tomato flavor and savory seasoning for a dish that works as a main or a side. It’s bold, hearty, and deeply satisfying—made even better with the rich flavor built right into the infusion blend.

Simple, Savory, and Full of Soul

No matter how you cook it—Instant Pot, stovetop, or oven—our White Bean Flavor Infusion delivers real Creole flavor without the extra steps. It’s vegan-friendly, gluten-free, non-GMO, and made without artificial colors, flavors, or MSG. Just clean, reliable flavor you can count on.

Grab a bag of white beans, drop in the Flavor Infusion, and let the pot do the rest.

Shop White Bean Flavor Infusion now

Zippy Lentil Salad

This spring lentil salad combines protein-rich legumes with a rainbow of Easter-colored bell peppers and a lemon-champagne vinegar dressing to create the perfect side dish.

Pro tip: Serve in a clear glass bowl to showcase all those beautiful spring colors for a festive Easter table centerpiece.

White Bean Hummus

This easy 5-minute white bean hummus recipe features notes of lemon and fresh parsley for a taste of springtime in every bite. Create a beautiful grazing board with fresh seasonal vegetables like radishes, red bell peppers, and carrots.

Pairing suggestion: Serve with pita, crackers, or crudités.

Avocado Cilantro Hummus

This vibrant green dip combines creamy avocado with lime and fresh cilantro, and it’s ready in just 10 minutes—perfect for last-minute get-togethers.

Potato Salad with Chickpea Aquafaba Mayo

A twist on traditional potato salad, this dish features a light and creamy chickpea aquafaba mayo, zesty mustard, fresh herbs, and crisp veggies.

Easy Crawfish & Red Bean Dip

Bring New Orleans flavors to your table with this creamy, crowd-pleasing dip featuring Louisiana crawfish, red beans, and bold Creole seasonings. Serve it straight from the oven with crusty French bread or tortilla chips.

With so many options to choose from, it wasn’t easy to select the top ten bean dishes of 2023! But here they are – flavorful favorites you’ll return to again and again. From traditional Creole and Cajun dishes to soups, appetizers, snacks, and more, there’s something delicious for everyone to enjoy.

Shrimp & White Bean Soup

This heartwarming classic features sweet Louisiana shrimp. Make it with your favorite white beans – whether they’re Great Northerns, Cannellinis, or Navy beans.

Instant Pot New Orleans-Style Red Beans for 2

Fast and easy, our Red Beans for 2 brings authentic Louisiana comfort food to your kitchen with small-batch cooking in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot.

White Bean Soup with Tasso, Winter Squash & Chard

This one’s a winter weeknight favorite that’s delicious, easy to make, and a great meal-prep recipe.

Southern Quesadillas

Oh-so-southern, these blackeye pea quesadillas are a tasty twist on the Tex-Mex version.

Blackeye Peas and Jammy Eggs

The creamy yolk from soft-boiled eggs mixes with blackeye peas for a delightfully savory flavor.

Field Pea Caviar

This colorful, southern caviar makes a great dip, snack, or side.

Braised Lady Peas

This classic southern dish will be a welcome accompaniment to any dinner table. A touch of tang and crunch from pickled onions hits the spot.

White Beans with a Cajun Accent

Whether it’s for a casual Sunday supper or a larger family gathering, a big pot of White Beans with Tasso and Ham is a crowd pleaser.

Red Bean Huevos Rancheros

A different take on the usual Huevos Rancheros, this delicious dish switches out traditional refried beans with tasty refried red beans.

Chocolate Hummus

Try this  healthy, vegan chocolate treat. Just add graham crackers, pretzels, or fruit for dipping.

Shrimp and White Bean Soup

The combination of shrimp, beans, and bold Louisiana flavors makes this creamy, hearty soup a favorite of Camellia’s CEO Vince Hayward. Stock up on Cannellini Beans, and whip up a bowl of this beloved regional dish using our top-quality cannellini beans. It’s a warming, satisfying meal with deep roots in Louisiana culinary traditions.

White Bean Soup with Tasso, Winter Squash, and Chard

Whip up a comforting one-pot white bean soup with smoky tasso ham, earthy winter squash, and fresh Swiss chard. Both seasoned cooks and kitchen novices will appreciate how easy it is to make this soup packed with big, soul-warming flavor.

Creamy Bean and Collard Greens Soup

This comforting Southern-style soup featuring creamy beans and collard greens is perfect for a cold day. Be sure to have fresh French bread to dip into the rich, velvety broth. The rich and smooth soup will make even the chilliest day feel cozy.

Ham Hock and White Bean Stew

White beans and ham hocks create a perfect flavor combination in this warm, nourishing stew. The unique smokiness of the ham infuses the beans with a rich, savory taste. With its melded flavors, this hearty dish is the ultimate cold-weather meal.

Appalachian Soup Beans

Slow-cooked to perfection with a captivating ensemble of spices, this soul-warming dish, crowned with crisped bacon, invites you to savor the rich Appalachian flavors. Pair it with chowchow and cornbread to taste mountain kitchen traditions and shared table moments.

Introducing Camellia Beans for 2™: The Best in Small Batch Cooking

Camellia Beans for 2 brings authentic Louisiana comfort food to your table with easy and delicious, perfectly-portioned, small-batch cooking. Try New Orleans Style Red Beans With Seasoning for 2 and Cajun Style White Beans With Seasoning for 2, featuring premium Camellia® Brand dried beans, authentic spices, and real vegetables.

Now available at Food Lion, Walmart, Rouses Market, and Independent Grocers throughout Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Beans for 2 will be coming soon to Lowes Foods, Food Town, Arlan’s, Sellers, Piggly Wiggly, and other local grocery stores near you. You can also purchase them online now!

All-Natural. Perfect for 2!

Clean and all-natural, Beans for 2 offers just the right amount of beans and seasoning with authentic flavors, superior taste and quality. Simply use the included dried bean and all-natural seasoning packets to get things rolling on your stovetop or in your pressure cooker. No chopping. No measuring.

Beans for 2 is perfect for small households, empty nesters, college students, or when you simply want convenient and hassle-free meals. Plus, vegans and vegetarians will appreciate their full flavor profile (with no meat added or needed).

Red Beans Done Right!

For generations, New Orleanians have gathered on Mondays to enjoy classic Red Beans and Rice. Our New Orleans Style Red Beans With Seasoning For 2 includes a packet of tried-and-true authentic spices and real vegetables, and a packet of Camellia® Brand Red Kidney Beans. So you can make two perfectly seasoned servings of New Orleans Style Red Beans.

What’s In the Box:

• 1 packet of premium dried Camellia® Brand Red Kidney Beans
• 1 packet of authentic seasonings & spices

White Beans for 2: Just Add Water!

White Beans and Rice is a beloved, traditional South Louisiana meal. Our Cajun Style White Beans With Seasoning For 2 includes a packet of tried-and-true authentic spices and real vegetables, and a packet of Camellia® Brand Great Northern Beans.  Just add water, simmer, and serve!

What’s In the Box:

• 1 packet of premium dried Camellia® Brand Great Northern Beans
• 1 packet of authentic seasonings & spices

 

Why You’ll Love Beans For 2

Since 1923, our family-owned company has been delivering the best beans around, so you can create the dishes you love, for the people you care about most. We’re meticulous in everything we do – including sourcing our beans from the best U.S. farmers and cleaning them six times before packaging. In fact, our beans are non-GMO certified, rank above USDA grade in quality, and are always fresh from the same year’s crop. With that same level of dedication, we created Camellia’s Beans for 2!

• All Natural
• No MSG
• Non-GMO
• No Artificial Flavors
• Soy-Free
• Gluten-Free
• Vegetarian & Vegan Friendly
• Made in the USA

Beans for 2 is available at Food Lion, Walmart, Rouses Market, and Independent Grocers throughout Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and it’s soon to Lowes Foods, Food Town, Arlan’s, Sellers, Piggly Wiggly, and other local grocery stores near you. You can purchase it online right now through our website.

Arkesha Baquet is a busy woman. It’s just a half-hour before opening at Li’l Dizzy’s in Tremé, and menus must be reviewed, supply deliveries confirmed, and she needs to peek in the kitchen to check on the Creole-Soul food favorites this beloved eatery is famous for.

If a restaurant can embody a city’s culinary history, traditions, and heart — as well as its past, present and future — then Li’l Dizzy’s is it.

Arkesha, and her husband Wayne Baquet Jr., are second-generation owners of the restaurant founded by Wayne’s father, Wayne Baquet Sr., in 2004.

The Baquets and Their Long-Standing Culinary Legacy
The family has a long, rich culinary legacy in New Orleans. Before Li’l Dizzy’s, there was Zachary’s on Oak Street, and before that, Eddie’s in the Seventh Ward, run by Wayne Sr.’s father, Eddie Baquet Sr. Eddie learned the business working for his aunt and uncle, Ada Baquet Gross and Paul Gross, at their restaurant, Paul Gross Chicken Coop. The Chicken Coop opened in the mid-1940s and was among the first Black-owned restaurants in the city.

Li’l Dizzy’s is the last of the Baquet family restaurants that’s still in operation today, and Arkesha and Wayne Jr. took it over in February 2021, after Wayne Sr. retired during the pandemic. (Those who are curious will appreciate this tidbit: the café was named after Wayne Sr.’s grandson Zachary, who played the trumpet at St. Augustine High School and was nicknamed Li’l Dizzy after famous trumpeter, Dizzy Gillespie.) Says Arkesha, “It’s a family business where a lot of people like to come with their families.”

Some Things Have Changed, While Others Have Stayed the Same
With Arkesha and Wayne Jr. at the helm, only a few things have changed: the restaurant just serves lunch, the buffet has been removed, and service is now tableside and take-out. Food is served in take-out containers for the ease of both customers and staff.

What hasn’t changed are the recipes. Those have been part of the Baquet family lore for generations. Wayne Sr.’s wife, Janet Jourdain Baquet, created the recipes. A few are by his mother, Myrtle Romano Baquet.

The red and white bean dishes, credited to Janet, are legendary, and the recipes can be found in “The Baquet Family Cookbook”.

The two recipes are the same, except for the beans used, but as Arkesha learned early on, the white beans better be Camellia’s Great Northern beans – and not lima beans.

“People will have a fit,” says Arkesha. “Because, I’m telling you, when we first opened up (post-pandemic), and we started selling white beans, the question almost every customer asked was, ‘What kind of white beans are these?’ They did not want those lima beans.”

Arkesha was asked this question so many times, that she even called Wayne Sr. about it.

“He said, ‘If you give them something else, they’re not going to be happy,’” says Arkesha.

Soaking the Beans and Secret Ingredients
Some additional things that haven’t changed are the way the red and white bean dishes are made — using Camellia Beans — and soaking the beans overnight.

“My mother said that it’s sacrilegious not to soak your beans,” Arkesha says. “I don’t know how you would get away with them being good. That’s what would scare me; are they going to be hard?”

One ingredient that gives the bean dishes a special kick is the notable hot sausage the Baquets make in-house. The hot sausage can also be served alongside the beans, or customers can choose options like smoked sausage or fried chicken.

The red beans are served only on Mondays and usually sell out, while the white beans are served only on Tuesdays, and are just as popular.

Customers can thank head chef John Cannon (who some may know for playing the tuba in the Stooges Brass Band) and lead cook Lawrence Miller: Cannon makes the red beans, and Miller makes the white beans.

Li’l Dizzy’s Third Generation
Li’l Dizzy’s third generation includes Arkesha and Wayne Jr.’s children, Jene and Jace, who can be found helping out on Saturdays. Wayne Jr., who is the president of a wholesale company, is there, as well.

“We’re all here on Saturdays,” says Arkesha.

And they’re dedicated to keeping the Baquet culinary legacy alive.

Li’l Dizzy’s, 1500 Esplanade Ave., lildizzyscafe.net; on Instagram; (504) 766-8687; Mon-Sat. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Keeping New Orleanians Well Fed Since WW II
Leni’s Cafe is like going home, a place where you will find comfort food just like what your mom or grandmother — and let’s not forget dad and grandfather — made.

From a grilled cheese to a cheeseburger, omelet to egg sandwich, and red beans to white beans, this Baronne Street diner’s plate breakfasts and lunches have been keeping New Orleanians well fed since at least World War II.

Since 1978, the Warehouse District restaurant has been owned by Pete Patselikos.

He is, however, not Leni. That would be a previous owner (circa early 1960s), Leni Kampitsis; Leni is short for Eleni, a Greek name, and Greece is the country from which Patselikos hails.

“After the purchase, I continued what she had created,” says Patselikos, talking about the menu, which at its heart is American Greek diner food with New Orleans dishes.

That includes red and white beans.

The Secrets to Leni’s Red Beans
Patselikos claims there is no real secret to his red beans — “cook the red beans, put in the right seasoning” — but as you talk to him more, a few key elements pop out.

“We don’t soak the red beans,” he says, adding that people often soak them because of the quality. That’s not an issue at Leni’s because the restaurant uses Camellia Beans.

“Start by putting the beans in cold water, let them boil,” says Patselikos, “then put in the seasonings including pepper and celery, as well as sausage and ham.”

And don’t forget to add tomato paste to give it some color, Patselikos advises, sharing that butter is also added.

Only on Mondays
This process starts sometime between 5:30 – 6 am, and the red beans are done by 9:30 am, when they are creamy.

“We make them only on Mondays,” says Patselikos.

“Very traditional,” Patselikos’ wife Despina Patselikos says, referring to the New Orleans’ custom of making red beans and rice on Mondays. The origins of the Monday tradition can be traced back about 100 years to when women would simmer the beans on a stove during the day while they did the wash.

Customers can get the red beans and rice as is or with “Whatever you want that’s on the menu … it’s usually with smoked sausage. Some order a pork chop. A lot of people like to have it with fried shrimp,” says Patselikos.

#WhiteBeanWednesday
Then there is Leni’s white beans and rice, only served on Wednesdays. Instead of using Great Northern Beans, the restaurant uses Camellia’s Large Limas.

Why?

“That’s what they were making 45 years ago,” says Patselikos, who says he is continuing the legacy of the previous owners, such as Leni.

Classic & Time-Tested
And for a long time, Greeks have owned the restaurant. Before the current owners, there were Pete G. Michailakis and Gus Michailakis during the late 1960s and 1970s (they were either the same person or related to each other), and prior to that, Leni Kampitsis. A newspaper article from 1941 shows Margaret Wellbat — who may or may not have been Greek — owned the restaurant and that she was fleeced out of $15 by a Robert E. Byrd pretending to be in the army.

During the 1920s, the space was home to Monarch Sheet Metal Works and around World War I, it housed Murray Welding and Metal Works.

Now in 2022, there is no denying that when a customer walks into Leni’s Cafe, they will be served time-tested classic New Orleans dishes — such as red beans or white beans and rice — Leni’s style.

Leni’s Café, 741 Baronne St., 504.523.0069; Hours, Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

NOTE: As of 10/2024, Mahoney’s is under new ownership and doesn’t serve red or white bean dishes and the French Quarter location ​is now closed​.

Mahony’s Po-Boys & Seafood’s Casey Levy had just received an urgent text from his staff at the French Quarter location. It wasn’t about the air-conditioning acting up or a delivery that hadn’t shown up yet. Nope – his staff wanted to know how soon he was going to bring the white beans over. White beans and rice — they are periodically on the menu as a special — are a favorite for staff and customers at Mahony’s.

Quality and consistency on the menu
For both the red bean and white bean dishes at Mahony’s, that meant using Camellia Beans.
“The quality and consistency achieved from about a century of maintaining those standards – how could we not want to use a local brand that lives that?” said Levy.

For every white bean there is a season
The white bean specials — Mahony’s uses Camellia Bean’s Great Northern variety — only happen about six months a year, divided somewhat by seasons. During the fall and winter months, that version is “looser, more old school style,” and is served with griddled shrimp with house seasoning that adds sweetness to it. The creamier version usually comes out during Hogs for the Cause, a culinary benefit in late March, and like the festival, is pork-centric.

Red beans: always on the menu
The red beans, which are always on the menu, are also made creamy. For that dish Levy “went to the drawing board … back to basics of what I learned early on in my family’s restaurants …. red beans old school, let the ingredients talk to themselves and figure out how they will handshake together.”

But instead of soaking the beans overnight using cold water, Levy said “we use hot water and add the smoked ham hock right away, with soaking only needed for five hours.”

After that, the smoked ham hock is removed, the beans are rinsed off quickly, then put back into the pot. “The absorbing of the smoky water into the beans gives them a different ‘bite’ when eating the beans. Lets you have that porky goodness without all the heavy oils needed,” said Levy.

Always cook the garlic in bacon fat
“Add your normal trinity, then garlic rendered in bacon fat,” said Levy, “a bay leaf and a little salt and pepper. We don’t add much seasoning at all.” They let the mixture simmer for a bit with the bay leaves and spices, then add in thin-sliced andouille sausage. “This will cook into the beans and give them that ‘lil extra flex,” says Levy.

Near the end of the cooking, when the red beans are creamy, a dab of Tabasco sauce is mixed in, before it is served with popcorn rice, smoked sausage and jalapeno butter cornbread. Some customers opt to have fried chicken with it.

Keeping it old school
“Like with many restaurants in Louisiana, the varying ways that they cook their beans lends to a great sampling of old school and newer flavors that can exist in the ‘kitchen sink’ cooking of the red and white beans world,” says Levy. “I like to think that ours has a taste and ‘feel’ that lets people remember a simpler way of cooking them and create that simmering of memory that made them fall in love with red beans in the first place.”

Mahony’s Po-Boys & Seafood, 3454 Magazine St., (504) 899-3374; 901 Iberville St., (504) 717-2422, mahonyspoboys.com

Our quarterly subscription boxes deliver the joy of authentic Louisiana cooking, right to your door. And while the goodies in each box are a surprise, you can look forward to 5-10 favorites that include signature & heirloom beans, delicious seasonings, ingredients, tools for the kitchen, and everything in between. Plus, you’ll find some exclusive, handpicked items that are sure to delight. Find out more, and get cookin’.

Chipotle Bean Dip

A creamy blend of Frijoles de Olla and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce creates the perfect smoky dip for your favorite chips.

Field Pea Salsa

Colorful with a crunch, this delicious recipe features cooked and cooled Camellia Brand Field Peas, corn kernels, red onion, red bell pepper, and cilantro in a fresh lime juice dressing.

White Bean Pesto Pasta

A easy weeknight favorite, this dish comes together quickly with pasta, prepared or homemade pesto, cooked Camellia Brand Cannellini Beans, and Parmesan.

Instant Pot Southern Large Limas with Ham Hocks

An Instant Pot favorite with slow-cooked flavor, this recipe offers all the comforts of home.

Bourbon-Bacon Field Peas with Collards

Featuring both bourbon and bacon, this field peas dish will win over everyone with great taste. Be sure to serve it alongside fried chicken.

Simple Slow Cooker Blackeye Peas

Nothing’s more foolproof than this slow cooker blackeye peas recipe. No hands-on attention needed!

Mosquito Supper Club White Beans

This recipe and photo are excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

Hailing from Chef Melissa Martin of the Mosquito Supper Club, this recipe celebrates authentic Cajun cuisine, just like her restaurant does.

Instant Pot New Orleans-Style White Beans

Another recipe to turn to when you’re short on time, this Instant Pot dish will taste like it simmered all day.

Zydeco Chop-Chop Red Beans & Rice

No fresh vegetables on hand? No problem. If you’ve got Zydeco Chop Chop, you’ve got great red beans & rice.

Instant Pot White Bean Chili

Fast, comforting, and delicious, this Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe warms the belly — whether it’s a weeknight or game day.

Dump and Go: Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

This recipe relies on pre-chopped trinity and your slow cooker to do all the work. Just dump it in and go!

Soup Beans

This Appalachian dish featuring pinto beans and bacon is simple and homey.

Simple Southern Lima Beans

If you love creamy butter beans, you’ll love this dish. But don’t forget the cornbread or biscuits.

It’s the perfect time to cozy up with delicious bean soups, stews and more, so check out these easy to follow, foolproof recipe videos for fall dishes your family will love. From stovetop and slow cooker recipes to Instant Pot favorites, there’s something for everyone to dig into.

White Bean and Spinach Soup

A vegetarian soup that’s hearty and satisfying, this stovetop recipe gets big flavor from Great Northern beans, red pepper flakes, fresh rosemary and lemon juice.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Red Beans

A set-it-and-forget-it version to keep at the ready, these Red beans practically make themselves. Nothing could be easier or less stressful on a Monday.

Bourbon-Bacon Field Peas with Collards

Bourbon and bacon — with these two awesome ingredients, what’s not to love? Field peas have never tasted so good.

Instant Pot Pinto Beans & Ham Hocks

A dish that’s savory and satisfying, a ham hock’s marrow-rich flavor is the key to this winning recipe.

From Camellia Band Navy Beans and Great Northern Beans to Large Limas and more, our favorite white beans are buttery, delicious, and deserve their own day of the week. Whether you’re looking for easy Instant Pot recipes, slow simmering stovetop favorites, Cajun cuisine or something with Mexican flair, you’ll find a delicious round up of white beans here. So, let’s get cooking.   

Café Reconcile’s White Beans and Shrimp

Café Reconcile is a destination lunch spot for a lot of New Orleanians, and their famous White Beans and Shrimp dish is a local favorite.

Great Northern Beans & Ham

We can thank our friend Chef Jennifer Hill Booker for this delicious recipe. It’s from her cookbook Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent.

Creamy Bean and Collard Greens Soup

A quintessential comfort food, this Creamy Bean and Collard Greens Soup is full of Southern flavor.

Instant Pot Navy Beans

Featuring smoked sausage that’s browned right in the Instant Pot, this is a great weeknight recipe that offers big, savory flavor.

Instant Pot Southern Large Limas with Ham Hock

Lima Beans with Shrimp and Andouille

Simmering white beans with Andouille sausage brings amazing spices and seasonings to the pot, but adding fresh peeled shrimp in the last few minutes of cooking really takes this dish up a notch.

Frijoles Charros

South-Louisiana Style White Beans & Rice

White Bean Pesto Pasta

A no-brainer weeknight meal, this White Bean Pesto Pasta offers a fresh-tasting, protein-packed dish full of healthy whole grains. Just four ingredients make it fast and easy!

Cozy Minestrone

This healthy, veggie-packed soup combines fresh vegetables, pasta, diced tomatoes, and Camellia Brand Cannellini Beans. You’ll wanna curl up and get cozy with a big bowl.

Pasta E Fagioli (Bean Soup with Pasta)

A classic Italian dish, our Pasta E Fagioli gets big flavor from salt pork, Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans, and Dagostino Birdseye Pasta.

Kid-Friendly Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli

Super easy to make, this stick-to-your-ribs staple includes great northern beans, red kidneys, and Dagostino Fleur de Lis Shaped Pasta. Just add a salad and your favorite crusty bread for a complete meal.

Kid-Friendly Pasta & White Bean Salad

A high protein lunch for kids and adults alike, this salad can be made ahead and enjoyed right out of the fridge, all week long. And it tastes great with any combo of your family’s favorite veggies and cheeses.

Mosquito Supper Club in New Orleans. Photo excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

Authentic Cajun cooking in Uptown New Orleans

The Cajun cuisine of Louisiana is many things. The central Louisiana “Cajun prairie” area is known for its boudin (a spicy sausage typically containing ground pork, rice, onion, parsley, green peppers, and plenty of Cajun spices) and smoked meats, among other inland delicacies.

Coastal South Louisiana Cajun communities, however, are known for their seafood – briny oysters, fat jumbo shrimp, tender soft-shell crab, flavorful redfish. But according to New Orleans chef and restaurateur Melissa Martin’s experience (she grew up in a South Louisiana fishing village) those seafood delights weren’t typically the main course in coastal Cajun homes – they were more like sides, albeit spectacular ones. The main course was, more often than not, a large plate of beans and rice seasoned with salt pork. And lucky for us, just such a plate of Cajun beans and rice is often featured on the menu at Mosquito Supper Club, Martin’s cosy, family-style New Orleans restaurant.

Chasing a flavor…

Housed in a charming, circa 1898 Victorian house on Dryades Street in the Milan neighborhood of Uptown New Orleans, Mosquito Supper Club is a casual, homespun showcase for the exquisite coastal Cajun cooking that Martin learned “by osmosis” from the elder women in her family. Says Martin in her beautifully photographed book of coastal Cajun recipes entitled Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes From A Disappearing Bayou, “I was inspired by the food that I grew up eating in the tiny fishing village of Chauvin, Louisiana. Women cooked the food and recipes and techniques were passed down as if through an apprenticeship; by watching, learning and doing, and by chasing a flavor. I wanted to share that food with anyone who wanted to take a seat at our tables.” As for chasing a flavor, she explains, “When you have memories from your childhood, of certain tastes and smells, and you try it out and adjust it until it matches your memory and gives you the feeling that those memories bring, and you know it’s right – that’s chasing a flavor.”

Mosquito Supper Club White Beans & Rice. Recipe and photo are excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

White beans the Cajun way

The menu changes daily at Mosquito Supper Club, and it’s always memorable. Guests are seated family style (right next to strangers who soon become friends), at long tables of handcrafted reclaimed wood, as Martin and her staff bring out wine, fresh-baked biscuits, and platters and bowls of authentic coastal Cajun food made with incredibly fresh seafood, meat and produce. Expect to dive into lots of delicious, with menu items like duck gumbo, oyster bisque, crab claws marinated in cane vinegar, fried soft-shell crabs, shrimp jambalaya, stuffed crawfish heads, and, of course, Martin’s Mosquito Supper Club White Beans. Martin uses Camellia Navy Beans and seasons them “the way Cajuns do” with salt pork and both black and cayenne pepper. Martin graciously shares her family’s Monday Red Beans & Rice recipe, too, although it’s not featured on her restaurant’s menu.

“My mother swore by Camellia Beans”

“White beans, red beans, lima beans – beans are a staple in the Cajun pantry,” says Martin. And she adds, “My mother swore by Camellia beans.” From her mother, Martin learned how to measure the quality of a pack of dried beans: “She taught me that when you go to soak beans, if they’re fresh they will wrinkle quickly.”

Prepping for a busy shift at Mosquito Supper Club. Photo is excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

Five-plus courses of authentic Cajun delicious

Mosquito Supper Club offers a five (or more) course meal plus wine and cocktails for dinner several nights a week, plus a Sunday brunch with the added delight of extra baked goods, brunch menu items such as raw oysters and eggs topped with caviar, and being able to bask in the warm sunlight that filters into the charming, slightly rustic dining area of this 19th century former residence. While the menus change, one thing remains the same: each dish is prepared thoughtfully, with the best and freshest ingredients, inspired by generations of home cooking in the coastal fishing villages of South Louisiana.

Salt pork, ready to season a pot of Cajun-style beans. Photo is excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

White Bean, Sausage and Tortellini Soup

White Bean, Sausage and Tortellini Soup is a great weeknight dinner because it cooks quickly and easily in an Instant Pot or multi-cooker. Featuring Italian turkey sausage, Great Northern Beans, fresh cheese tortellini and baby arugula, it’s got all the makings for pleasing kids and adults alike — and packs a nutritious punch. Just add a loaf of crusty bread, and dinner’s ready. The next day, fill a thermos with leftovers for a hot and filling school lunch.

Beans and Greens Soup

Beans and greens is a classic Southern combination, and a soup version is a delightful way to experiment with those ingredients. Our master recipe features basic guidelines and quantities and is meant to be personalized to your taste, encouraging you to try different varieties and combinations of beans, vegetables, greens, broth and seasonings. And whether you make it vegan, vegetarian or with chicken or beef broth, you’ll love the end result. For a complex, flavorful soup that’s incredibly satisfying, we used Green Baby Limas with a variety of onions and vegetables, plus vegetable broth. A real winner.

Split Pea and Ham Soup

You’ll love this heartwarming Split Pea and Ham Soup from our friend Mary Foreman at DeepSouthDish.com. Chopped onion, celery and carrot are cooked in bacon fat and combined with Green Split Peas, herbs, stock, a meaty ham bone or smoked ham hocks, and then simmered over low heat till the peas are broken down and thick. For over-the-top “croutons”, we made a grilled cheese sandwich with smoked gouda and sourdough bread, cut it up into tiny squares and added a sprinkle of them on top — along with crispy bacon crumbles. Talk about feeling all warm and toasty inside.

Yellow Split Pea & Butternut Squash Stew

Creamy, hearty and filling with a bright blend of spices and seasonings, our vegan Yellow Split Pea & Butternut Squash Stew is an aromatic dish similar to Dal. And its big flavor comes from the use of curry, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon. Along with onions, carrots, garlic and fresh ginger, the combination of spices and vegetables with the Yellow Split Peas and butternut squash make for a wonderful stew. A sprinkled of pepitas on top, and freshly mashed avocado toast alongside it add color, crunch and healthy fat – creating a super healthy meal.

Beef & Lentil Stew

Hearty and comforting, this Beef & Lentil Stew is a true crowd-pleaser. A great dish for Sunday dinner that’ll reward you with leftovers during the week, it uses boneless beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes, along with celery, carrot, onion, spices, beef broth, diced tomatoes and Lentils. A bit of red wine and fresh Italian parsley are stirred in at the end for wonderful flavor. The meat gets tender, the lentils creamy, and the whole thing offers up delicious stick-to-your-ribs goodness.

Make White Beans Your Go-To For a Week’s Worth of Meals

Whether you’re menu planning, meal-prepping, or looking for a way to add more creamy, delicious protein to your favorite dishes, an Instant Pot or pressure cooker and a pound of white beans can really do the trick — with one simple recipe that’ll give you a quick and tasty base for snacks, dips, salads and burgers. Camellia Brand Great Northern beans are especially versatile to use in a lot of different dishes because their delicate, nutty taste complements the flavors of the ingredients they’re paired with (but feel free to use Navy, Cannellini or Baby Lima beans if you prefer). Plus, they add bulk, texture and a nutritious punch to a whole host of favorites.

As always, cooking your own beans is much cheaper and more flavorful than using canned beans; in fact, a 1-pound package of Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans costs about the same as one 15-ounce can of beans, but it yields 5-6 cups of cooked beans, compared to just 1 1/2 cups per can of beans. That’s a lot more to work with when it comes to filling your fridge with a week’s worth of meals.

Instant Pot White Beans

With this incredibly simple Instant Pot recipe, you’ll get quickly cooked white beans that are ready to be tossed into everything from hummus to pasta. A little onion powder, garlic powder, salt, a bay leaf, broth or water, and a 1-pound package of rinsed Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans are all you need. Cook using the Beans/Chili mode. No soaking necessary! And in less than an hour, you’ve got tender, flavorful white beans. (Don’t have a pressure cooker? You can easily make a pot of white beans using this basic stovetop recipe — just replace the pintos with white beans.)

White Bean Hummus

Whip up a quick and tasty homemade hummus. This cool and creamy hummus features great taste and a slightly green tint from the addition of fresh parsley and green onions. Along with fresh lemon juice, tahini, cumin and a dash of cayenne, throw cooked white beans into a food processor or blender for easy, delicious flavor that’ll please a crowd. It’s perfect for snacking and spreading, especially during the warm days of summer. Serve as an appetizer with cut up fresh vegetables and crackers, add to a wrap or a sandwich, dollop on a buddha bowl, or top a green salad.

White Bean, Basil and Sun-Dried Tomato Burgers

Make your own healthy, hearty veggie burgers. Combine cooked and mashed Great Northern beans, cooked brown rice, sun-dried tomatoes and lots of fresh basil. Our recipe uses an egg and Parmesan cheese to add moisture and help bind the mixture. Roll handfuls into balls, press into patties, and refrigerate to conveniently cook later. A great vegetarian option for summer cookouts!

White Bean Pesto Pasta

Need a no-brainer weeknight meal or a hearty potluck dish for a weekend get-together? Nothing beats this White Bean Pesto Pasta for a fast, fresh-tasting, protein-packed favorite full of healthy whole grains. Cook up a pound of whole-wheat pasta, add your favorite pesto sauce, toss with cooked Great Northern beans, and top with freshly grated Parmesan. Quick, tasty, and easy.

Tomato & White Bean Bruschetta

For a great-tasting snack or party appetizer, combine cooked Great Northerns with grape tomatoes, oil, vinegar, fresh basil and garlic. A quick spread of goat cheese or cream cheese on toasted baguette slices topped with a dollop of the bean mixture is a great way to graze at a BBQ or picnic.

Tuna White Bean Salad

As a sandwich filling or salad topping, Tuna White Bean Salad is one of those simple, versatile recipes that’s a healthier twist on traditional tuna salad. It’s mayo-free — instead combining canned tuna with cooked Great Northern beans, red onion, grape tomatoes, oil, vinegar, and fresh herbs (a must). You won’t believe how light, tasty, and colorful tuna salad can be; plus, it keeps well in the fridge and makes a quick lunch or dinner.

Have you ever seen the term “white beans” and wondered if it was referring to Navy beans, Great Northern beans, Cannellini beans, or Baby Lima beans? Well, it could be referring to any and all of them. And since there are so many varieties of white beans, it’s easy to be confused by what differentiates one from another. Let’s break it down:

Navy (Pea) Beans

Also called pea beans, Navy beans are small, oval-shaped, and quick-cooking. Because they get creamy when cooked, they’re perfect for mashing against the side of the pot, pureeing in dips, and thickening soups, stews, ragouts, and more. They have a mild flavor and are the bean of choice for classic Boston baked beans, Navy Bean Chowder, and quintessential South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice. Interestingly, the Navy bean name comes from its use as a food staple by the U.S. Navy in the early 1900s. While all beans are high in fiber, Navy beans have the most — 19 grams per cup!

Great Northern Beans

Larger than Navy Beans but smaller than Cannellini beans, medium-sized Great Northern beans are known for their mild, nutty flavor and firm flesh. Great in soups and stews, they hold their shape better than Navy beans, take on the flavors of the foods they’re cooked with, and are commonly used in French cassoulets.

Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans are the largest of the group and because of their traditional kidney shape, they can also be referred to as White Kidney Beans. Meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor and tender flesh, and are often used in Italian dishes like Minestrone. They retain their shape and texture well, so they’re perfect to use in salads, soups, stews, and chili.

Baby Lima Beans

Also called “butterbeans”, Baby Lima beans are small, smooth, and creamy with a rich, buttery texture. They’re starchier than other beans and are often used in soups, stews, succotash, and casseroles, or just cooked simply with herbs and spices. In the south, they’re often cooked with ham or bacon and served over rice.

Substituting One Variety for Another

The reality is that even though the different varieties have slightly different flavors and sizes, (and everyone has their personal favorites), they’re often used interchangeably in recipes. So, for example, if a recipe calls for Cannellinis, and you only have Great Northerns on hand, your dish will still come out fine and taste delicious. So try them all to see which you like best, and enjoy.

When you hear “white beans”, you might think of Navy beans, Great Northern beans, Cannellini beans, or Baby Lima beans. Which ones are the real white beans? Actually, all of them are. While you won’t see them labeled as such, these varieties are often referred to generally as white beans, and depending on the qualities you’re looking for, different types are found and used in everything from soups and stews to regional southern favorites.

Cozy Minestrone with Cannellini Beans

If you’re on the hunt for a healthy, hearty soup that combines fresh vegetables, pasta, diced tomatoes, and large white beans that retain their kidney shape, look no further than a delicious Cozy Minestrone made with Cannellini beans. Cannellini beans have an earthy flavor and are often found in Italian dishes. With fresh zucchini, green beans, basil, and shaved Parmesan on top, this filling vegetarian meal is loaded with protein and fiber and is perfect for warming up on a cold night. Pair it with a green salad and cheesy crostini for a nutritious meal. And since it makes so many servings, it’s great for feeding a crowd or enjoying leftovers all week long.

White Bean & Spinach Soup with Great Northern beans

Another popular combination comes together in this wonderful White Bean & Spinach Soup. With a base of onion, celery, garlic, and veggie broth, the soup features creamy, medium-sized Great Northern beans that are known for their nutty flavor and firm flesh. Fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary are what makes the soup fragrant, while wilted leafy greens add a pop of color — as well as lots of vitamins and minerals. Topped off with lemon juice for brightness, this soup is a meatless meal that really satisfies.

South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice with Navy Beans

A local and regional dish that’s almost as beloved as New Orleans Red Beans & Rice is South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice. Typically made with small, oval Navy beans, the trinity, and either smoked or andouille sausage, this quintessential dish is similar to the way many people prepare their red beans. But it’s the creamy, quick-cooking Navy bean that really sets it apart and makes it perfect for mashing against the side of the pot. South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice are finished off by stirring in chopped fresh parsley and chopped green onions, and they might just give your red beans & rice a run for their money. Whip up a batch and give ’em a try. Interesting side note: Navy beans are also the standard varietal used in classic American baked beans.

Dorothy’s Delicious Baby Lima Beans

Another southern favorite that features a fourth type of white bean is Dorothy’s Delicious Baby Lima Beans. A simple, hearty recipe that simmers Baby Limas with chopped onion, garlic, butter, and ham, it makes a great main dish or side dish, depending on what you pair it with. Also called “butterbeans”, you might guess that Baby Lima beans are small and creamy with a rich, buttery texture – and you’d be right.

It’s perfectly ok to swap out one of these varieties for another in any of your favorite dishes – just keep in mind that their size and texture vary, as do their cooking times. If you had to pick just one — Great Northerns are probably the most versatile to use in any kind of recipe. That said, variety is the spice of life — so be sure to give them all a try.

“An army marches on its stomach,” Napoleon Bonaparte once declared.

And so does the army of service professionals who maintain one of New Orleans’ — and America’s — most treasured culinary institutions: Galatoire’s.

What is the secret ingredient that fuels their daily march toward gustatory excellence? The late-afternoon staff dinners, which employees refer to as the “family meal.”

While legions of bon vivants dine on the signature French Creole dishes that made Galatoire’s legendary — such as Trout Marguery, Pompano Meuniere, Eggs Sardou, Godchaux Salad, Crabmeat Yvonne, Oysters en Brochette, and Shrimp Remoulade, to name just a few — the staff itself feasts on hearty, mostly off-the-menu fare prepared by the same kitchen crew that satisfies paying customers’ tastebuds.

What combination dish arguably reigns supreme at the Galatoire’s staff meal? Red beans and rice paired with fried chicken.

Galatoire Descendant: “Beans Are Perfect”

“Obviously for a staff meal you want something tasty, you want to keep your employees happy, and you want to keep them well-fed,” opined David Gooch, a member of the Galatoire family and former general manager. “And you need something that’s reasonably priced. That’s why beans are perfect. Beans are delicious, cheap, but they taste very good and they’re filling. Chicken is very reasonably priced. … You try to keep your soldiers healthy and happy and well-fed — and our employees, too. When you have a happy employee, you have a happy customer.”

Although Galatoire’s has never offered red beans and rice on its official menu, preferring to focus on the more highfalutin jewels of French-inspired Louisiana cuisine, Gooch himself doesn’t turn up his nose at Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong’s favorite dish. “My family, we cook beans at home just like everybody in New Orleans does. We do red beans on Monday just like most people do, but … other days of the week too.”

How does Gooch, who worked in the Galatoire’s kitchen for four years in the early ‘70s, do his beans? “I like a little extra butter, and I do put a dash of ketchup in it. Not too much, but I do like a little. The sweetness of the ketchup adds to it for me. And a little bit of butter adds to the richness. But of course they have to be cooked way down. I like them thick, creamy. Ham hocks, sausage, smoked sausage — I don’t like anything too spicy in sausage.”

“Tuesday Was Always Our Monday”

Ironically, although red beans and rice are synonymous with Mondays in New Orleans, they’ve never been served to the Galatoire’s staff on that day — for an obvious reason: The restaurant is closed Mondays.

And while red beans and rice are now served on Saturday, it wasn’t always so. The 2004 book “Galatoire’s: Biography of a Bistro” by Marda Burton and Kenneth Holditch describes how cook Wallace “Wally” Shelby, who started out as a busboy in 1947, spent his twilight years there:

“Wally still works strictly from memory, and now works a limited schedule, preparing the staff’s meals. When the food is ready he calls ‘Fooooooood Oooooooout!’ Red beans and rice is one of his specialties. Since the restaurant is closed on Monday, ‘Tuesday was always our Monday, so I cook red beans on Tuesday’ — red beans and rice being the traditional Monday dish in New Orleans. Often regular customers ask for a dish of it.”

With Shelby since retired, 36-year Galatoire’s cook Fernando Guiterrez now whips up most of the staff meals but doesn’t recall when Saturdays became red-bean day at Galatoire’s. A native of Managua, Nicaragua, Guiterrez learned to cook at a young age. “My mother, she used to have a restaurant, and I grew up just watching what she was doing.”

How does Guiterrez prepare the red beans? “It’s regular red beans, Camellia. Yeah, we get the big sacks. We just cook 5 pounds every Saturday for all the employees. We use pickled meat, smoked sausage, and ham, and the rest is vegetables, like onions, celery, bell pepper.”

Guiterrez adds his own special mojo to the flavor. “I make my own Creole seasoning. We use all the spices, everything ground like garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, salt, paprika.”

“One of the Favorite Meals Anywhere”

Family meal occurs daily around 4 p.m., with cooks, waiters, bartenders, porters, hostesses, and managers lining up, filling their plates in the kitchen, and taking seats in the main dining room, or else fanning out to tables in the adjoining restaurant, Galatoire’s 33 Bar and Steak. Others eat in the kitchen or standing up in the hallway behind the dining room’s central-control desk.

“It’s good, always good,” longtime maitre’d Arnold Chabaud observed while eating on his feet. “A staple of New Orleans, red beans and rice. It was only on Monday that they made red beans because you put a pot of red beans on. It would last all day while your laundry got done the rest of the day. That’s how it came to be. Most restaurants were closed on Mondays too. That’s why I think red beans were a big hit.”

“Anywhere you go around New Orleans, this is one of the favorite meals anywhere: red beans, rice, and chicken,” said porter Reggie Johnston, leaning against a kitchen wall, plate in hand. Commenting on the Camellia product, Johnston noted, “That’s probably one of the most popular beans here in New Orleans. That’s THE bean, yeah you right.”

“This is one of the best staff meals in the city,” waiter (and WWOZ disc jockey) Michael Dominici enthused. “Good, solid red beans, which keeps you nourished for the afternoon, and for a busy shift, it’s a perfect meal. It’s also very New Orleans to have red beans — a continuation of a New Orleans cultural thing to have red beans and staples like that. Most restaurants don’t take the time to prepare a really soulful, substantial meal like that.”

Sitting at a table in the main dining room, waiter Chris Evangelista Torres explained how his personal embellishments to the dish before him pay homage to his Puerto Rican roots. “I Latinize my red beans with cheese, green onion, and — as an ode to my childhood — my grandmother would put capers in her beans. I do the same.”

The Best Fried Chicken In Town? You Be the Judge

The other half of Saturday’s staff meal, the fried chicken, also has its devoted fans — among both the staff and the public. The golden crispy yardbird is not on the regular Galatoire’s menu but is available by request, with some waiters suggesting an accompaniment of Crab Maison, Shrimp Remoulade, and a side of brabant potatoes. “Our customers claim it’s the best fried chicken in town,” Arnold Chabaud confirmed. “The chicken is the best,” seconded Robert Engelhardt, head bartender at Galatoire’s 33. “Saturday-night chicken is my favorite, personally.”

White Beans That “Melt in Your Mouth”

Fernando Guiterrez cooks a variety of other dishes for staff meals, including blackeye peas, tacos, beef stew, and Salisbury steak. Another favorite is his white beans, served about every other Tuesday. “We call it butter beans,” he said. “We use the big ones. … It’s a big difference (from cooking red beans). They have bacon. You sauté bacon after you sauté onions and you don’t put a lot of vegetables, just onions and bacon and parsley. You use seasoning.”

“Spectacular,” Chabaud said of the white beans. “It’s a great dish. It’s creamy, soupy, delicious. I have one waiter here that does — it’s like a soup. He takes the beans and smashes them and he puts the liquid on and it comes out like a soup. He loves it.”

The white beans are a “special treat,” Robert Engelhardt said. “We get the red beans — they’re awesome. But you get the white beans as a special treat because those are just as nice. They’re just creamy; they melt in your mouth. Beautiful.”

And one of the most distinctive foods served at the Galatoire’s staff meal is yakamein soup, a dish virtually unknown outside of New Orleans but sharing recognizable characteristics with several ethnic cuisines. Legend has it that yakamein descends from recipes brought by Chinese immigrants of the 19th century, and it also resembles the pho that is the mainstay of New Orleans’ large Vietnamese community and its restaurants.

But modern-day yakamein is found mainly in African-American neighborhoods, with its most famous proponent being Linda Green, “The Ya-Ka-Mein Lady.” Some food historians attribute the dish’s introduction stateside to African-American soldiers who developed a taste for noodles during the Korean War. “It’s a traditional New Orleans dish in the black community,” Chabaud explained. “It’s a lot of substance for little money.”

Join Galatoire’s Now for “We Live To Eat Restaurant Week”

Except for the fried chicken, most of the grub served at the Galatoire’s family meal won’t be coming to your table there (unless you have the right waiter — wink, wink). However, you can always count on savoring any number of the countless iconic dishes that helped earn Galatoire’s the 2005 James Beard Foundation Award for Most Outstanding U.S. Restaurant.

The perfect time to visit Galatoire’s is now, during the Sept. 14-20 “We Live To Eat Restaurant Week” celebrations, sponsored in part by L.H. Hayward and Company, the packager of Camellia Brand dry beans, peas, and lentils. Galatoire’s and Galatoire’s 33 are joining dozens of local restaurants across the metro area in offering special menus to encourage diners to get out and experience New Orleans’ unique culinary heritage while supporting the restaurant industry, a huge cog in Louisiana’s economy. If this is where you’re at, don’t just eat to live — live to eat. And Galatoire’s is a wonderful place to start.