Monday Red Beans

On this first Monday in June, I feel it's only appropriate to pay homage to my place of birth with a short post to get the week started.

June 1 marked the official start of hurricane season, and it's been hot as hell down on the dirty coast, but there is a reason I'm proud to live here. This city has more culture in its pinky toe than most places have entirely. We identify ourselves very strongly with some things, and one of those things is the reason for this post's title. If you're from here or familiar, you saw that and nodded. If you're not, a New Orleans tradition that can't be stopped is red beans & rice on Mondays. Who knows why that really started, but I've heard that we eat red beans on Mondays because Mondays used to be the day the ladies would go out and do the washing, so they needed something that could essential "cook itself" all day long on the stove for dinner that evening. But here in New Orleans you can't just use any old red kidney bean to do the job. No, no... Camellia brand red beans is synonymous with red beans. Why? Because my mama uses Camellia red beans, her mom uses Camellia red beans, and if you're from here, ya mom 'n 'em probably use Camellia red beans, too. ;)

Now I'm not going to venture to get into all of what makes this city so special... I did, after all, call this a "short post"... So what I will do instead is let you hear it, feel it. The music here is like no other... it's charming and inspiring, and I chose two videos today that each bring to life a unique piece of that New Orleans flavor. Enjoy!

Dr. John & Hugh Laurie from the album Let Them Talk - "After You've Gone"



Trombone Shorty from the album For True - "Unc"