To celebrate the beginning of Carnival, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFab) had a King Cake tasting. It’s just one of the reasons that SoFab NOLA is So Fabulous!
Matt Haines, who wrote the book on King Cakes
Photo Credit: Liz Williams
SoFab NOLA is So Fabulous!
On Saturday, January 6 Steve and I attended the event that marked the first day of Carnival, Carnival is celebrated over the course of several weeks and culminates on Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras as it is known the world over. To commemorate the occasion we got to sample King Cakes from several local bakeries. The tasting was free with our admission fee, a nominal $9/person fee for seniors. Not only were there King Cakes galore, there was King Cake flavored vodka and King Cake coffee for sampling.
It’s all about King Cakes
Matt’s Big Book of King Cake
Photo Credit: Liz Williams
In addition there were boxed King Cakes for purchase as well as a couple of books for sale that were all about King Cakes.
The Little Book of King Cake
Photo Credit: Liz Williams
We enjoyed chatting with Matt Haines who was there for a book signing of his two books on King Cakes. The Big Book of King Cakes is a tome filled with recipes and history as is the Small Book of King Cakes that is geared toward children.
The Culinary Heritage Sign Gallery
Unveiling the neon sign collection highlighting the new one from Mc Kenzie’s Pastry Shoppe
Following a lively discussion with Matt, we headed to the center of the museum for the big event of the day. The unveiling of the Mc Kenzie’s Pastry Shoppe neon sign and the re-lighting of the Piggly Wiggly sign, focused on SoFab’s historic sign collection.
How could you see a Piggly Wiggly sign without smiling? This is part of the Florida state display.
Back in the day, these signs were usually regional or local. But following World War II, America’s highways and byways created an interstate system for viewing signs and resulted in many of them becoming nationally recognized. Many of these signs are related to food. Signs from bars, restaurants, grocery stores, breweries, etc. line the highways. Sadly many of these place have closed over the years.
But SoFab is giving the signs a new home. They have signs from closed restaurants and barbecue places, a bakery, a deli, signs that represent a particular food and one representing a southern supermarket chain. The Culinary Heritage Sign Gallery hanging from the rafters is like a second floor dedicated to signs. We were privileged to get a sneak peek at the next sign that will be going up – the iconic Barq’s Root Beer neon sign.
SoFab founder Elizabeth Williams
SoFab Founder – Liz Williams (in Mardi Gras colors)
Documenting Dinner showcasing over 40 years of friends celebrating Thanksgiving together
Elegant Thanksgiving table setting
Perhaps the first Thanksgiving menu for a group that has been celebrating the holiday together for over 40 years.
Some hand written menus from over the years of “Friendsgivings”
When the unveiling was over, I introduced myself to Liz Williams who is the founder of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. She gave us a little private tour of “her baby”. Liz proudly told us about the Documenting Dinner exhibitions, a collection of hand created menus for over 40 years of Thanksgiving dinners that a group of friends has been attending. Presently some of those friends live in New Orleans, giving greater significance to the exhibition. The menus were so lovely and seemed to get more creative and artful as the years progressed.
By the way, I’m going to delve deeper into the amazing Liz Williams in my next post on Thursday! Be sure to come back here in a few days!!!
A sneak peak of the next neon sign ready for hanging is a Barq’s Root Beer sign
On our way to the newly established culinary garden out back, we were privileged to get a sneak peek at the next sign that will be going up – the Barq’s Root Beer sign. Though Barq’s was created in Biloxi MS, the creator was a New Orleans native.
Culinary heritage garden
Chicory Plant in garden area behind SoFab. The root is used along with coffee beans to make delicious coffee.
Prickly pear cactus producing its luscious fruit
The gardens out back include plants from the areas that have influenced New Orleans cuisine. Since the weather has been turning colder, many of the plants were on the wane. But the basil was growing like crazy, as was the beautiful chicory plant. It was interesting to learn that the part of chicory that’s used to make delicious coffee is actually the root!
Absinthe Bar
The Absinthe Bar
Back inside, we strolled through the museum and enjoyed seeing the different southern state exhibits as well as the Absinthe Bar. Many of these displays were familiar to us since we have been visiting SoFab since 2008, 4 years after its inception.
History of SoFab
A St. Joseph’s Altar at SoFab NOLA
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum was the brainchild of Elizabeth Williams and opened in 2004. Liz felt there was a need for “a place where the intersection between culture and food could be studied”. Starting with pop-ups around the city of New Orleans, the first official exhibit was on the origins and influences of beverages in New Orleans that was created with borrowed artifacts. Soon after that first exhibit, people began donating family artifacts to the museum.
At the Riverwalk
Our first visit to SoFab at the Riverwalk Marketplace
SoFab found a home in the summer of 2008, in the Riverwalk Marketplace, a shopping mall right on the Mississippi River. The museum offered culinary classes along with its exhibit and library.
Ode to the Cocktail
The Museum of the American Cocktail (MOTAC), which was originally located in the Pharmacy Museum in the French Quarter, became a permanent part of SoFAB’s collection in 2014. It features a large collection of rare spirits and books, as well as examples on the cocktail’s place in history.
Current location on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
Baton Rouge’s “The Shed BBQ and Blue’s Joint
By 2011, SoFab was bursting at the seams. Needed a larger space they were fortunate to find that space in the historic Dryades Market building in historic Central City, New Orleans. The new facility opened on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. on September 29, 2014. In this current location they feature an exhibition for each of the Southern states, the Galerie d’Absinthe, a top of the line demonstration kitchen and the Museum of the American Cocktail.
Promoting culinary tourism
Alabama’s Bob Gibson’s BBQ
The goal of SoFab is to promote culinary tourism and educate the public about the foodways of the South. They offer a unique educational experience that connects what we eat to who we are. Focusing on Southern food and culture is key in a state such as Louisiana because of the deep historical ties to the food and beverage culture that’s created and identified within the south.
Addressing need for nutritional programming
Belly up to the bar boys…
Red Bean Hall of Fame
And speaking of beans, this work of art is done entirely with dried beans!
SoFab also tackles a community need for nutritional programs offered to all ages. The museum offers a state of the art, certified culinary incubator kitchen known as the Culinary Innovation Center. Sponsored by Jenn-Air this is a certified commercial kitchen that culinary entrepreneurs and nonprofits can rent, at a deep discount, to prepare food items for sale to the public, to develop project ideas and to hold classes.
Well worn butcher’s block with an assortment of knives and tools
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is constantly growing and improving. It’s a place to return to repeatedly to learn about the southern foodways and American cocktails. And that is why SoFab NOLA is So Fabulous!
