With Easter coming so late this year–April 24–Mardi Gras, too, is pushed back. It’s on March 8. But that doesn’t mean I’m not already thinking about New Orleans food, especially after the Mickey-Mouse-shaped beignets served in New Orleans Square in Disneyland, which were pretty good, better than I expected. Hard to mess up fried dough, I suppose . . . And speaking of fried dough, there’s now a beignet vendor at the Santa Rosa Farmers Market. I’ll be posting about him as soon as I get there in time to try his beignets and get a few photos.
In the meantime, let’s talk about the muffaletta, that fabulous New Orleans sandwich. If you’ve never had one, it can be hard to understand what the big deal is. If you have had one, you want another. And another.
Central Grocery's Famous Muffaletta
Rustic's Muffuletta
And you’re in luck. Rustic, the restaurant at Francis Ford Coppola Winery, has muffaletta on the menu. The bread is as authentic as it gets; it’s flown in from New Orleans. And the wrapping is pretty authentic, too, though you’ll notice the nontraditional spelling, muffuletta instead of muffaletta.
The sandwich itself is delicious, with the tanginess of the olive salad a wonderful counterpoint to the rich meats and cheese. The muffaletta is sold by the quarter ($8), half ($12) and whole ($18). Once the pool opens for the season on the first weekend in April, it will make an awesome pool-side lunch. For now, you might order a whole one to go while you enjoy something else for lunch or dinner. There’s nothing like having a muffaletta in the frig. I brought one home from New Orlean’s Central Grocery, credited as making the original muffaletta, and it lasted three days.
Most muffaletta are served either chilled or at room temperature. But I stumbled upon a restaurant on the edge of the French Quarter that serves theirs hot and, oh my, was it ever great! It’s now my favorite way to enjoy this fabulous sandwich.
A slice of Rustic's muffuletta
It’s not difficult to make muffaletta at home, though you have to compromise on the bread (that could change some time soon so stay tuned). Here’s a good recipe from the Seasonal Pantry archives.
Nicolle
I think that muffaletta you’re referring to (the one that lasted 3 days) was from the Pearl Oyster Bar, right off Canal. It was delicious! (so were the oysters).
When I first moved to Mississippi, a friend gave me half of the muffaletta he had brought back from Central Grocery. I consider him a true friend for that.
Can’t wait to try the one at FFC’s winery.
January 26th, 2011 1:32 pm
MicheleAnna.Jordan
Actually, no. That was the hot one I was referring to. The one that lasted three days (in Sebastopol) is the one I picked up at Central Grocery before heading to the airport. And that is indeed a true friend who shared with you.
January 26th, 2011 1:59 pm
Jerry Brown
My wife and i were in New Orleans last year and got one at the Central Grocery. It came pre-wrapped from the refrigerator.
The one served here at Chloe’s is much better.
January 26th, 2011 5:51 pm
MicheleAnna.Jordan
Chloe’s has a muffaletta??? Awesome! Thanks for the news. In Central Grocery’s defense, they make a whole bunch of them every morning and refrigerate what doesn’t sell quickly.
January 26th, 2011 8:06 pm
mark
We ate more great food in New Orleans than you could imagine. I can’t wait to try Michele’s tip…the girl knows good food.
January 27th, 2011 3:16 pm
RisaG
Mmmm muffalletta. Wish I could get one. I once made one- made the olive salad, the bread, and got all the cold cuts and pickled stuff. It was pretty darned good. It wasn’t authentic, obviously, but it was as close as I was going to get.
One of my best friends has been there many times and says it is her favorite place to go to. We always planned to go together BUT she is now re-married, living in Arizona, and I am married living in NJ. Hard to get together now. Wish we could though. Maybe one day…
January 27th, 2011 6:29 pm