First of all, so sorry for the down time last weekend. We had a little pointing problem with our DNS and it took a while to get pointed to the right person to fix it. And now I’m in New Orleans.

I remember the first time I stepped off the plane in New Orleans, the air was so thick and palpable I felt like I could just take a bite out of it. That was (gasp) 20 years ago, when I was visiting Tulane for the first time. Fitting, then, that I’ve returned for a gathering of people whose profession is food.

I’m happy to report that the city seems in much better shape than I thought it would be. Granted, most of the damage from Katrina didn’t happen where I’ve been—downtown and a quick jaunt uptown—but I had expected to see all kinds of businesses shuttered up, or old favorites disappeared. Yet I’m finding exactly the opposite.

The old places are still there—Cooter Brown’s, Fat Harry’s, Dante’s Kitchen, Camellia Grill—and there is more buzz and life in the Warehouse District (now called the Arts District) than I’ve ever seen. I kept hearing it was coming, but the last time I was back here six years ago, I had yet to see it. So hooray for that.

We went to Cochon last night—one of the gems of the Arts District—and had a tasty, if heavy, meal. A highlight were the pork cheeks—slow roasted and shredded and served with a cornbread cake and tangy mustard cream. We had more pork (in keeping with the name of the restaurant, which means “Pig” in French) for the entree: the “Louisiana Cochon,” fall-apart roasted pork shoulder and butt pressed together to look kind of like a crab cake (only with no filler) served with some tasty pickled cabbage. But I have to say the surprise hit for me was a platter of head cheese (more pork) that the waiter brought out as an amuse. It was served with thinly sliced bread, grainy mustard and thin slices of not-too-sour-not-too-sweet pickles. Stacked all together in a bite it was smooth and rich and tangy—from tongue to nose.

A bientot mes amis . . .