I’m in New Orleans this week with fellow
food editors Kathy Downie and Julie Grimes for the International Association of
Culinary Professionals (IACP) conference. Which is being held concurrently, as
luck would have it, with a pirate convention. PyrateCon 2008. Honestly. Saw a
pirate eating breakfast at Luke this morning. I’m not clear on the business
agenda for their conference, but judging by the scene in the quarter last night,
the grog flows freely at the meetings.

Stay tuned for a full report next
week on New Orleans cuisine and all things IACP.