"I hate the history," says Ti Adelaide Martin, co-owner with her cousin Lally Brennan of Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Commander's Palace in New Orleans. "I don't care. That's not what we're about. Yes, it's slightly interesting that some restaurants in New Orleans are much older. But what's more interesting to me is what you're trying to do now, and what we're pushing toward is so cool. We're just not going to stand still. It's just not who we are."
Despite Martin's feelings on the matter, that history is singularly important to the celebration and elevation of regional cuisines, both in Louisiana and across the U.S. The late Ella Brennan, Martin's mother and known as "Miss Ella" to all, had worked at her brother Owen's New Orleans restaurants and, in 1956, helped open Brennan's. She left that establishment in 1973 after a family dispute and, with some of her other siblings, bought Commander's, which has been at its current location since 1893.
Brennan was universally known as tenacious and caring, and her contributions were many. Chief among them were her elevation of regional cuisines, her discovery and promotion of talented chefs (Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse among them) and her commitment to investing in and educating herself on wine before that was commonplace. She was also a national figure in her own right (you can watch a documentary about her, called Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table, or read her memoir, Miss Ella of Commander's Palace).
But her greatest legacy is the forward-thinking that her daughter mentions: "That's the culture of this restaurant. You know, a lot of that just comes from my life, and my mom. She was the main person who yanked New Orleans out of the past and pushed for the future. So we're very busy, still yanking. I think some of the most exciting food in my history is happening in New Orleans right now."
This story is from the November 30, 2022 edition of Wine Spectator.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 30, 2022 edition of Wine Spectator.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.
Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting
Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:
War in Middle East Affects Vintners
The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.
Savoring Persimmon Season
For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"
Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack
Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.
Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!
Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"
Kistler's DARKER SIDE
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built
THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE
THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES
MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman
Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.
