Two dollars for every three of them. A square, fluffy pillow of dough deep fried to flakiness and powder-sugared. Gripping each donut with two fingertips, I bend as close to the tiny plate as I can and hold my breath, the anticipation mounts as to not blow away the sweet white dust (and to avoid unwanted makeup powder on my face).
We confectioner the year end with beignets from Cafe Du Monde in Metairie, Louisiana.
And the six-hour drive just spirals off in the invisible gust of some unjustifiable self-indulgent joy. We’ve had beignets before, but these strike us differently: refreshing, comfortable, and better. They offer nothing more than a combination of leavened, fried and sweetened, but also nothing less than an immersion into the food itself, skillfully and quickly enough to make you forget your whereabouts.
With all that said, they’re products of a chain. Eight Cafe Du Monde’s spread both sides of Lake Ponchartrain, the first in 1862 on Decatur Street (formerly Camino Real in 1762-1803, just FYI for no apparent reason) down at the French Quarter, and the second in 1985 in the now Kenner. There is nothing bistroesque or vaguely French about the modern shiny seats in the cafe, the only reminiscence of old days is that they take cash only. But it’s charming, like all simplicity done well.
Just as the donut has many ways to savor, the beignet, according to Blake, is best without sugar and dipped in coffee.
So here, a Happily Sugar-coated New Year to all and an Aromatic Coffee-soaked one to Blake!
Address: Cafe Du Monde
4700 Veterans Blvd
(504) 888-9770
I disagree with Blake- lots of sugar is the way to go! Now I want beignets……
They really should expand their business across the state line. We wanted to buy some home, but we knew it wouldn’t be as good as the fresh ones.