GREAT EATS HAWAII: CAFE DU MONDE

CAFE DU MONDE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

A trip to New Orleans would not be complete without a stop at Cafe Du Monde. I love the menu here. Beignets and Coffee and that is it. Simple and delicious. An order of (3) Beignets is $2.42. Coffee is $2.50 to $3.50 depending on size. Beignets are nothing more than fried dough covered in powdered sugar. The fact that the cafe stays open 24 hours a day, seven days a week is a testament to its success. People line up to get into this place. Tables are turned quickly by the staff who are all business. Not much chit chat. Just take the order and get it on the table as fast as possible. As you enter Cafe Du Monde it is every man for himself. This means that if you see an open table - grab it!

The Original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. The Cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It closes only on Christmas Day and on the day an occasional Hurricane passes too close to New Orleans.

Beignets were also brought to Louisiana by the Acadians. These were fried fritters, sometimes filled with fruit. Today, the beignet is a square piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. They are served in orders of three.

The taste for coffee and chicory was developed by the French during their civil war. Coffee was scarce during those times, and they found that chicory added body and flavor to the brew. The Acadians from Nova Scotia brought this taste and many other french customs (heritage) to Louisiana. Chicory is the root of the endive plant. Endive is a type of lettuce. The root of the plant is roasted and ground. It is added to the coffee to soften the bitter edge of the dark roasted coffee. It adds an almost chocolate flavor to the Cafe Au Lait served at Cafe Du Monde.