Autumn Vegetable Potage

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound of all-purpose or starchy potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 pound of autumn vegetables, cut into 2-inch cubes (see note)
• 1 quart chicken stock or water
• mix and match seasoning (see note)

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, sprinkled with salt, until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add potatoes and vegetables and cover with stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Puree with a stick blender, or in a blender or food processor (beware, hot things are hot). If not using a stick blender, return to pot. Add seasoning and simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Note: Here are some good vegetable and seasoning combinations to get you started: carrots with 1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger, celery root with a teaspoon of celery, fennel or caraway seeds, parsnips with the gratings of 1/4 of a nutmeg, or sweet potatoes with 1-2 teaspoons of minced, fresh chili pepper.

Now, I am not, generally, a glutton. I don't need to waddle away from the table to have a good time. But I was insatiable; overcome by the need to take the whole city in, in a very literal sense. I was coveting it, hoarding it, stashing it away. Why? New Orleans is the only regional culture-with its own music, dances, cuisine and dialect-that we have in this country. A visit there steeps you in all the best of being "local." The thought of loosing it makes me weak-and makes me want to devour every bit of it while I'm there.

Things still aren't so easy in the Big Easy. You can feel the struggle, the culture clash, between tradition and development. The Daiquiri bars that started to impose themselves on the French Quarter before Katrina have edged out a few more authentic joints-blasting full volume Britney into the void left by house bands that no longer have a home. Residents talk of the rising property taxes and greedy land grabs that are making it harder to live in town. But through it all, they cook. And I'm not talking "whip a little something up" cooking, I'm talking "ten gallon turkey fryer in the back alley, cooking all day" cooking. It seemed down right rude (or stupid) not to respond with my fork.

Food here is a lifeline anchored in generations of tradition. In each sip of gumbo I could taste the layers of history in that dish and the work of generations of cooks-from many different backgrounds-that threw some unique ingredient into the pot. Every time I popped a shrimp in my mouth I stood with the shrimpers who, after Katrina, pulled their capsized boats out of the water, patched them up and got back to business.

New Orleans will always have its share of tourists who miss all that the city has to offer-they're perfectly happy to knock back super-sized booze-spiked blue slushies on Bourbon Street and say they've been there. But as my friend, Poppy Tooker, says, "You've got to eat it to save it." If we are going to preserve this wonderful, magical city, we've got to pull up a chair and take our place at the table.

Time to plan your trip. Organizing a bachelor or bachelorette party or a family reunion? A romantic getaway or a professional off-site? Upscale or low-country. Brown paper table-cloth or white linen service. Whatever you're looking to do, New Orleans is a good place to do it.

If you can't make it to the Crescent City, the next best thing to do is to bring it to your kitchen. A cornerstone of many dishes is the fresh, wild seafood caught right off the Louisiana shore.

However you do it, you've got to get yourself a taste of New Orleans. It's a national treasure-and one that you can eat!

Here are two links you can use to learn more, stock up on local seafood, and support our domestic fisherpeople:

Dear C,
The best way to know how your animals are raised is to see for yourself. Get to know the farmers in your area and get out to their farms, or look into their websites to get the information you need to feel comfortable about your choice.

As market season winds down in many areas, purchasing meat from farmers who may still have a good frozen supply is a great way to support them in the off-season.

If this isn't a possibility for you, you can look for a couple labels to point you in the right direction:

Certified Humane specifically focuses on the treatment of farm animals--their diet, access to pasture, and living conditions.

100% Grass-Fed animals are raised on pasture so they enjoy a natural diet and the fresh air and sunshine that are fundamental to humane treatment.