For many folks not lucky enough to live in a po-boy-centric universe, it’s an absolute revelation - a light French roll filled with chunks of insanely tender, long-smoked pork shoulder and a layer of creamy, mustard-spiked coleslaw on top. The sandwich in question is a Jazz Fest classic for legions of food-crazy music fans who always put the “Cochon de Lait” po-boy on their Jazz Fest culinary checklist. Each year the crowds flood the New Orleans Fair Grounds for seven days of live music, local culture and edible specialties that redefine the phrase “festival food.” This particular sandwich isn’t your ordinary po-boy, but a variation that enjoys a dedicated international following every spring as Jazz Fest comes around. I’m also thinking about a certain sandwich that would trigger a trek a mile or so past the New Orleans Lakefront Airport. I’m thinking about this as I’m cruising along the downhill side of the I-10 High Rise bridge headed for the heart of New Orleans East.
Sure, we might make a crosstown trip for a weekend excursion to R&O’s or a destination lunch at Domilise’s, but more often we’ll learn the standouts at our local corner grocery (the always dependable turkey or the griddle-crisped ham and cheddar) for the evenings when we want to take a night off from cooking. Our city’s trademark oversized sandwich is, at its core, a local convenience food - a default lunch grabbed on the go or a quick informal supper.
My Rouses Everyday, March/April 2014 There’s an old saying that “All politics are local,” and a similar thing can be said of New Orleans’ po-boy culture.
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