Mardi Gras! New Orleans in Music, Movies, Books & More

It's Fat Tuesday and that means Mardi Gras!

And New Orleans may not be the only city that throws a party before Ash Wednesday, but we would be remiss if we missed this chance to highlight all the music, movies, books, plays, documentaries and even cuisine that wouldn't exist without The Big Easy.

So we present 10 items from our collection that either are either from New Orleans artists or use the city as a setting.

1. Treme

Though it was created by David Simon, Treme is so much more than The Wire set in New Orleans. However, the two shows have this in common: Their settings are also their lead characters. For four seasons, Simon and his crew depicted the people of New Orleans—Mardi Gras Indians, musicians, chefs, human rights lawyers and more—trying to rebuild their city after Hurricane Katrina.

With its focus on music, cuisine and local culture, Treme is the best show about New Orleans—give or take Frank's Place.

2. Louis Armstrong

You cannot, cannot talk about the city of New Orleans without talking about the music. This is where jazz was born! And, yes, Louis Armstrong gets his name in the header, because he's the greatest. But we could just as easily spend hours talking about (and listening to) Dr. John, Trombone Shorty, Fats Domino or Jelly Roll Morton.

You can download more songs from New Orleans' finest on Freegal or stream their albums on Hoopla, both of which are free to use with a Mentor Public Library card.

3. When the Levees Broke

Spike Lee is at his best when he has something to say, and one of the most important topics he has ever tackled is New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This documentary examines the tragedy through the eyes of the storm's survivors.

For another auteur's take on Katrina, read Dave Eggers' Zeitoun.

4. My New Orleans: 200 of my favorite recipes and stories from my hometown by John Besh

Crawfish and rice! Chanterelles! Gumbo! What to cook for Mardi Gras or Reveillon—the best of the city's cuisine from a chef who grew up with it.

Also, for our younger chefs, may we recommend Tiana's Cookbook: Recipes for Kids.

5. Princess & the Frog

Speaking of Princess Tiana... Disney steeps this classic fairy tale in a southern sensibility. Don't just borrow the movie; get the soundtrack too for when your kids inevitably have the songs stuck in their heads.

6. Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

It's difficult to describe Toole's singular novel in a single word or phrase. Picaresque? A comedy of errors? Let's just call it a classic. Confederacy follows Ignatius J. Reilly—an overstuffed cocktail of intellect, buffoonery and free-floating hostility—as he pinballs against the colorful characters of New Orleans.

A manipulative hot dog vendor? A costumed detective? An ambivalent pants magnate? The French Quarter's dandiest dandy? All fodder for Reilly's jaundiced rants.

7. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

New Orleans' heat, headiness and Gothic architecture provide the perfect backdrop for Rice's horror story.

8. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Whether we're talking about the play or any of the movie versions, Streetcar just wouldn't be the same if you moved it to New York, San Diego or anywhere beside New Orleans.

9. Gumbo Tales: Finding my Place at the New Orleans Table by Sara Roahen

Roahen was a stranger in a strange land when she moved from Wisconsin to New Orleans, and she figured the best way to learn her new hometown was by taste. Follow Roahen through po-boys and pho, Sazerac and braciolone. Then plan your own culinary excursion to The Big Easy.

10. Gambit

After the Channing Tatum movie comes out, he's going to be everyone's favorite X-Man. So get ahead of the curve and read all about the kinetic mutant from Nolia.

Harvesting, Preserving & Making the Most of Your Herbs

Karen Kennedy, an educator from the Herb Society of America, visited the Mentor Public Library Tuesday to talk about harvesting and preserving herbs.

She also gave all the gardeners who attended some fun ideas on how to use their summer leftovers.

Kennedy brought several herbs with her to the library. This one is lavender -- in case you couldn't tell from the color of its flowers.

While I couldn't possibly touch on everything Karen said, I did want to share some of the interesting facts and helpful tips she offered for those who couldn't make it Tuesday.

1. What do you think of when you think of herbs? Food, right? Maybe a spice rack. Some greenery growing on the windowsill.

Actually, herbs go far beyond food. They include plants that are used for crafting, medicine, dyes and more.

For example, last year the International Herb Association named Elderberry the herb of the year. And most of us don't think of elderberries the same way we do oregano, cilantro or tarragon. (But perhaps we should.)

"If it's more than just a pretty plant, it's an herb," Karen said.

2. We're talking about harvesting herbs in August; but, frankly, you don't want to wait this long to harvest certain herbs.

Herbs get their flavor from their essential oils, and those oils dictate peak harvesting time.

For most herbs (especially annuals,) you'll want to harvest right before their flowers bloom. That often means cutting their leaves in the spring.

One big exception to this rule: sage. It's better to harvest sage mid-season (around July) because it's camphor needs time to mellow, Karen said.

On a similar note, be careful about harvesting perennials too late in the season. Harvesting stimulates growth; but if you stimulate growth too close to a freeze, your herb will be more susceptible to winter damage.

Dolores Williams and Jennifer Danner check out how Karen Kennedy dries some of her herbs.

3. Because herbs get their flavor from their oils, you want to make sure you preserve as much of their oil as possible when harvesting.

That means you want to harvest at a cool, dry time. The more excess heat you have, the more oil evaporates.

You'll also want to clean your herbs before you let them dry. Karen recommended a 10-percent vinegar solution. No soap. (Also, make sure to sterilize your harvesting implement. You don't want to accidentally spread any plant disease to your other herbs.)

You want to dry your herbs quickly with as little heat as possible. (It may sound like a contradiction but it's true.) While some people use the microwave and even the oven, your best bet is to let them air dry.

You can hang them on a coat hanger or just leave them on a counter, but you want to dry your herbs somewhere well-ventilated, dark, dry and not too hot.

This could take a couple of weeks. (Herbs dry faster in homes with air conditioning.)

When you're herbs are ready, they should have a "corn flake crisp" consistency.

Herbs can also be frozen. Karen said some people freeze herbs in ice cube trays and use them in soups and broths. Fair warning: herbs lose some of their vitamins and minerals when you freeze them.

Karen Kennedy makes a tarragon-shallot white wine vinegar.

4. Looking for a fun way to use your bountiful herb harvest?

Karen has some ideas. She especially likes to combine her herbs with different types of vinegar. (She made a tarragon-shallot white wine vinegar Tuesday night that smelled incredible and, apparently, pairs well with mushroom risotto.)

"A lot of people combine herbs with oils. It can be done, but oils make me nervous," Karen said. "A lot of stuff can grow in oils. If you're not careful, you'll grow botulism."

Karen recommended putting chive blossoms in white wine vinegar. (It turns the vinegar a pretty pink color.)

She said the herbs need to steep in the vinegar for about two weeks before its ready.

No need to refrigerate the vinegar if its base is red or white wine. If there's not at least a 5-percent alcohol base, you'll probably want to store it in the fridge.

That's just a bit of the ground Karen covered Tuesday. If you want more facts and tips on herbs, visit the Herb Society site. For more on programs and events at Mentor Public Library, visit www.mentorpl.org.