Juicy, bright red Creole tomatoes are one of New Orleans’ favorite harvests. The tomatoes come to super-sweet fruition in late spring after growing in Louisiana’s nutrient-rich, alluvial soil (soil that is deposited by running water like the Mississippi River). And because we love ’em so much, we host a free outdoor festival in their honor! The 30th annual Creole Tomato Festival takes place June 11-12, 2016 at French Market, practically across the street from our French Quarter hotel.
Creole Tomato Festival takes place June 11-12, 2016 at the French Market in New Orleans. (Photo credit Tom Bastin, via Flickr)
Eat Up
Almost every dish gets the tomato treatment at Creole Tomato Festival. Crabcakes with Creole tomatoes? Yes, please. How about crawfish Monica with the added sweetness of vine-ripened tomatoes? We’ll order that too. We can’t wait to try the Creole tomato shrimp ceviche from Superior Seafood or the Creole tomato, mozzarella, basil and bacon crepe from Crepes a la Carte. We always like to plan ahead, so if you’re like us, you can check out the list of food vendors here.
Boogie Down
Plenty of music and entertainment like cooking demonstrations and kids activities give Creole Tomato Fest all the quintessential components of a New Orleans celebration. Musicians like Robin Barnes, Daria & The Hip-Hops, and Little Freddie King will all perform at 4 different live music stages around the French Quarter.
Be sure to also check out the Louisiana Cookin’ Culinary Stage, where you can catch live cooking demonstrations from local and up-and-coming chefs, plus eating contests, giveaways and more. There will even be a new addition this year’s festivities: the inaugural Ripe & Ready Creole Tomato Fest 5k Run/Walk will send participants along the Riverfront through Crescent Park.
Get your tomato fix at the Carousel Bar inside Hotel Monteleone with Marvin Allen’s Signature Blend Bloody Mary.
Even More Tomatoes…
If you can’t fulfill your tomato cravings at Creole Tomato Fest, start your day at our sister hotel’s restaurant, Criollo, which has plenty of tomato-laced breakfast dishes including Eggs Tchoupitoulas (two basted eggs, boudin blanc, fried green tomato, and a buttermilk biscuit) and The New Yorker (Norwegian smoked salmon, toasted bagel, cream cheese, boiled egg, capers, red onion and local tomato).
Does all this tomato talk have you craving a Bloody Mary? Criollo stocks “Liquid Chef” Marvin Allen’s Signature Blend from the Carousel Bar, and while our restaurant Latitude 29 traditionally serves up fanciful, tropical cocktails, they also have a full bar stocked to sate your tomato craving.