The St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission brought Keith and Nealy Frentz, proprietor/chefs of LOLA in downtown Covington, to Texas this week to highlight the parish's exciting culinary scene. The Frentzes were the only chefs showcased at A Taste of Louisiana! reception September 12, co-hosted by Texas Monthly magazine and Louisiana Travel Promotion Association to promote the Louisiana Culinary Trails program.
Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne introduced the Frentzes, and encouraged attendees to travel to St. Tammany Parish and dine in LOLA's renovated train depot restaurant, where food is influenced by the bounty of the bayou. During Keith’s cooking demonstration, Nealy explained LOLA loves to use fresh produce from local St. Tammany growers. The Frentzes’ dish drew on the flavors of Steen's cane vinegar, Crystal hot sauce, Camellia red beans, and of course, Louisiana crawfish!
Approximately 125 news media, food editors, and travel counselors sampled LOLA’s "Friday Lunch Special" – cornmeal-dusted wild Des Allemands catfish atop red bean and crawfish succotash, braised collards and house-made tartar sauce. The recipe won the Frentzes the title of King and Queen of Louisiana Seafood earlier this year from the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board.
The St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission also gave away a basket of local culinary goodies, including a My Family Table cookbook signed by Slidell resident and celebrity chef John Besh, salad dressings from Sal & Judy's restaurant in Lacombe, the Abita Beer: Cooking Louisiana True cookbook, Abita Strawberry Harvest Beer, wine from Pontchartrain Vineyards (Wild Bush Farm & Vineyard) in Bush, and Louie and the Redhead Lady in Mandeville's "All Spiced Up" signature hot sauce.
The STPTCC’S mission was to increase awareness of the Northshore among Texas media and to encourage travel to the parish. One guest was overheard exclaiming after tasting LOLA's Friday Lunch Special, “Let's get in a helicopter and go there this weekend!”
Learn more about the STPTCC and the Northshore’s vibrant culinary scene at www.LouisianaNorthshore.com