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Bayou Region grocery store Cannata’s has postponed its rum-based cooking event scheduled for tonight due to inclement weather.
Cannata’s Houma location on West Park Avenue will be hosting a special event called “Cooking with Rum,” hosted by chef and sales executive John Meisler. The event was originally scheduled for tonight, but heavy rainfall from the outer bands of Hurricane Harvey hitting South Louisiana has forced the grocery to postpone the event. Cannata’s has not yet announced a new date for “Cooking with Rum,” but its next event is a craft beer and wine tasting this Friday evening.
Meisler will set up shop in Cannata’s revamped liquor and spirits section on Tuesday night and show patrons how to make a number of dishes and cocktails using a variety of Don Q rums.
According to Meisler, he will start with seared sea scallops in beurre blanc sauce and Añejo rum, served with fennel and thyme and fried sweet potatoes on top. Following that, he will prepare a homemade barbecue sauce using spiced rum to pair with brisket being smoked at the grocery store. Finally, Meisler will finish with a twist on Bananas Foster, minus any open flame but with the addition of both coconut and añejo rum served over ice cream.
Meisler said aside from the cooking, different cocktails will highlight the quality of Don Q Rum’s products. The company uses all natural products in its rums and has some products aged for more than 10 years, making them drink almost like whiskeys.
Meisler said the meals he prepares on Tuesday will be simple, single-pot dishes that are accessible to the public. He said the goal is to bring new recipe ideas the fine cooks of South Louisiana can take home.
“If they can’t see themselves doing it, we failed. I want them to go home and do it,” Meisler said.
Meisler said his process of creating new rum-inspired dishes starts with the liquors first, rather than finding a dish and choosing what rum would help it along. Meisler said creating dishes from the rum-up gives every meal a solid base.
“I take the flavor of the rum first and say what could I build around this? Then I build dishes around that,” Meisler said.
Events such as Meisler’s are becoming a common occurrence at Cannata’s in Houna. The grocery will also host a Hakuna Ma Vodka: Cajun Style event on Sept. 8 and another focused on variations to the Moscow Mule cocktail on Sept. 22. Cannata’s owner Vince Cannata has been focusing on such events since sprucing up its liquor section at the beginning of this year. Cannata said he wants the grocery to have more high-end liquor products and host fun, accessible events like Meisler’s cooking lesson.
“We’re trying to bring that to the bayou a little bit by having unique events back there,” Cannata said.
“Cooking with Rum” has a $10 entry fee per person, which can be paid on the day of the event. Call Cannata’s at (985) 879-3574 for more information.
