What is better than to learn how to cook some new dishes with great creole and cajun flavors and get a meal at the same time? Nothing unless it is also during mardi gras! Learned how to get the great flavors of jambalaya, red beans and rice and chicken and andouille gumbo...plus a little praline and some bread pudding with Rum sauce (using Captain Morgan's of course!). We walked away FULL and ready to try our hand at some spicy cooking (plus bought some Camellia's red beans and just a few bottles of spicy sauce!). Tried gumbo file (ground sassafras!) for the first time...it was all good.

Customer service in this quality cooks gift shop is wonderful and they quickly sold us on a cooking class. In the mornings they offer demonstration 2 hour cooking classes and in the afternoons they offer hands on classes. We selected the former and it was delightful, delicious and fun. Shaves (sp?) entertained and informed and after the instruction he fed us the items - gumbo, jambalaya and bread pudding with rum sauce. Yummmmm! They also let us taste their very own pralines that are, without a doubt the best in the city.

We participated in the hands on class with 8 students. Great instructors and great food. We prepared individual pecan pies, BBQ shrimp and chicken étouffée. They provided wine and beer (after the knives were put away) and other drinks throughout the class. We prepped all of the ingredients, got lessons about proper cutting techniques, and Cajun versus Creole cooking. Lasted about 3 hours and was a perfect way to learn about the food we've been eating while in NOLA. Finished by eating all of our creations with to-go boxes.