Hadassah ladies take ‘Golden Bean’ trophy
The ladies of Hadassah cooked their way into history on Labor Day, taking top honors in the 1st Original Red Beans & Rice Cook-Off sponsored by the Crescent City Jewish News. Judged by a celebrity trio of noted New Orleans female singers and performers, the team’s recipe for red beans included chorizo, a spicy meat that caught the attention of judges Irma Thomas, Valerie Sassyfras and Cristina Perez.
Members of the winning Hadassah team are flanked by celebrity judges Irma Thomas, left, and Cristina Perez and Valerie Sassyfras at right. Mascot Macky Bean holds the “Golden Bean” trophy. (Photo by Alan Smason)
Macky Bean, the colorful “red bean” character made a first-ever appearance at the event, posing with the “Golden Bean,” the Grand Prize winner’s trophy, presented to the Hadassah team as well as with the judges. The mascot kept many of the children busy, entertaining them throughout the four-hour event held from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. at Torah Academy, 5210 West Esplanade Avenue in Metairie.
The event, part fundraiser and part competition, included five other teams from Kosher Cajun New York Delicatessen and Grocery, the Friends of the National Council of Jewish Women, Congregation Anshe Sfard, the Torah Academy Alumni and the CCJN.
The strictly kosher affair had teams competing to prepare their ingredients at the crack of dawn, placing them into new crock pots that had been toiveled (ritually cleansed) under supervision in Lake Pontchartrain more than a week prior.
Crock pots were employed to give all teams an opportunity to cook on a level competition. All ingredients were paid for by the CCJN and teams were given knives and cutting boards in order to finalize their food preparation. The last of the six crock pots was finished by 7:30 a.m. Blind taste testing by the judges began at 12:30 p.m.
As the lone vegetarian entrant, Kosher Cajun received special citation in the form of a colorful ribbon. Owner Joel Brown accepted the ribbon from Macky Bean.
Mascot Macky Bean shares the spotlight with the “Soul Queen of New Orleans” Irma Thomas. (Photo by Alan Smason)
A massive pot of red beans was prepared at the Gerson Katz Chabad Center by Adam Stross, based on his late grandmother Mildred Covert’s recipe published in the Kosher Creole Cookbook she co-authored with Sylvia Gerson, also of blessed memory. Platefuls of the featured beans recipe sold for $10.00 each with salad and cornbread. Family packs of three meals sold for $20.00. Samples of each team’s red entries sold for $3.00 each.
Proceeds from the cook-off will go to support Torah Academy and the Zachor “Remember” New Orleans Fund administered by the Jewish Foundation of Louisiana.
In addition to receiving the “Golden Bean” Grand Prize winner trophy, the Hadassah team’s recipe will be featured at next year’s 2nd Original Red Beans & Rice Cook-Off on Labor Day, September 5, 2016.
Before and after judging the contest, performer Valerie Sassyfras, the subject of the award-winning entertainment article published in SOURCE 5775, performed using a variety of instruments such as keyboards, accordion and mandolin.
