Mealtime Storytime!

There was a time when Country Roads’ James Fox-Smith flirted with the idea of a career in the kitchen. That didn’t pan out, which anyone who has been on the receiving end of his impressionistic experiments involving homemade kimchi or “Wild Boar Surprise” will agree is a good thing. But James still loves to cook, and he loves to tell stories too, so he’s flattered to appear this month as part of Mealtime Storytime, the new cooking series from Baton Rouge’s Red Stick Spice Company. Mealtime Storytime teams up artists, community leaders, food industry notables, and frustrated chef-wannabes (like James) with a real chef—Red Stick Spice owner Anne Milneck—for an evening of food-related storytelling that comes complete with a taste of the subject matter. While James holds forth on subjects such as foraging for edible mushrooms, the power of a pig roast, or defending the health benefits of Vegemite, Anne will (expertly) cook several of the dishes in question. Attendees will share the stories, the company, and the meal that follows, then receive copies of the recipes to take home. Here's a sneak peek at the menu.

1^st Course: A Few of James’ Favorite Things (on toast)

• Homemade Cracker, Hot & Smoky Pimiento Cheese, Cochon Cannery Bacon Jam
• Baguette, Wild Hog Rillettes, Strawberry Pepper Jelly
• Ciabatta, Feliciana Dairy unsalted Butter, Vegemite

2^nd Course: Cheap Thrills

• Coq au Vin with Potato-turnip mash

3^rd Course: Cocktail Weiners, Crescent Rolls and Purple Cows—a Love Story

• Coke Floats with Homemade Vanilla Bean Frozen Custard

Join James and Anne at Red Stick Spice Company (660 Jefferson Highway) on Thursday, April 19, at 6 pm. Tickets are $50 apiece and seating is limited. redstickspice.com/collections/cooking-classes.

This article originally appeared in our April 2018 issue. Subscribe to our print magazine today.