Roadschool Trip to New Orleans - Exploring Food & Culture!

 

Nicknamed "The Big Easy," New Orleans (or NOLA) is known for being a cultural gumbo of music, food, history, and architecture. There's so much more to this city than Mardi Gras...and it's a great place for a roadschool trip!

Step Back in Time

New Orleans was founded in 1718 and named for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. During the American Revolutionary War, New Orleans was an important port for smuggling aid to the American revolutionaries, and transporting military equipment and supplies up the Mississippi River.

Napoleon sold the city to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Thereafter, the city grew rapidly with influxes of Americans, French, Creoles and Africans. Between 1791 and 1810, thousands of St. Dominican refugees from the Haitian Revolution, both whites and free people of color, arrived in New Orleans; a number brought their slaves with them, many of whom were native Africans or of full-blood descent. Louisiana slave culture had its own distinct Afro-Creole society, which included religious beliefs (most notably, Voodoo) and the Louisiana Creole language.

During the final campaign of the War of 1812, the British sent a force of 11,000 in an attempt to capture New Orleans. Despite great challenges, General Andrew Jackson, with support from the U.S. Navy and the pirate Jean Lafitte, decisively defeated the British in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815.

Pictured above, the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France in the French Quarter is the oldest cathedral in continuous use in the US, alongside the Royal Presidio Chapel in Monterey, California.

Fast forward to the 21st century, when New Orleans was catastrophically affected when the federal levee system failed during Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. By the time the hurricane approached the city on August 29, 2005, most residents had evacuated. Floodwalls and levees constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers failed below design specifications, and 80% of the city flooded.

That NOLA Sound

Through an intertwining of African, Latin, and European cultures, as well as their musical stylings, New Orleans has a unique musical style.  Beginning in the early American days, there was a blending of Latin and African rhythms with European instruments, and the style evolved up to the start of the 20th century, when local musicians such as Louis Armstrong helped to develop something new - jazz!  It continues to evolve today, as we have seen through Zydeco, Delta Blues, and Bounce.  

 

The transformation of nineteen century benevolent associations into more modern social aid and pleasure clubs provided communities with a rich cycle of social events. Their tradition of parading and marching bands continues to embody the spirit of Delta culture. In fact, when a jazz musician dies, fellow players gather to follow a hearse. The procession to the cemetery begins with slow-paced dirges and ends with jubilant music, celebrating the soul's entry into heaven. Mourners and bystanders fall in behind the band, forming a "second line."

Distinctive folk music traditions survive in rural areas of the Delta today. Cajun ballads, some brought from France through Acadia (see The Lookout Tree unit study), are set to an instrumentation of triangle, fiddle, and accordian. Zydeco blends blues and R&B components with traditional Cajun dance music. Saxophones, piano accordians, electric guitars, and corrugated rub-boards (frottoirs) that are worn as vests and scraped as percussion instruments, create the dance music.

Learn more about the evolution of music in The History of Rock and Roll.

Classic NOLA Cuisine

If music is the soul, then food is the heart of the Delta.  Like its music, its cuisine reflects a compled blend of cultural influences.  Trying to label Delta cuisine as French, Spanish, or African is as pointless as trying to label its culture.  A local chef, when asked to describe his cooking style, once said," Perhaps I would classify it as Delta cooking because it is a culinary blend of ingredients that reflects our cultural diversity."

New Orleans is world-famous for its cuisine. The indigenous cuisine is distinctive and influential. New Orleans food combined local Creole, haute Creole and New Orleans French cuisines. Local ingredients, French, Spanish, Italian, African, Native American, Cajun, Chinese, and a hint of Cuban traditions combine to produce a truly unique and easily recognizable New Orleans flavor.

Local specialities include beignets with cafe au lait, po'boys, muffulettas, etouffee, jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, and pralines. Food is so important to the local culture, that there is a saying -- "There are two times of day in Louisiana: meal time and in-between."

  

Christmas in NOLA

With unique traditions and dazzling decorations, Christmas is a wonderful time to visit New Orleans with the family.  Even the streetcars and steamboats are decked out!  

Some of the holiday highlights include: Candlelight Caroling in Jackson Square (by the cathedral pictured above), building bonfires on the levee to guide Papa Noel, and celebrating with Reveillon dinners.  City restaurants recreate a centuries-old tradition of a Creole four-course holiday feast.

  

If you've ever wanted to peek behind the iron railings and see history upfront, Christmas is also your change to ride the train through the city to experience holiday displays.  You'll see the oldest homes of the French Quarter and Garden District exhibiting the Christmas spirit, with 600-year old trees covered in Spanish moss and dripping in lights.  Many also throw open their doors and invite you inside to experience the holiday beauty.

  

  

New Orleans unit study resources

Younger Kids

• Le Petite Rouge - In this Cajun Little Red Riding hood, when her grand-mère comes down wit' de flu, this Cajun Little Red knows what she has to do.  With her witty cat, TeJean, she sets off in a pirogue to bring Grand-mère some gumbo.
• All that Jazz! - When kids are finished exploring this book, they can see even more of New Orleans by watching, singing and dancing to the music video that goes with this book on the Bellissimavideo YouTube channel.
• Boudreaux the Louisiana Mosquiteaux - Swept away by a hurricane shortly after his birth, Boudreaux the mosquito has one biting question that needs to be answered: what are mosquitos supposed to eat? Across the swamps of Louisiana he goes, determined to find a breakfast fit for a pest.

Chapter Books

• Recipe for Adventure: New Orleans - Zia's secret ingredient takes Alfie and Emilia to New Orleans. There they meet the members of a kids’ jazz band and are soon helping save the band’s performance venue, as well as tracking down a long-lost cookbook, which just might hold some very special secrets. From beignets and gumbo, to jazz and zydeco, Alfie and Emilia experience everything New Orleans has to offer, all while trying to find their way home.
• I Survived Hurricane Katrina - The horror of Hurricane Katrina is brought vividly to life in this fictional account of a boy, a dog, and the storm of the century.

Older Chaper Readers

• They Called Us River Rats - The previously untold story of perhaps the oldest outsider settlement in America, an invisible community on the annually flooded shores of the Mississippi River.
• Ruined - A gripping supernatural mystery and romance set in post-Katrina New Orleans.Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans. She's staying in a creepy house with her aunt, who reads tarot cards. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to show Rebecca the nooks and crannies of New Orleans. There's just one catch, Lisette is a ghost.

Non-Fiction

• Little Local New Orleans Cookbook - The Little Local New Orleans Cookbook brings the essential flavors of New Orleans to your table.
• Musical Gumbo - A guide to the music and musicians of New Orleans profiles such legends as Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Buckwheat Zydeco, as well as modern performers including Harry Connick, Jr. and the Marsalis family.
• Little Snippets of New Orleans - Snippets of New Orleans is a whimsical 248 pages of witty text and wonderful illustrations all about New Orleans: its music, food, architecture, people, eccentricities, and traditions.

Resources for Upper Grades Students

• Soldiers rounding up terrified civilians, expelling them from their land, burning their homes and crops...  Do you know the history of how the Acadians are similar to Jews?
• Although they were never actually shipped by the British to Louisiana, many Acadians found their way there due to the attraction of the language and culture – we know it as ‘Cajun.’  In the 1770s, they were allowed to return to Canada, settling in places such as Prince Edward Island,, New Brunswick, and Cape Breton.  The Great Upheaval continued into the 1820s.  They still maintain a strong cultural history and set of traditions today.
• Pick up the full unit study for The Lookout Tree & the Acadian Exile.
• How did a French pirate help to defeat the British in the War of 1812?
• In the early 1800s, Jean and Pierre Lafitte operated a smuggling operation out of Barataria, near New Orleans.  For several years, they made a lot of money through both smuggling and piracy.  In September of 1814, the US Navy invaded their base of operations and captured their fleet.
• Pick up the full unit study for We Were There with Jean Lafitte at New Orleans.

Resources for Elementary Students

Our first trip to Louisiana was several years ago, when the boys were younger.  You can take the virtual field trip and see many lesser-known locations in this Roadschool Trip to Louisiana.

Following that trip, we put together a guide for studying the cultures of Louisiana, and the history behind them. Includes math, cooking, reading, and worksheets.  This unit also covers the history of Mardi Gras, arts and crafts activities, cooking projects, language arts, and more! It includes several worksheets and a printable book.  Pick up a copy here!

Word of the Year: Renaissance

Each year, we choose a Word of the Year...something to focus on energies on for the upcoming year.  It's akin to the New Year Resolution, but less of an actual task than a change in mindset.  For 2024, we selected Renaissance...or Awakening, if you will.

Previous words of the year include:

• 2023 - Self-Sufficiency
• 2022 - Self-Care
• 2021 - Grace
• 2020 - Slow

You can visit each of these to pick up resources and ideas for incorporating those principles and goals into your home.

Looking around, something I've noticed since 'rona is a realignment of values and priorities.  People were forced to really take a good, hard look at their lives and reexamine what they wanted.  For folks of a certain age, those mid-lifers, it kicked off a renaissance movement...

Renaissance is a French word meaning “rebirth.”  People tend to think of it as the revival of art and literature under the influence of classical models in the 14th–16th centuries, but it can also be a revival or renewed interest in something.

For homeschooling mamas reaching the end of their journey, having the last child leave, facing an empty nest, and potentially coping with aging parents can all lead to major life changes that leave you wondering exactly what comes next.  Particularly if you've made the decision not to pursue a career and instead dedicated your life to raising babies and setting the stage for them to be successful, what is your purpose now?

This is a prime moment to face rebirth.  Your old life is fading, but your new life isn't born yet.  It's not a midlife crisis, per se, though it might seem like it to those on the outside, but it's a time to examine what the next steps are....

Some of the Precursors to a Rebirth

• Death of a Loved One
• Physical Changes
• Career Setback
• Family Relationship

Signs of Impending Rebirth

• Feelings of Nostalgia
• Emptiness and Boredom
• Discontentment with Life
• Drastic Change in Attitude

Your Rebirth Book List

• Empty Nest, Full Life
• Why We Can't Sleep
• Your New Life Focus
• A Life Worth Living

Bring the Renaissance -- the historic version -- into your homeschool with these resources and unit studies!!!

 

• Covering pretty much every subject, this Renaissance unit study dives deep into science and cultural shifts.
• From the Young Royals series, each of these unit studies covers a specific aspect of Renaissance history.
• Encompassing ten different eras, these Fun-Friday style studies include the three Rs, plus Lego and other fun activities!

What's your word of the year???

How to Stretch Your Grocery Dollars

Who here is trying to pinch those groceries pennies until they squeal?  For most of today's homeschooling parents, this is the first time they've really felt the economic strains.  It's different when you have a family to care for than when you're living off ramen and scavenged food in the college union....now you have kids, and you want them to eat healthy.  So what's a mom to do?

Drawing from lessons of the past, our grandparents' (or great-grandparents') experiences of the Great Depression and war years, and a little bit of can-do, homesteading spirit, here are some tips for stretching your dollars...

Make a Plan

• If you walk into the store with a plan, you're less likely to impulse shop, or just stand there in front of the dairy aisle going, 'Will I need sour cream this week?'  There are umpteen apps for meal planning, and there's surely one to fit your personal planning style.  
• Make a list of all the meals and snacks you want to prepare that week.  Denote what you already have on hand, and grocery list the rest.  
• Staple items, like canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, canned green beans and corn, raisins, canned fruit, and dry beans, store well and stretch meals, so keep plenty of them on hand. When meal planning, make sure you're stocked up on staples.
• Take it a step further, and organize your list according to the store layout.  This saves time, reduces the temptation to buy foods that are not on your list, and helps you avoid forgetting items.
• It's always a good idea to have an extra freezer meal on hand for crazy nights.  If you don't have one of those, pick one up this week.  
• Keep a cooler in your car for keeping perishable foods safe on the way home, especially in warm weather.

Check your Budget

• How much money do you have to spend on food?  What's on sale this week?  This involves a little math and time, but can save you big.
• Take one month to track what you are currently spending.  Save your receipts and look at trends.  Is the bulk of your money going to fresh produce?  Premade foods?  See where you want to try and trim it down first.  Unless, this is an emergency situation, don't try to do it all at once!
• Check the store brands.  How much cheaper are they than the name brands?  Are they healthier?  Sometimes they are; sometimes they aren't.  You won't know until you check, and can often save big.
• Sales on different categories of items are rotated about every three months.  By stocking up when foods are on sale, you can take advantage of the best prices and shop from your own pantry later.
• Pay in cash.  If you go with a budget, and a set amount of cash, you'll be less likely to throw in an extra thing here or there.  That said, with the way prices go up, you might take cash plus 10% extra to cover any inflationary costs for your list.
• Probably goes without saying, to you mommas, but shop alone if you are able.  You'll save time and the aggravation of explaining twenty times why you won't get something...or finding it in your cart unexpectedly at checkout.

Have the Meats...Sometimes

• Meat can be replaced with dried beans, peas, lentils, tofu, eggs, and other less-expensive protein sources.  You don't have to deprive yourself though.  Budget for an expensive steak dinner by serving a few meatless meals throughout the week.
• Stretch meats, particularly tougher cuts, by using them in sauces or casseroles.
• If you talk with the butcher, ask what time of day meat markdowns are made, and plan your shopping to take advantage of them.
• Cook once, eat twice.  Having leftovers doesn't necessarily mean eating the exact same thing again.  Cook a whole chicken, and then use it for more than one meal.  Have baked chicken one night, and use the leftover in chicken quesadillas the next.
• Find some tasty meatless meals here.

Go Somewhere Else

• Plan to get your non-food items from a discount store.  These are generally marked up at grocery stores, and you are paying for the convenience of shopping in one place.
• Dollar stores may also sell items like canned fruit and snack crackers cheaper than the grocery store.
• Day-Old Bread stores aren't just for bread.  You can find other bread products and packaged treats, too, generally at half-price or less.  These can be frozen for later.
• Buying seasonally generally means fresher produce that will last longer.  You can get these at the store, but for the freshest, hit the farmer's market or a roadside stand.  Toward the end of the day, you can usually bargain with the vendor.  If you're more of a DIY, or want a field trip, visit a U-pick farm.

Step Back in Time

• Cooking from scratch is often healthier for you, since it will mean less fat, sugar, and salt in your food.  If you don't have time to cook from scratch daily, consider once-a-week freezer cooking.
• Grow a Victory Garden.  If you have the room, grow a plot of land with several vegetables.  If you don't, plant items like tomatoes and strawberries in pots on your patio. Beans also can run up a small trellis, and herbs grow well in a flower pot or a windowsill container.
• Access all of our gardening and self-sufficiency information here.
• The most expensive food is the food you throw away.  If you have food that has started to turn, use it for animal fodder.  Use your kitchen scraps for compost or animals, too.
• Learn to make your own bread.  It's fresher, healthier, and tastier.  Here's an easy recipe.

To Coupon or Not to Coupon?

• Check the weekly circulars to see what's on sale, and build your meal planning around that.
• Pay attention to unadvertised specials at the store, and be willing to be flexible with your planning if it's a super deal.  But also pay attention to the expiration dates on those deals.  Sometimes it's too good to be true.
• Common psychological tricks: 
• If a store limits the quantity you're allowed to buy, it generally tempts people to buy more.
• If there is a quantity discount, you don't usually have to buy that many (ie, 6 for $10, you can still get 1 for $1.67).
• Know your store's coupon rules.  Some honor other stores or will price match.  Some will do rain checks.  Some will have double and triple coupon days.  Some do none of the above.  You'll want to learn your store.
• Sign up for the loyalty card.  I know, you don't want one more card, but this one will actually save you money more often than some of the others.

  

A Slow-Cooked Year This book includes : the whats and whys behind crockpot cooking, how-to tips and tricks, safe crockpot guidelines, printable planning sheets, and more than thirty seasonally-appropriate, kid-friendly recipes!

Another Year of Freezer Cooking For anyone who wants to get a leg up on getting healthy meals on the family table, without much fuss...this book includes : the whats and whys behind freezer cooking how-to tips and tricks pantry freezing guidelines, printable planning sheets more than thirty seasonally-appropriate, kid-friendly recipes!

Looking to utilize the crockpot?  Check out a sample from A Slow-Cooked Year here.  If you're more of a freezer cooking mom, check out some samples from Freezer Cooking Through the Year here.

Word of the Year 2023 - Self-Sufficient

Each year, we choose a Word of the Year...something to focus on energies on for the upcoming year.  It's akin to the New Year Resolution, but less of an actual task than a change in mindset.  For 2023, we selected Self-Sufficiency.  While this is something we've been working on for a while, we've decided it's time to put just a little more energy into this goal...

Previous words of the year include:

• 2022 - Self-Care
• 2021 - Grace
• 2020 - Slow

You can visit each of these to pick up resources and ideas for incorporating those principles and goals into your home.

Homestead Skills

Good planning is essential to a successful vegetable garden. Vegetables have specific requirements, and you must choose your site carefully to ensure a bountiful harvest. Get to Planning Your Productive Home Garden, and follow the basics.  

Want to take it a step further, or spruce up your front yard?  In Raised Beds & Pallet Planters, you'll get step-by-step instructions for unique planters!

Canning, freezing, and drying -- do you know which is best for each food?  Learn to put up your harvest (or bulk buys) in Home Preservation Basics.

At one time, most children learned Basic Outdoor Skills, but now we have to seek opportunities for teaching them.  Don't let another year go by without incorporating these simple tasks into your homeschool.

Whether you have a hobby-homestead, are a frugal momma, or just spent a lot of time with the 'Greatest Generation,' re-purposing is a simple fact of life.  Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!  These Repurposing Ideas for the Homestead will help you to save money, do a little recycling, and even bring a personal flair to your home!

Immunity is affected by daily habits, lifestyle choices, and exposure to toxins.  Your immune system doesn't just help prevent you from catching colds, but also prevents against things like cancer.  Maintaining a healthy immune system should be top priority all year long, not just during cold and flu season...learn more in Immune Boosting Herbs.

Animals, outbuildings, pipes...all of these things need tending to and don't just wait for better weather.  But be smart about it and follow these tips from Winter Safety on the Homestead.  All I can say is, on cold winter days, I'm so glad we don't homestead closer to the Arctic!

Unit Studies (not just for kids!)

In the Farming & Ranching for Teens curriculum, we've pulled together books, videos, and hands-on projects covering both animal husbandry and agriculture.  We start out by covering the difference between farming and ranching and how the work of these folks affects you everyday, such as in the grocery store.

The My Side of the Mountain novel study features Sam, runs away to the wilderness to escape his family.  He is tested and discovers strength and self-confidence.  Today, the Boy Scouts teach survival skills in their Wilderness Survival badge.

Herb studies combine both science and life skills.  In The Secret Garden novel study, students learn to start and maintain an herb garden, as well as the uses for each plant.

In the Willa and the Wood novel study, you and your students will learn about foraging for plants and basic herb uses.

Download and print the Farming Book List to incorporate agricultural wisdom into your homeschool.  This list includes both fiction and non-fiction books.

Recently, there has been a rise in the popularity of survival-based books for children.  Our boys were definitely drawn to these more rough and tumble types of books, but they're not just for boys.  Here are some of the Best Kids' Books About Survival.

Eat In Tonight

It may take some adjustments in your shopping and cooking habits, but eating real food (and not nuking it in the microwave) is so much healthier for you!  Your body will appreciate the difference, and after a little bit your mood will improve as you begin to feel more energized.

We use the crockpot to throw together dinners quickly at night.  A bit of prep work, toss it in the pot in the morning, and it's ready to go in the evening!  We also do freezer cooking, so that healthy homemade meals are possible when time is short.  It takes a day of prep (or sometimes, a few hours here and there spread over several days), but is so very worth it.  Does that mean we never eat out or grab something fast?  Nope.  Everything in moderation....

  

A Slow-Cooked Year This book includes : the whats and whys behind crockpot cooking, how-to tips and tricks, safe crockpot guidelines, printable planning sheets, and more than thirty seasonally-appropriate, kid-friendly recipes!

Another Year of Freezer Cooking For anyone who wants to get a leg up on getting healthy meals on the family table, without much fuss...this book includes : the whats and whys behind freezer cooking how-to tips and tricks pantry freezing guidelines, printable planning sheets more than thirty seasonally-appropriate, kid-friendly recipes!

Courses & Resources

I cannot say enough about the Homestead Education curriculum!  Introduction to Homestead Science covers the art and science of homesteading in a full year science curriculum. There is daily reading and vocabulary, additional research projects, hands on projects both short and long term, and applied mathematics. Being an introductory course, there are some topics that are covered more in depth than others.  

Peek through the photos here and you'll see that it is multi-modal and incorporates all the subjects!! My son is using it this year, but mom is learning alongside him as well. There's always something new to learn in the homestead life. There's a curriculum for Little Learners as well (preschool / elementary). Use code RANGE10 to save an extra 10%!

One of our favorite courses at SchoolhouseTeachers is the Homesteading course! If you’ve ever wanted to ditch the chemicals in your household cleaners, can what you grow or purchase at a farmer’s market, make your own gifts and candles, or learn how to do things the natural way, you need to see the Homesteading class.

This ongoing course shares tips and detailed instructions that can enable you and your family to live more simply and naturally. Printables and some how-to videos are included with these weekly lessons...and it's all included with the 350+ other courses offered at SchoolhouseTeachers.com.

Pick up the Homemaking & Homesteading Bundle in our Cottage Shoppe!  

The bundle includes twenty-four tutorials with background information for anyone who is interested in homemaking and homesteading. Topics are broken down into:

• In the Kitchen – Fall & Winter
• In the Kitchen – Spring & Summer
• Around the Homestead – Inside
• Around the Homestead – Outside

The Permaculture Student includes:

• Private Community Facebook Group for Students
• Unlimited Access to the Video Library
  
• Includes eBook versions of The Permaculture Student 1 textbook & workbook
  
• Hands-On Projects with Step-by-Step Directions & Video
• Open & self-paced course. Start anytime, take your time & enjoy the design!
  
• What you will learn:
  
• Permaculture Design - homes, landscapes, society, businesses & more
• Pattern Literacy
• Reading the Landscape
• Seed-to-Table Cooking
• Earthworks
• Seed Saving
• Composting, Compost Tea, & Extract!
• Food Preservation & Storage

DIY - Do It Yourself

Instead of getting desperate and spraying on commercial bug sprays, consider a better alternative... a Homemade Bug Repellant that smells wonderful, is effective, and takes only minutes to whip up!

For the price of one bottle of elderberry syrup at the store, you could make ten to fifteen times that amount at home! Homemade Elderberry Syrup is super easy, and anyone can make it.

Organic pecan butter is one of my favorite treats. It's also $18 per teeny-tiny jar.  I love to eat well, but I'm also cheap, so here is our recipe for Homemade Pecan Butter.

Making Homemade Mustard is simple and easy.  When making your own mustard, you can tailor it to your family's tastes, making it milder or spicier, and add herbs and spices to mix it up.

Another cost-cutting DIY is Homemade Fire Cider & Kombucha!  Get all the benefits for a fraction of the price.

Working out in the heat of summer can take its toll on your body!  Learn how to make Homemade Electrolyte Drinks, and skip the chemicals. (As an aside, I've also had friends and family use the replenishment drink as part of colonoscopy prep, with good results.)

What's your family's word of the year?  We want to know!

Make this year YOUR year! This reusable calendar features monthly at-a-glance pages and weekly pages with space for notes and planning. Each week also has a habit tracker grid to help keep the momentum going with your new habits! Just print and reuse each year for your planner.