Aunt Chloe's Wild Rice


Serves:  6

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup wild rice
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 clove garlic
  • 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 cups toasted almonds or pecans
  • 1 cup dried cherries
  • (Thanksgiving or Christmas..whole cranberries instead of cherries)
  • 2 cans chicken stock

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease deep (2 quart) Pyrex baking dish. In bowl, add wine, orange juice, chicken stock and rice. Let soak. Melt 2-3 Tablespoons butter. Slowly sauté the following ingredients until onions are translucent: onions/leeks, garlic, mushrooms; red pepper. Add toasted almonds. Combine sautéed ingredients with wild rice mixture and add cherries. Pour all ingredients into a large baking dish. Bake covered in oven at 375 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Check rice to see if it¿s fully cooked (kernel is split and slightly puffed). If not, add ½ cup water, cover and cook ½ hour more.

Contact Information

1870 Banana Courtyard French Quarter Bed and Breakfast
1870 Banana Courtyard French Quarter, New Orleans, LA - Inn
1870 Banana Courtyard French Quarter
1422 N. Rampart Street
French Quarter
New Orleans LA 70116
USA
Phone: +1-504-947-4475
Fax: +1-504-949-5689
Toll-free: +1-800-842-4748
Innkeeper(s)
Mary Ramsey (aka the banana lady)
Rates:
$59 - $215
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Review 1870 Banana Courtyard French Quarter, New Orleans, LA

Photo Album

Yep. Everyone asks about the dark "blob' around this photo. It's the door around the large, custom designed, stained glass window with a banana tree scene that echos the carpet's motif in our front hall and the huge banana tree mural painted on the wall in the dining room. Walk out into our tropical courtyard or on our verandah, and enjoy the shade under the REAL banana trees brought from Cuba in the late 50's, just before the revolution. Unless we have a rough Winter freeze, from April through December we can serve guests bananas from our trees.BALCONY ROOM: This Jr. suite is perfect for honeymoon or romantic weekend. Soaring cathedral ceiling, entrance BALCONY w/table &chairs overlooks tropical COURTYARD, private Balconette off bedroom overlooks French Quarter. Spacious room with sofabed in the seating area, an eclectic mix of antiques +"new fangled" stuff like an electric fireplace, whirlpool tub w/shower, kitchenette.
Cannonball Room: Many returning guests ask for this stunning room every time they come back (it was part of the double parlour when house was a BORDELLO to society's elite in late 1800s). Room OOZES history - hand-hewn bed was wedding present to our family in 1830 (we'll tell you the story behind the 1850s trundle bed underneath). Huge Indian Pichwais painting above marble mantel. Floor to ceiling windows and massive pocket doors, elaborately painted plaster medallion, sitting area. NOPE. You don't have to make a RUNNING JUMP to get into that high bed, 'cause we have a special wood step stool for y'all to use. All that 'new fangled' stuff like ceiling fan, Cable TV, phone, hair dryer, private ensuite bathroom with shower + there's also a powder room in the hall.Madame's Steamboat Room. Steeped in history, this was the madame's bedroom. Hardwood floors, antique carved bed, fireplace, +all that 'new fangled stuff' like hair dryer, ceiling fans, Cable TV, phone. There's even an antique chamber pot tucked in the corner (Nope. Not to use, just to remind you of a different era.) Ensuite private bathroom, old fashioned clawfoot tub with shower.
You never know what you'll see at Banana Courtyard or in the French Quarter!!!! Relaxed atmosphere, HIGH CEILINGS, lush tropical courtyard, hammock, porch swing on the verandah, HARDWOOD FLOORS. In the late 1800s, house was a BORDELLO serving society's elite. Earlier, it was home of a rival to VOODOO Queen Marie Laveau. All that +Chinese FENG SHUI, native craftsmen who were "Free men of Color," meld into an eclectic, interesting history of the house. Learn more when you stay with us."Eye candy," is what one guest called it. There is so much stuff to look at, you won't believe it possible. And this is just the beginning!
Yessiree. Folks say it's like walking into a movie set when they even see just a teeny part of the HEXAGON ROOM. In late 1800s, when house was a bordello, 'ladies of the evening’ reclined on chaise lounges, waiting for their ‘beaux’. (Yep, our place WAS a "high class" house of prostitution.) Stunningly decorated with gorgeous ANTIQUES, on cold Winter nights, warm your ‘tootsies’ near the gas logs &marble fireplace. Private, huge GWtW bathroom adjoins (old fashioned tub with shower)+ there's a powder room in hall. When you come to the BIG EASY you'll want to relax &sip on your favorite drink in our tropical courtyard. Kick back in a hammock, nap under the shade of a banana tree, brought from Cuba in 1959. OR, on the verandah, hop on the porch swing. After a long day sightseeing, take the opportunity to share adventures with other guests. OR, if you seek a more secluded, romantic weekend, ask about our junior suite with whirlpool tub +private balconette.Most of the year, our courtyard is kind of 'jungly' A nice place to sip on a cup of coffee in the morning after breakfast, or a glass of wine early evening before you hit the clubs.
Carriage/Quilt Room: In the late 1800s and early 1900s, prostitution was legal, so there were lots of houses with a 'checkered' past. MADAMEs that were wealthy enough, had a seperate 'boudoir' (That's a fancy word for dressing room). We've created a special environment in this accommodation with private bathroom, hardwood floors, antique bed, marble top chest, dressing table. Enjoy the handmade heirloom quilts on the wall.In case you're "into" history &architecture, ours is one of the 1st Creole side-hall cottages. In the late 1800s, house was a BORDELLO serving society's elite. Our interior architecture was influenced by the Chinese workmen +their practice of FENG SHUI (we'll tell you the story behind our staircase). "Free men of color" craftsmen helped create our bullseye friezes, elaborate, hand painted ceiling medallions, cypress millwork. HIGH CEILINGS, hardwood floors, Fleur de Lis fence, fish scale shingles, help you recall a bygone era. Don't let this picture make you think we're all "fancy" here. We offer a very laid back environment amidst a lot of the "fru fru" of the past. Guests say they've never seen so much "stuff."
In the 1920s, you could have followed the banana truck to Banana Courtyard. Now, you don't need a car, as it's a quick walk to everywhere in the French Quarter. When you get here, you'll find that the dining room and gallery seating area are the Winter heart of the B&B, Summer it's the COURTYARD, hammock, swing on verandah. Guests say, "I've never seen SO MUCH STUFF" - a banana mural, a sea turtle shell made into a light (don't blame us, done in '20s before they become an endangered species), a stuffed peacock (used in a movie set, so blame them). Elsewhere in the B&B: antique &vintage doll collection, art, lots of interesting "stuff" (collectibles, books, antique cameras, vintage Mah Jong set) +loads of information on the French Quarter. Ask us to share with you the story behind and TV short done on our "Painted Lady" tapestry. If you're VERY lucky, you might get a BALCONY room.I tried to upload the whole photo, but didn't work. Original photo was from dining room table looking up at chandelier with whirring ceiling fan blades on either side. Oh well. At least it's 1/2 interesting.
The Hexagon Room: Guests say, "It's like walking into a movie set." Antiques, art, sitting area, dressing table. This room was part of the double parlour when house was a BORDELLO to society's elite in late 1800s. Marble fireplace w/gas logs, hardwood floors, HIGH CEILINGS, floor to ceiling pocket doors elegantly draped with fabric. Huge GWtW bathroom with old fashioned bathtub adjoins.Yep. Our Continental breakfast is SERVED in the dining room -- we don't beleive in using paper plates and paper napkins. We try to make it an inviting place for guests to gather to exchange ideas about what they've done and seen, or just to get acquainted. Many a romance has blossomed in this historic room where the drinks were served and money collected in the BORDELLO days.
Sings aren't allowed on historic homes in N'Awlins, so this is what you'll see, instead, when you pull up to the B&B.Oops. Well we moved this bed to the Madame's Steamboat Room, and now the Hexagon Room has a King size bed, but this old photo gives you an idea of how stunning the pokcet doors are in the Hexagon Room.