Author: Emily Gautreaux

UL Lafayette Achieves Elite Tier of Carnegie Classification for Research

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is now ranked at the highest level of research institutions in the United States, according to a news release from the university. According to the latest update from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, UL Lafayette achieved Carnegie’s elite R1 designation, placing the school among the highest tier of public and private research institutions, something that only 3% of the United States’s colleges and universities have achieved.

Achieving the status of being a recognized R-1 institution indicates that a higher learning institution has met high standards in research spending, staff levels, and the number of doctorates awarded annually. Being classified as a Research-1 or R-1 institution not only elevated UL Lafayette and its profile, allowing the school to draw more prestigious and learned faculty, but it also is likely to attract more research dollars and private support.

Having an R1 status is synonymous with achieving remarkable levels of academic excellence, substantial research, transformative innovation, and lasting global impact. Other R-1 institutions in the country are Duke, Emory, Carnegie-Mellon, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard, and Rice. In addition to UL Lafayette, Louisiana’s only other R-1 institutions are Louisiana State University and Tulane University.

UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie said of the milestone, “the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is excited to have achieved R-1 status and to take our place among the top tier of the nation’s research universities. The designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning is a recognition of the strength of our research program. It is a tribute to the faculty, staff and student researchers whose work has pushed the bounds of scholarship and innovation and drawn significant national and international attention to the University and to the region it is proud to serve.”

Carnegie classifications for Doctoral Universities are given to institutions that award at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees during a year and institutions with fewer than 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees awarded at least 30 professional practice doctoral degrees in at least 2 programs. Both of these categories of institutions must also have had at least $5 million in total research expenditures according to the National Science Foundation Higher Research & Development Survey. The three levels of Carnegie’s designations for such higher learning institutions are:

  • R1: Doctoral Universities- Very high research activity
  • R2: Doctoral Universities- High research activity
  • D/PU: Doctoral/Professional Universities.

At the tail end of 2021, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that UL Lafayette was among nine other universities that were promoted to Carnegie’s highest classification of “Doctoral/Very High Research” institutions.  The other universities elevated were:

University of Louisiana System President and CEO Jim Henderson said, “this tremendous accomplishment is the realization of a purposeful research vision centered on improving life in Louisiana and around the globe. I want to congratulate President Savoie, Vice President (Ramesh) Kolluru, and the faculty of UL Lafayette for achieving this designation, an achievement of nearly unrivaled importance for our state and her people.”

Since 1970, the Carnegie Classification has stood as the leading framework for “describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education for the past four and a half decades,” as per the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. For four and a half decades, this classification has served as a benchmark of excellence when it comes to institutions of higher learning, and for UL Lafayette to not only join the R1 Doctoral University ranks of LSU and Tulane but also ivy league schools, it’s a momentous achievement that only makes the post-secondary educational experience in Louisiana that much stronger.

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Potato and Leek Soup Topped with Fried Gremolata

The winter season always makes it the ideal time of year to whip up a hearty pot of soup to warm you up inside and out, and this particularly rustic recipe from Bon Appétit is the perfect meal for those cold winter days when the weather is bitter and freezing. The following recipe for a hearty leek and potato soup that’s served with fried herb gremolata and lemon wedges serves as a zesty and texture-rich soup that will stand as a reliable dish for many winters to come.

Ingredients for Potato and Leek Soup

1 large lemon

7 cloves of garlic, divided

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup of sage leaves, loosely-packed

½ cup of rosemary leaves, loosely-packed

10 sprigs of thyme

1 3.5 oz. jar of capers

1 large bunch of parsley

2 ½ teaspoons of Morton kosher salt plus one additional tablespoon, divided

3 stalks of celery

1 ¼ pound of Yukon Gold potatoes

2 quarts of vegetable stock, divided

½ cup of heavy cream

Directions for Potato and Leek Soup:

  1. You’ll begin this recipe by lining a baking sheet with a single layer of paper towels and finely grating the zest from a single large lemon into a medium bowl. Cut your lemon into wedges and set it aside for serving. Next, finely chop 2 garlic cloves and add them to the bowl with lemon zest.
  2. Pour your extra-virgin olive into a small saucepan until it comes up approximately ½ inch up the side of the saucepan. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the sides of the pan and heat your oil over medium heat until the thermometer registers at 225°F–250 °F. While working in two separate batches and returning the oil to 225 °F in between batches, fry 1 cup of loosely-packed sage leaves until the oil stops bubbling and the sage is crisp but still fairly green (about 2 minutes per batch). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the leaves to your prepared baking sheet.
  3. Repeat the frying process with ½ cup of loose-packed rosemary leaves and then 10 sprigs of thyme while returning the oil to 225°F–250°F between batches and transferring them all to the same baking sheet.
  4. Next, set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium-sized Dutch oven. Drain your single 3.5 oz. jar of capers and pat them dry. Then, fry the capers in the oil while stirring occasionally. Continue this just until the capers burst open and are crisp and have darkened to a deep green color. Keep an eye on the frying capers, because the oil will begin to bubble steadily at the beginning, but it will bubble less frequently when the capers are ready to be removed (after about 5 minutes). Remove the capers from the heat, strain them through the prepared sieve, and allow the oil to cool. Transfer your capers onto the baking sheet with the herbs.
  5. Pluck the leaves off of our large bunch of parsley until you have 2 loosely-packed cups and coarsely chop them. Then, coarsely chop your thyme into pieces that are the same size as the parsley and add both to the bowl with your garlic and lemon zest. Pout your sage, rosemary, and capers into the bowl, and season the gremolata with kosher salt, and gently toss it to combine.
  6. Trim the dark green tops off of 2 ½ pounds of your leeks and discard the tops. Slice the white and pale green parts into 1/4th inch-thick rounds, rinse them into a large bowl of water, and swish them around to loosen and wash off any dirt. Drain and repeat this process as needed and then wipe the bowl clean before returning the leeks to the bowl.
  7. Slice your 3 celery stalks on a slight diagonal so that they’re ¼ inches thick. Afterward, thinly slice the 5 remaining garlic cloves, add both the celery and garlic to the bowl with your leeks and ¾ teaspoon of Morton kosher salt.
  8. Heat some vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and while the oil is heating up, slice 1 ¼ pound of Yukon Gold potatoes into ¼ inch-thick discs.
  9. Once the oil is hot, add your leek mixture to the oven and stir it with a slotted spoon to coat the pieces. Reserve the bowl, cover the oven with a lid, and let it cook until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Afterward, transfer your vegetables back to the reserved bowl.
  10. Transfer your potatoes to a pot and add 1 quart of vegetable stock and the remaining 1 ¾ teaspoons of Morton kosher salt to the pot. Heat it over medium-high until it’s rapidly simmering but not boiling, partially cover it, and continue to cook it for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Return the leek mixture to the pot, add the remaining 1 quart of vegetable stock and ½ cup of heavy cream to the pot, and cook it until it’s just starting to simmer again.
  11. Remove the pot from the heat, taste it, and season it with salt if needed. Ladle the finished soup into bowls, spoon a generous amount of gremolata on top, and stir it in the bowl. Serve the bowls alongside your reserved lemon wedges, and enjoy!

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Start the New Year atop this Magnificent Mountaintop in Québec

Each year during the winter months, many are inspired to escape to the mountains and bundle up in a ski lodge to enjoy the warm hearth, quiet atmosphere, and exhilarating slopes. Because this wintertime fantasy is shared by many travelers, it can often be tough to find a mountainside resort, lodge, or cabin that isn’t booked or crowded, but this feature from Travel + Leisure shines a light on  Le Massif de Charlevoix in Quebec, a lesser-known Canadian winter paradise.

It should be noted that recent COVID-19 surges may have caused new government restrictions, rules, and safety measures to have been set. Because of this, it’s always suggested that those who wish to travel check local guidelines for Quebec, consult CDC recommendations, and take personal health conditions into account before traveling. This way you’re more prepared to enjoy your trip while remaining as safe and responsible as possible in these unprecedented times.

Known for having the highest vertical drop east of the Canadian Rockies, housing some of the most accomplished names in Canadian cuisine, and welcoming guests to the first-ever Club Med resort in Canada that’s just opened on December 3rd, Québec’s Le Massif de Charlevoix is the perfect destination for travelers to experience adventure, comfort, and immense satisfaction. Le Massif de Charlevoix is located just one hour outside of Quebec City, and it houses over 400 skiable acres above the truly unforgettable sight of the St. Lawrence River, which is viewable from nearly every run.

As previously mentioned, the latest addition to the area that has been making quite a name for itself is the all-inclusive experience to be had at the country’s first Club Med resort, which is located just an hour and a half outside of Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport in the charming Charlevoix region. Being all-inclusive, this resort includes accommodations, food and drink, activities, and more as part of your booked nightly rate, thus allowing you to truly relax and forget about the finer details once you step foot on its campus. Outside of Club Med Québec, you might want to reserve a small home at Les Refuges so that you can share a warm fireplace and fully-equipped kitchen with a group of four to six people in between your treks out onto the various slopes.

For those sledding, skiing, and snowboarding enthusiasts, Le Massif de Charlevoix offers one of the most bountiful environments for both the beginner and the advanced winter enthusiast. Though if you’re a thrill-seeker, you’ll be pleased to hear that the mountain offers more than 9 miles of skiable and rideable terrain outside of the traditional ski area boundary (known as backcountry), and it’s the perfect environment for those who enjoy alpine hiking, touring, and splitboarding. After it’s all said and done, however, one of the largest attractions on the mountain is the classic 4.6-mile sledding run that allows you to see the mountain like you never have before. Additionally, the traditionally sledding run is also accessible at night, providing you with an unmatched, exhilarating experience that’s sure to get your adrenaline pumping.

Lastly, one of the most bountiful treasures of Québec’s Le Massif de Charlevoix’s collections of inspirational Canadian cuisine that can be enjoyed on and off the mountain. If you’re taking a break from the slopes, Restauration Summit Chalet is located on the mountain and it’s the first and last name in hearty, herbal sandwiches and soups that will satiate and satisfy your hunger like no other restaurant. Also recommended in the area is the smoked meat poutine offered at Le Saint-Pub-Microbrasserie Charlevoix.

In speaking on the luxuries that this destination has to offer, the communication and marketing director for Le Massif, Maude Barrette Desjardins, said “You have to understand, when you come to Le Massif, as soon as you enter the road, you feel at that instant that you are traveling, you are elsewhere. There’s something really unique — you feel like you’re in a dream at every run.”

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King Cake Returns in 2022

With the christening of a new year comes a new Mardi Gras season, and while the state of the 2022 Carnival season is facing uncertainty amidst COVID-19 surges, Louisiana’s passion for the king cake is as strong as ever according to this nola.com profile.

Last year when many Mardi Gras parades, balls, and parties had been canceled or significantly limited due to the pandemic, Louisiana citizens proved that the spirit of the season wasn’t going to disappear along with the celebratory events. This was seen in the steady king cake sales seen by bakeries during the 2021 Carnival season; in fact, some bakeries even saw an increase in profits in the year despite many traditional festivities being canceled.

So it stands to reason that as the calendar has transitioned into 2022, the interest in king cakes will not have been subsidized in the least, even as the prospects for the 2022 parade season are masked in uncertainty. With king cakes becoming available during the first week of January on Twelfth Night (January 5th), the start of Mardi Gras season is officially underway, and this year’s Carnival will be nearly two weeks longer than last year’s. The 2022 Mardi Gras season is held between Twelfth Night and Mardi Gras Day, which lands on March 1st, giving the public over seven weeks or 55 days of delicious king cakes to enjoy.

Many Louisiana bakeries are seeing the lengthier season as an opportunity to be more competitive in the name of the Carnival spirit and thus more inventive with their king cakes. This inventiveness is coming in the form of new flavors, textures, and partnerships. In a traditional year, New Orleans bakeries can showcase a competitive spirit due to the limited window of king cake availability despite the ever-growing public demand, but this year is shaping up to showcase a new cooperative spirit as various collaborations have already begun.

One such collaboration is the King Cake Hub which stands as a centralized location that houses several king cakes from various restaurants and bakeries in one spot. At the King Cake Hub, one can survey a variety of flavors, textures, and confections all in a single location, allowing you to truly compare different bakers’ approaches to the opulent dessert. Originally created in 2019 by Will Samuels, who was a notable community leader in New Orleans known for his previous forays into the Crescent City food and music world.

This year, the King Cake Hub has returned to New Orleans through the help of Samuel’s wife, Jennifer, who has brought back the celebrated and innovative king cake epicenter in accordance with her husband’s wishes. Will Samuels passed away from cancer at the age of 52 this past September, but his dream lives on in 2022 in two locations: the Zony Mash Beer Project on Thalia Street and The Historic New Orleans Collection in the French Quarter, which is accessible through the museum and cultural center’s gift shop on Royal Street.

In a similar spirit of Mardi Gras resilience, Steve Himelfarb, the founder of the Marigny Bakery and Restaurantpartnered with his neighbors at the NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) to bring back his legendary king cake to benefit a local high school’s culinary program. Himelfarb’s bakery had closed in 2020, but that didn’t stop him from returning in 2022 at the King Cake Hub and offering king cake preorders online as well.

Speaking of online sales, one of the areas of king cake commerce that saw tremendous growth in 2021 was the shipping of king cakes around the country. Because king cakes travel well and serve as a great way to share the holiday spirit with loved ones, 2022 is projected to similarly be a successful year in terms of king cakes sales and shipping. Now’s the time to conduct your research and support your favorite small bakery with a king cake shipment, allowing you to start the Mardi Gras season in spectacular style.

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A Guide to Staying in Pleasant Virginia Beach

An important occasion such as the turning of a new year calls for many changes, and for some that time specifically calls for a change in scenery. So, if you’re looking for a fantastic location in which you can set your sights on something familiar, new, profound, and simple, then look no further than Virginia Beach, Virginia’s largest coastal city, as outlined in this travel guide from the state’s own travel blog.

As the state of Virginia is one of the original Thirteen Colonies, there lies a lot of history, sentiment, and spectacle in the state, its wilderness, waters, and cities. Specifically, the town of Virginia Beach, which is the most populous city in the state, is located on the Atlantic Ocean right at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, and it’s known as a resort city with miles of beaches, hotels, oceanfront restaurants, shops, and much more, thus making it the perfect location for your next trip. As collected from Virginia’s Travel Blog’s suggested Weekend Vacation Guide to Virginia Beach, the following suggestions all come well-reviewed and in good faith.

Though, it should be noted that recent COVID-19 surges may have caused new government restrictions, rules, and safety measures to have been set. Because of this, it’s always suggested that those who wish to travel check local guidelines, consult CDC recommendations, and take personal health conditions into account before traveling. This way you’re more prepared to enjoy your trip while remaining as safe and responsible as possible in these unprecedented times.

Where to Stay

Many, many of Virginia Beach’s hotels and rental properties are oceanside or located directly on the beach itself, but one of the most astounding and luxurious places that you can book is the award-winning Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel. The hotel itself offers many deluxe rooms and suites to its patrons who often like to partake in the many amenities offered on behalf of the hotel. One such amenity is the rooftop infinity pool that guests can swim in, making their experience all the more spectacular. Located literally next door to Neptune’s Park, beside the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, ten minutes away from the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, and less than four miles away from Ocean Breeze Waterpark, this hotel can stand proudly as the perfect epicenter of your vacation.

What to Experience

One of the best experiences you can have in Virginia Beach is to find yourself in nature. Thus, one of the best spots for admiring the foliage, wildlife, and majesty of one of America’s oldest wonders is by visiting First Landing State Park. This park is named for the very first colonial settlers that stepped on the shores of Virginia hundreds of years ago, and after walking its over 20 miles of walking trails (such as the Cape Henry Trail), it’ll be easy to see why they planned to stay in the area. Furthermore, First Landing State Park borders the Chesapeake Bay, so there are over 200 beachfront campsites and fully furnished cabins that are available to be booked, giving you a unique perspective on a scenic destination.

As visiting a State Park is typically an all-day event, set aside some leisure time on your other days to visit the astounding ViBe Creative District to inundate yourself with the cultural and artistic scene of Virginia Beach. There are many art shops, storefronts, and the like in this neighborhood to check out such as Prosperity Kitchen & Pantry, North End Bag Company, Igor’s Custom, and Commune. Each of these shops located in the ViBe Creative District will give you specific insight into the sustainable arts scene of Virginia Beach and (of course) will serve as a nice change of pace to those recovering from a day of hiking.

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Deliciously Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Whether it is time for lunch or dinner, a side dish that can be paired with your meal is always an essential piece of the dinner table tableau. Plus, once you have this deliciously creamy baked mac and cheese recipe from Food 52 in your back pocket, you’ll never find yourself without a reliable side dish at your disposal.

Because this recipe has you baking the mac and cheese, it makes it simple to prepare the ingredients alongside the remainder of your meal, mix them together in your preferred casserole dish, and cook in your oven at whatever time aligns with your main course. Though, the freshly-grated cheeses included in this recipe serve to make this dish upstage your primary protein if you’re not too careful.

This recipe only calls for about 15 minutes of prep time, which can easily be done as you prep or cook your other ingredients. The cooking time is stated as being 30 minutes with the resulting dish suited to serve 4-6 people, but you can always multiply the ingredients so as to whip up a larger batch. In fact, if you’re a fan of cheesy leftovers, that might just be a great idea.

Baked Mac and Cheese Ingredients:

5 cups of whole milk

10 tablespoons of unsalted butter

½ cup of all-purpose flour

1 additional tablespoon of all-purpose flour

3 ounces of aged provolone, grated

4 ½ ounces of asiago fresco, grated

4 ½ ounces of fontina, grated

¾ pound of fresh mozzarella, grated

1 pound of cavatappi pasta

Kosher salt, to taste

Directions for Baked Mac and Cheese:

                          1. You’ll begin this recipe by setting a large pot of water on your stove to boil and then cook your pasta. Set the pot to high heat, add a small dash of salt, and cover it almost completely so as to let the water reach its boiling point.
  2. Set another large pot on another burner, but set this one to medium heat. Melt your butter in the pot and add in your flour, whisking it for 1 to 2 minutes. While whisking constantly, add in your milk and you will begin to notice a paste form. Continue adding your milk until all 5 cups are used, and be sure to whisk the pot throughout the process until it’s completely smooth with no lumps. Simmer the pot until your milk, butter, and flour sauce begins to thicken to the consistency of a thin gravy.
  3. While your sauce is busy thickening, reduce your heating element from medium to low. Add in your grated fontina, provolone, and asiago cheeses. Stir them into the sauce until all of the grated cheeses have melted completely. At this point, taste the sauce and adjust the salt accordingly. Be sure to keep your pot on the lowest-possible heat so as to only warm the sauce, and preheat your oven to 450°F.
  4. At this point, your pasta water should be boiling. The salt you’ve added before should make the pasta water taste like a highly-seasoned soup broth. Cook your pasta for half the time that’s suggested on the box. You’repurposefully undercooking the pasta so that it will finish cooking in the oven with the cheeses.
  5. After it’s properly undercooked, drain your pasta and add it to your cheese sauce. Stir the noodles into the sauce thoroughly, and carefully transfer your mixture to a large, shallow baking dish. It’s preferred that your baking dish have more surface area so as to allow for more small crispy bits that truly elevate the texture.
  6. Sprinkle your fresh mozzarella cheese on top of your pasta and bake it for 10 to 15 minutes, until you begin to see the sauce bubbling up around your noodles. Then, broil your mac and cheese for 1 to three minutes until your mozzarella is brown and crispy.
  7. Remove it from the oven, let it cool slightly, and serve immediately.

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