I have a coffee date with my mother Tuesday morning.

We decided on Monday, Oct. 1 to meet...a day after I turned 41-years-old.

The plan is to get together at Stellar Beans in Lake Charles at 8 a.m. and start the day with Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.

Is there any way to start the day?

Franchises are not my favorite restaurants. Even when the menu is decent there is something fundamentally wrong with herd eating.

Yet, last night, the gods of the roadway put Pappas Seafood House on my radar.

As a point of self confession, I have eaten at other Pappas owned restaurants -- in a previous life mind you.

The dish that caught my attention was catfish topped with a sauce filled with grilled oysters, shrimp and crab meat. All of that was layered over a bed of jambalaya.

Actually, the dish was tasty, a bit over-kill with the dirty rice though.

Here's a picture...

This plate will set you back $25. Actually, this seving is big enough to share with a guest. Just grow the herd.

One of the more interesting aspects of writing about food is when pictures are taken  which provide a visual depiction of something tasty and good. But sometimes it is the picture -- not taken -- that is just as interesting.

I'm in Humble, Texas. Got here a little after midnight today. Checked into the LaQuinta Inn Bush International Airport and felt hunger pains shooting in my belly.

Feeding time!

Driving onto the hotel property I saw a 24-hour cafe on JFK Boulevard. Walked to the place not expecting anything special aside for a hot breakfast.

Looked at menu and saw an item that got my attention...Mexican omelet.

Ordered it up, even though the description was not the least bit settling. But I was feeling like living life on the edge, early in the morning in Clutch City.

What I got was a tortilla rolled around an omelet with three or four pieces of tomatoes, a smattering of half-inch squared onion slices, and chopped up breakfast sausage.

This special culinary mishap was topped of with partially melted cheddar cheese.

Picture this baby, with no salsa, as what the breakfast of champions can be when eating in the only place open early in the morning.

Taste?

There was none, aside from the three glasses of Sprite I drank to wash this tragedy down.

I was hungry and had to eat.

No, I didn't take a picture. This is a case of the thought being worth a thousand words or less.

First and foremost, this is my first attempt at blogging. On that note, I pat myself on the back for jumping into what seems to be the easy part of living in the modern computer world.

I've chosen to name my blog after a passion of mine...food.

As an introduction, let me provide you with a few details about your newbie blogger.

I live in Lake Charles, Louisiana which is known as the "Outback" of Louisiana.
I work as a newspaper reporter for the American Press in Lake Charles.
I am a staff writer and food columnist.
I have written for local, state, regional and national magazines, trade journals and other media outlets.
I was basically raised inside a professional kitchen complimentsof  my father.
I love to cook.
I love telling stories about food.
I love the idea that food is the great common denominator.
I regard Louisiana as a hot zone of culinary history and focal point of all that is good on a plate in the United States.

Along the way,  I will share a few words about traveling, in the moment thoughts from the streets, a few tears and lots of laughs. I want you to respond in kind. And remember, be kind.

With that, I say hello.

Lets take a ride my friends.