I started off the new year in the kitchen — frying up beignets. We found Cafe du Monde mix in the grocery store and thought I’d give them a try.

I only ate at Cafe du Monde once and that was back in 2000, but from what I remember, the cafe’s beignets were a bit lighter and fluffier. I tried not to overmix the dough, and I made sure the oil was hot enough. But, it was just a mix. Perhaps I’ll try to make a batch from scratch–but not today!

Or perhaps we should take a quick weekend trip down to New Orleans to do some comparative tasting.