A city of wrought iron balconies tangled with tropical flowers, whose perfume mingles with the effusion of rising bourbon and cayenne pepper. This city of Mardi Gras, bathed by the mighty Mississippi sits in low ying bayous where a distinct culture struggles to survive. From the tension between the city and the country, the various races and languages and from it complex cultural history has emerged an eccentric set of traditions and one of the most distinct cuisines in the United States.