I’m Eric.
I’m a New Orleans enthusiast.
Red Beans and Eric is dedicated to celebrating New Orleans and the Monday tradition of red beans and rice.
I want to share with you the importance of the tradition, even if you’re like me, and miles away from New Orleans and southern Louisiana.
I didn’t grow up in Louisiana. I’m not from New Orleans.
But I visited, I tasted, and something stuck. The city, the people, and the rhythm of Mondays became a part of me.
Since then, I’ve been on a mission to help home cooks everywhere learn the story, cook the beans, and feel the soul of this classic dish no matter where they live.
Why Red Beans?
Because red beans and rice is more than just a meal. It’s a ritual. A comfort. A connection.
It’s the kind of dish that slows you down and brings people together. And I think we all need more of that in our lives.
Here you’ll find:
🫘 red beans and rice and other recipes to serve alongside them
🔥 dishes inspired by tradition
📚 Stories behind the pot: where food meets culture in my series How Do You Red Bean?
💬 A community of curious, hungry cooks like you
Whether you’re a longtime fan or just stumbled upon this tradition, you’re in the right place.
My Promise to You
I’m not trying to be someone I’m not. I’m a home cook, a father, and a red beans evangelist who fell in love with New Orleans and this tradition. My goal is to honor the dish, the people who’ve kept it alive, and help you make it part of your own life — one Monday at a time.
Start Here
If you’re new, I recommend starting with:
- My classic Monday Red Beans and Rice Recipe
- The Story Behind the Tradition — Where Red Beans and Rice Come From
- How Do You Red Bean? — exclusive personal stories from New Orleans celebrities
Thank you for stopping by. Be sure to find me on your favorite social media site! If you make one of my recipes, please hashtag it with #RedBeansAndEric or tag me on it. I’d love to see it and share it with everyone else here in our community.
You can always email me at RedBeansAndEric@gmail.com, or by visiting the Contact Us page and leaving a message. I’m always up for a discussion on red beans and rice!
Keep the red beans cookin’!
Eric
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Press and Accolades
Louisiana Cookin’ magazine (January/February 2015)
Taste of Home magazine (November 2015)
(2nd Place in Thanksgiving Recipe Contest with Creole Roasted Turkey with Holy Trinity Stuffing with Da Pope and the Hot Nuns)
Taste of Home Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook (2021)
Online Articles
https://www.camelliabrand.com/red-beans-and-tailgating/
Frady’s One Stop: A Neighborhood Gem
At Fiorella’s, Food is a Family Tradition
Fried Chicken and Red Beans at Willie Mae’s Scotch House
Mena’s Palace: The Hero of This Odyssey Stayed For the Red Beans
Dunbar’s Creole Cuisine: Red Beans & Fried Chicken With a Side of History
“If you love New Orleans, New Orleans will love you back!”
-Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints QB
Frequently Asked Questions
From time to time I do get questions about why I do what I do, write what I write, and talk so much about New Orleans and red beans and rice. Here are some of the common questions I receive:
Red Beans & Eric at Fluerty Girl in New Orleans.
Why red beans and rice?
It’s total comfort food. Having red beans and rice is something that was way different from what I grew up on in the Midwest, but once I started making it, smelling it as it cooked, and eating it, it just became something I craved.
I chose “Red Beans and Eric” because, in my name, you can spell “rice”. In the beginning, I couldn’t make a pot of decent RB&R for anything. But as I was determined to master the Monday meal, I learned how important it is to the culture of New Orleans and not to add salt at the beginning of cooking. But seriously, how many meals out there can you name that is cooked by practically everyone in a region, on the same day, and it’s not a holiday?
Red beans and rice is that quiet meal in the background of New Orleans. Everyone knows it’s there but it’s not the one everyone rushes to. Everyone wants the gumbo, po’boy, jambalaya, Shrimp Creole, Oyster Rockefeller. And that’s something I can relate to.
If you’re not a chef, how did you learn to cook?
I moved away from my mom. My wife moved away from her mom. We needed to eat. In my late teens, I was a short-order cook for a couple of years so I knew very little. However, it was a little more than my wife knew. Needless to say, we ate out a lot. But when my first son was born, I wanted him to grow up eating meals prepared by either me or my wife – not relying on fast food.
To do this, since I liked cooking basic meals and my wife didn’t, I learned to broaden my cooking horizon past hot dogs with mac ‘n’ cheese. I had some basic cookbooks and just started cooking. The more I did it, the more I liked it.
Then there was that first trip to New Orleans…
How do you come up with all these recipes?
I first learned Creole and Cajun cooking by making the recipes in cookbooks exactly as written. By doing this I learned what each recipe needs to have, what is interchangeable, and what can still be added. Once you know the rules, you can adapt and change them without totally breaking them. And in some recipes, I broke the rules, ordered a pizza, then started discovering what different ingredients can do together.
Many times I’ll take one dish. Find two or more recipes on it, and start mashing it all into one recipe. It’s fun.
I don’t live in Louisiana. How do I get the same flavors?
To get the real flavors of Creole and Cajun cooking, you have to be in Louisiana. I’m sorry to say that but it’s true. If you can’t find Creole seasoning, you can make a homemade blend. Can’t find Camellia red beans at the store? You can order them online along with other Creole and Cajun products. But to get the real flavors, you have to go there. There’s something in the water I think… or as my friend Panderina Soumas says, “it’s all in the history!”
Do you want to know how I red bean?
I truly do! Tell me. Tell the world. Write me your tips, guidelines, the recipe if you want, and send it in with a picture of your red beans. If you really want me to put you on the website, put a written sign in the photo that says, “This is how I red bean!”
Are you looking to hire an editor, a proofreader, or a new writer?
I’m not. It’s only me. I like to compare my writing style to New Orleans – it’s not perfect. I just hope I don’t have as many writing mistakes as New Orleans has potholes. If you do find something, and it’s bothering you, please send me an email and I can correct it.
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