Evidence abounds in Louisiana that a mascot can bring people together better than almost anything else.
The Picayune Frog started doing just that more than a century ago.
Long before Margaret Orr, Rob Perillo or Jay Grymes were around, the Picayune Frog was a guiding force in Louisiana weather reporting. On Jan. 11, 1894, the line-drawn frog first graced the newspaper's pages — dressed to convey that day's forecast at a glance. In 1952, the paper introduced a new weather mascot, Pogo the Possum, and readers demanded the return of the amphibian.
The Daily Picayune weather frog, as seen in his initial appearance in the New Orleans newspaper, on Jan. 11, 1894. (File image)
In the "The Picayune Creole Cook Book," which originally published in 1901, the Picayune Frog is praised, admired and doted on like a grandmother with her favorite grandchild.
"When the Picayune Frog first made its advent in New Orleans as the 'Weather Prophet' of this old and faithful journal, the enthusiasm throughout the city was very great," the cookbook reads. "'Picayune Teas,' 'Picayune Souvenir Pins,' with the picture of our Frog in all his various garbs as 'Weather Prophet,' became the fashion of the hour. No entertainment, no reunion, no fair, was considered complete without the presence of the Picayune Frog."
Enthusiasm for the weather prophet was so great that recipes for "Picayune Frog Lemonade" and "Picayune Cake" are included in the book. In an effort to stay cool, "Frog Lemonade" seemed like a good idea.
It was.
The drink is delicious. Its pineapple juice helped to cut the bitterness of the lemon juice and made it perfect for a hot Louisiana summer day.
For a not-so-light-or-summery dish, I paired the lemonade with "Fricassée de Volaille, Sauce Brune" — aka chicken stew. Despite the heartiness of the dish, it went perfectly with the tangy lemonade.
Frog Lemonade prepared by reporter Lauren Cheramie on Friday, June 14, 2024.
In the intro for "Frog Lemonade," the cookbook recaps the origin of the recipe, which involves the newspaper serving lemonade at a booth for a charity festival and raising more than $14,000.
"It was all attributed to the great and unfailing popularity of the Picayune and of its famous little Weather Prophet, the Frog," the cookbook says.
But of course.
Stewed chicken with brown sauce prepared by reporter Lauren Cheramie on Friday, June 14, 2024.
On the other hand, the chicken stew was warm, flavorful and hearty. (In full disclosure, I added an extra teaspoon of Tony's for an additional kick.) Chicken stew is one of my favorite comfort meals — and this version is a winner.
After attempting to follow rather arcane instructions for previous recipes from this old cookbook, these two recipes have been the least complicated to make.
Maybe that's just the luck of the Picayune Frog.
Stewed Chicken, Brown Sauce
Fricassée de Volaille, Sauce Brune
By The Picayune Creole Cook Book
Stewed chicken with brown sauce and white rice prepared by reporter Lauren Cheramie on Friday, June 14, 2024.
1 chicken
1 onion
1 tablespoon lard
1 tablespoon flour, sifted
1 sprig of thyme, parsley and bay leaf, minced fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Clean and cut the chicken into pieces at the joints. Season well with salt and black pepper.
Chop the onions fine. Put a tablespoonful of lard into the stewpot, and, when hot, add the onion.
Let it brown slightly and then add the flour, which has been well-sifted. Let this brown and add the chicken. Let all simmer a few minutes and then add the chopped thyme, parsley and bay leaf. Stir well and often. When every piece is nicely browned, add one pint and a half of boiling water or soup broth. Stir until it begins to boil. Season again to taste. Cover and let it summer gently for an hour, or until tender. In making a fricassée, the liver, heart and gizzard of the chicken are all thrown into the stew. Dish up the chicken, pour over the hot sauce and serve hot. This dish is very nice with boiled rice or potatoes. It is a simple, elegant dish, within the means of everyone. This is a plain fricassée.
Frog Lemonade
By The Picayune Creole Cook Book
2 dozen lemons
1 pound sugar
2 quarts water
1 pineapple
2 bottles of seltzer water
3 dozen strawberries
This famous drink was originated in honor of the Picayune Frog at a great charity festival given in New Orleans for the benefit of the Newsboys Home. The Picayune, in common with other newspapers of the city, entered into the festival for the purpose of living the burden of indebtedness that rested on the home. It held a booth, presided over by the ladies of the Picayune staff and a number of the most prominent ladies of New Orleans. A prominent Creole lady kept the Picayune Frog Tent, in which lemonade only was dispensed. She concocted a delicious beverage, and named it "Frog Lemonade." The booth was the great attraction of the festival. The Picayune led the festival, outdistancing all other papers three to one as regarded the other largest English daily in New Orleans, and running far ahead of the various other newspapers five and six to one, in the total amount of over $14,000 raised through the festival. It was all attributed to the great and unfailing popularity of the Picayune and of its famous little Weather Prophet, the Frog.
Frog Lemonade is made as follows: Take a large punch bowl. Add one pound of sugar, two quarts of water, the juice of two dozen lemons, the juice of one pineapple, two bottles of seltzer water. Mix all well. Add three dozen fine, large strawberries, and decorate with slices of pineapple and lemon sliced very thin. In case there is not sufficient sugar, sweeten again to taste. Put a large piece of ice in the bowl. When ready to serve, fill glasses one-quarter full of crushed ice, and fill up with the lemonade, being careful to have several strawberries and a slice or two of lemons and pineapple in each glass. This lemonade is delicious.