This is my promised third column on New Orleans, but hopefully not my last.

I guess one of the many reasons I fell in love with this vibrant city is the passion they have for food. In the better restaurants like Jacques-imo's, they understand that in order for a restaurant to be successful, there has to be an almost fanatical commitment to the consistent execution of the fundamentals, or the ABC's. If you don't faithfully execute the basic elements, day in and day out, your history in the restaurant business will be short and financially painful. It is much more than just serving hot food hot, cold food cold, using homemade stocks and keeping the bathrooms clean.

Neglecting the multitude of little things, the ones that aren't glamorous or fun, is what trips up most people in most businesses. They are the things that will never be noticed if you do them well. We call it the absence of negatives. First, you must get those fundamentals right. You must have that obsessive commitment to the consistent execution of the fundamentals.

One of the things about New Orleans cooking is that they do a lot of frying. I know, for many people this is a big red flag, and something to try and stay away from at all costs. But frying is an art form. It can be done delicately and with finesse to produce a beautiful product, not a greasy, heavy blob. The key rules; the oil must be brand new and don't over fry. In addition, fry right before serving and cut or pound your food thin. Whenever possible, fry in a skillet - not a deep fryer - and use a well seasoned cast iron pan.

So, for this month, I will feature one of the Jacques-imo's and New Orleans staples; buttermilk fried chicken. And for those who will not eat any fried food, no matter how delicate and delicious, another Cajun favorite is Seafood Jambalaya. this is a very healthy dish and just about anything you like to eat can be put into it at your discretion.

The buttermilk fried chicken recipe is great the first day and even better the second. This pan fried recipe makes crispy, rich chicken right away. By day two, it has had even more time to absorb the buttermilk, spices and hot sauce.

Then, Jambalaya rivals gumbo as Louisiana's quintessential Creole dish. All you need is a green salad, perhaps some garlic bread and a bottle of good wine.

The nice thing about these dishes is that both can be made well in advance so you can sit down and enjoy your guests at the party.

Bob Leonardi, of Auburn, ran a successful restaurant business, catering, and gourmet food store in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for 15 years.

Seafood Jambalaya

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound sausage, Andouille in 1/4-inch slices

1 large bell pepper

1 large onion

3 ribs large celery

Creole seafood seasoning to taste

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

1 pint oysters, shucked with liquid

2 large tomatoes

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled

1/2 pound fish fillet, diced

2 bay leaves

3 cups long grain rice, rinsed three times

6 cups water

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1 head garlic, peeled and minced

2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced

The fish fillets may be trout, catfish, redfish, bass, bluefish or haddock.

Combine the butter and sausage in a Dutch oven or heavy gauge pot over high heat and saute for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic. Season with Creole seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to saute over high heat for about 8 more minutes or until the natural sugars in the vegetables have browned and caramelized.

Add the tomatoes, shrimp, fish and bay leaves, stirring after each addition. Add the rice, stir gently and add the water. Move the spoon across the bottom of the pot, making sure that the rice is not sticking. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Turn off the heat. Fold in the oysters, cover and let sit for about 8 to 10 minutes. To serve, transfer to a serving bowl and mix in the green onions. Season with hot sauce.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

2 chickens, about 3 pounds each

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

4 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste

4 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons dried thyme

3 tablespoons dried sage

3 tablespoons coarse black pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

6 cups vegetable shortening

3 tablespoons Kosher salt

Cut the chicken into serving pieces with each breast cut in half. Season the pieces with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the buttermilk and hot sauce. Stir and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Place the flour, thyme, sage, measured black pepper, measured salt and cayenne pepper in a a large bowl. Taste it. The mixture should have a good peppery-herb flavor and be slightly salty. This is important because you want the seasoning cooked in - not added at the end.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Coat one piece at a time with the flour mixture. Place the coated pieces on a sheet pan. The best way to do this is to pick up a chicken pieces with your left hand, let the excess liquid drain, place the chicken in the flour mixture, switch to your right hand to coat, shake off any excess flour and place the pieces on a sheet pan. Repeat until all pieces are coated.

Using a large, well seasoned cast iron skillet and a deep fry thermometer, bring half the shortening to 350 degrees over high heat. Cook the chicken pieces in three batches to avoid crowding in the pan. Place the first patch into the hot shortening, making sure that the oil keeps bubbling even as the temperature falls a bit and that the chicken pieces are not touching. Fry for about 5-6 minutes or until the pieces are an even golden brown on one side. Turn the pieces and cook for 7-8 minutes more or until done.

Place the cooked chicken on a wire rack with a sheet pan underneath and repeat with the second batch of chicken. After the second batch, discard the hot fat into a safe container, wipe the pan with paper towels, add the remaining shortening and cook the third batch. Be sure to use tongs and not a fork to turn the chicken. If you puncture the chicken with a fork the juices will come out, and it will be too dry inside.