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English muffins with coffee-cured Canadian bacon, hollan- in 1938,” my docent, Kurt Owens, told me. “They completely
daise and marchand de vin sauce. restored it and lived here for 20 years. The Vieux Carre wasn’t
always romantic,” he said about the French Quarter, “In the
Bananas Foster, of course, may be de rigeur to follow, but
early 20th century, it was poor and run down. The Williams
we tried Crepes Fitzgerald, another Brennan’s original that
bought and restored this home and encouraged others to
features crepes stuffed with seasonal fruit. This holiday sea-
restore properties in the Quarter.” Their dedication is a primary
son’s version featured a stuffing of pumpkin and praline with
reason the French Quarter is so beloved today.
cream cheese brûlée. Like Bananas Foster, Crepes Fitzgerald
is flambeed twice with a local praline liqueur and Maker’s Mark At the Gallier Historic House, also on Royal, Michael Mae, our
bourbon. docent and architectural historian, regaled us with stories of
life in the 1860 Greek Revival home.
To walk off some of this indulgence, I sought historic homes
to tour, also expecting some holiday decorations to adorn Gallier was a famed architect who designed New Orlean’s
them. I was not disappointed. French Opera House (which no longer stands). He built this
home for himself, his wife and four daughters. He died here
First I found the Historic New Orleans Collection on Royal
in 1868, while his wife died here in 1906 and one their daugh-
Street, which includes a museum of Louisiana history and art
ters died here in 1909. After subsequent owners, the home
and the former home of General and Mrs. L. Kemper Williams.
was turned into a museum in 1974. “Creoles didn’t like closets
Tours here began in the 1970s.
because there was no air and clothes would mildew, so they
“The Williams acquired this 1792 Spanish Creole building

The courtyard at Brennan’s is one of the
city’s prettiest for fair weather dining.

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