treme's taste buds

Photo courtesy of Nisha Sondhe

Confession: I have not yet seen David Simon's heralded television series, "The Wire."Or "Treme."

[Insert gasp here.]

I know, I know. This represents a serious gap in my pop culture cred. But just because I haven't seen his shows doesn't mean I'm not aware of Simon's genius. So the recent New York Times article on the second season of "Treme," set in post-Katrina New Orleans, caught my eye.

The article reports on the culinary tradition emphasis of season two, with plot twists that involve the fate of a featured character, Janette Desautel, head chef of the fictitious restaurant, Desautel's. After temporarily shuttering Desautel's, she heads to New York City to seek work.

Two cities, two culinary personalities.

Last summer, I collaborated with portrait photographer Nisha Sondhe on a piece for Saveur Magazine called "Requiem for an Oyster." The photo essay featured chefs from New Orleans in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the impact on seafood that is the cornerstone of NOLA cuisine. Despite the challenges of the one-two punch of Katrina and Deepwater, Sondhe encountered optimism in the face of these challenges.

Does this optimism feature in "Treme"?

Clearly, it's time for me to tune in and watch to find out.