Tag: New Orleans culture

  • When a Gambino’s Birthday Cake Made it to Hollywood

    When a Gambino’s Birthday Cake Made it to Hollywood

    Hollywood superstar Gregory Peck was in New Orleans speaking at a meeting of the American Cancer Society. It also happened to be his 50th birthday — and what better way to celebrate than with a Gambino’s cake? In our 75 years baking for the Greater New Orleans area, we at Gambino’s have had the honor…

  • Would the real Phillip Clark please stand up?

    Would the real Phillip Clark please stand up?

    The second half of the 20th century saw more robberies of New Orleans businesses than the decades before and since. Gambino’s wasn’t immune, unfortunately, but neither was any man named Phillip Clark.

  • How a boy with a “bad heart” showed Gambino’s soul

    How a boy with a “bad heart” showed Gambino’s soul

    Gambino’s Bakery cares about its community. Our neighbors matter, and they are part of what has made our shops so special for 75 years. Bryan Thomas, the boy with the “bad heart” is one amazing and memorable example. As we look back through the historical archives at Gambino’s 75 years serving Louisiana, it is immediately…

  • A Cake Made for the Kings of New Orleans Newspapers

    A Cake Made for the Kings of New Orleans Newspapers

    Gambino’s Bakery is proud that our creations are at the center of so many celebrations. In researching our history, we were excited to find that a major moment in local newspaper history featured our cakes, as well. The history of newspapers in New Orleans can be tough to follow. Back in 1837, local businessmen George…

  • A Racehorse That Was as Fresh as Gambino’s!

    A Racehorse That Was as Fresh as Gambino’s!

    Springtime is the Louisiana Derby, one of the country’s most popular horse races, and a key competition on the road to the iconic Kentucky Derby. In 1994, a champion racehorse from Lake Charles and a local rock legend resulted in an unexpected nod to Gambino’s Bakery! When we began looking through old Louisiana newspaper archives…

  • Tutti, Gambino’s most colorful customer, goes missing!

    Tutti, Gambino’s most colorful customer, goes missing!

    Next door to our Baton Rouge bakery lived a beautiful, two-foot-tall macaw named Tutti. The rare parrot was valued at $3,000 in 1992 and was kidnapped that year. This is the harrowing tale of how Tutti was recovered. One of the most enjoyable aspects of our 75th anniversary has been rediscovering three-quarters-of-a-century worth of stories!…

  • Rediscover the 1984 World’s Fair in Present Day New Orleans

    Rediscover the 1984 World’s Fair in Present Day New Orleans

    For a long time, hosting a World’s Fair was an extremely big deal. People would travel across the globe to a host city to experience the newest, cutting edge technologies and learn about different cultures.  New Orleans hosted its first World’s Fair in 1884, mostly in what is now Audubon Park. But our fair city…

  • Piazza d’Italia: A Hidden New Orleans Landmark

    Piazza d’Italia: A Hidden New Orleans Landmark

    As summer approaches, maybe you’re daydreaming about the Italian vacation you’ve always wanted: the vibrant culture, the people, and the charming piazzas to sit in as you eat your Italian food and sip on your Italian wine. But guess what? If it’s an Italian piazza you’re after, there’s no need to fly across an ocean.…

  • The New Orleans Streetcar Through the Years: Part 1

    The New Orleans Streetcar Through the Years: Part 1

    When the sun is shining, there’s hardly an image more iconic in New Orleans than that of a streetcar rumbling down St. Charles Avenue. Tennesee Williams knew it when he wrote his 20th century masterpiece, A Streetcar Named Desire. By then, railway technology had already been spreading across the globe for a hundred years —…

  • Boeuf Gras: Get Your Carnival Fill Before Lent

    Boeuf Gras: Get Your Carnival Fill Before Lent

    If you’ve seen the Rex parade on Fat Tuesday it’s likely you’ve noticed the enormous white bull sitting atop one of the iconic parade’s signature floats. And you’re not alone. Decades of New Orleanians have seen the same bewildering sight. Welcome to Boeuf Gras. The massive creature is known as Boeuf Gras and is one…

  • King Cake’s Cousins Around the Globe

    King Cake’s Cousins Around the Globe

    When you ask most Americans where king cake is eaten, the most frequent answers you’ll hear are Louisiana or New Orleans. But, to the surprise of many, king cake is enjoyed all across Europe and North America.  This is because the king cake tradition began thousands of years ago in Ancient Rome. Mardi Gras (or…

  • Twelfth Night Traditions of New Orleans

    Twelfth Night Traditions of New Orleans

    Twelfth Night — or January 6 — is the undisputed kick-off to Carnival season! But the Twelfth night of what?  In many parts of the world, Twelfth Night and the Christian holiday, Epiphany, are synonymous. One definition of epiphany is “the manifestation of a supernatural being.” In this case, that supernatural being was the baby…