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I stumbled across marinated rabbit at Ronnie’s Boudin and Cracklin House #2 (9830 Florida Boulevard) and mused for a minute that unlike sacrificial lambs and fatted calves, not to mention ducks and swine, bunny rabbits traditionally get a pass for Easter dinner. I wonder why that is. But rabbit on the grocery list or not, Ronnie’s has what is arguably the area’s best beef jerky, a claim that’ll probably spark a dust-up from devotees of other South Louisiana meat purveyors. Last week, I sat down with a bag from Ronnie’s and one from French Settlement (doesn’t everyone eat this much jerky?) and Ronnie’s virtues stood out: spicy, but not so crazy with the red pepper, chewy, but not so tough it needs to be carbon-dated. The stuff was smoky and tender, perfect cowboy fare, although I probably shouldn’t have eaten the whole bag.

I had a birthday last week, marked by an insane, all-Italian six-course meal, each brought by a different friend. We started with pickled cauliflower, green beans, gorgonzola topped tomatoes, and bruschetta with garlic, salt and olive oil, then moved onto stuffed shells with a light red cream sauce, followed by short ribs and shrimp scampi over polenta. A salad with fennel and herbs came next, then a trio of cheeses, and finally, tiramisu. Martin Wine Cellar helped me do pairings with three affordable Italian wines: Nino Franco Rustico, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene (a sparkling wine), a 2004 Soave from Tamellini Brothers (a crisp white), and a 2004 Beneventano Anglianico (a medium to full-bodied red). All were really solid and paired great with our food, but the Prosecco was a huge standout. If you find Champagne or sparkling wines too dingy or too fruity, try this one. It’s incredibly clean and will match anything, even vanilla ice cream and birthday cake.