The first pic is that of the New Orleans skyline on 3 September 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The second is the city today. — from this article in today’s New York Times.

Witness New Orleans reborn; a phoenix rising out of the destruction wrought by nature. Its people live on the edge daily, struggling to recreate, struggling to overcome a broad array of obstacles that inspire them to be more resolute than ever before.

As in pre-Katrina New Orleans, food remains the rallying point that binds the people of the city together. Black, white, Cajun, Creole, rich and poor: people from all walks of life have pitched in to rebuild, reclaim and in the process, to instill a little bit of hope in everyone around them.

Later this month marks the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Witness the season of hope, the season of rebirth; New Orleans like never before.

Here is a thread on eGullet, detailing a scholarship created under the auspices of The eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters.  The scholarship, which was established in September 2005, continues to provide funding for displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina to attend culinary school.

Click here to visit the Southern Foodways Alliance, a member-supported organization of more than 500 chefs, academics, writers and eaters, whose mission is to promote, document and help celebrate the wonderful diversity of cuisines found in the American South.  Upcoming events this fall include a series of symposia held by the SFA and the McIlhenny Company on 30 August, 12 October and 29 November 2006 in New Orleans, New York and San Francisco on the respective dates above.  The symposia are dedicated to the extraordinary food culture and peoples’ memories to be found within the Crescent City, past and present.

Here are a series of blog posts on Jason’s site that document his and his wife’s visit to New Orleans, seven months in the aftermath of Katrina.  Of particular interest is Jason and Rachel’s visit to Casamento’s where they ran into Leah Chase, the grand doyenne of Creole cuisine in New Orleans. Mrs. Chase is the chef and owner of Dooky Chase Restaurant, one of New Orleans’ famed eateries, right up there with institutions such as Brennan’s and Commander’s Palace. Mrs. Chase is also mentioned in this poignant article in the NYTimes Dining In/Dining Out section.