Tailgating Cookbooks, The Quarter's Spitfires, More

BATON ROUGE? This week Judy Walker previews two spanking new cookbooks inspired by tailgating, especially at LSU, including blogger Jay Ducote's The Southern Tailgating Cookbook: A Game-Day Guide to Lovers of Food, Football and the South and ESPN's Todd Blackledge's Taste of the Town. [NOLA.com]

UPTOWN? Plans for a vacant firehouse at Laurel and Upperline (across from Wisner Park) that's been empty and deteriorating since Katrina, include a proposed coffee shop with condos on top, reports Stephanie Bruno. [Advocate]

QUARTER? Speaking of coffee shops, NoDef reports that Spitfire Coffee (627 St. Peter) is "gaining momentum" as a legit coffee shop since opening quietly around the Superbowl. Also, an unrelated, new cocktail destination called the Spitfire Bar(1135 Decatur) has been open about three months with a solid beer selection and craft cocktails from owner/Erin Rose alum Sarah Manowitz. [NoDef]

QUARTER? NoDef also reports that Nola Pho Life is searching for a new spot after being asked to vacate the French Market due to lease agreement issues. Apparently the duo who run the pop-up, Paul Byous and wife Jennifer Nguyn, originally shared the lease with a king cake vendor, but aren't able to renew it themselves as the French Market says they actually aren't allowed to cook in that section of the market. [NolaDefender]

Spitfire [Photo: Facebook]