Growing up in New Orleans, you realize early on how important tradition is. Whether you are a newcomer or native, you instantly become aware of traditions like midnight masses, Saints tailgating under the Loyola overpass, Monday’s red beans and rice, and the most colorful traditions of them all Mardi Gras.

Just listen to one of the most iconic NOLA anthems “Blue Monday” by our own Fats Domino, “monday morning my head is bad, but it’s worth for the time that I’ve had”. We live to eat, drink, and be merry and we don’t do it half ass!

I’ll be honest, I’m a creature of habit. I like what I like and very rarely step into unknown territory. When it comes to food, my previous statement is 99% true. For instance, just last week my good friends at Maximo’s introduced me to some of the most interesting fare I’ve ever experienced. Each dish was fantastic and well prepared, but I doubt you’ll ever see me on on St. Charles with a sign that reads “will work for scallops”.

With that said, I would beg for Hubig Pies. One of the earliest experiences I had with one of New Orleans’s most enduring and indigenous treats was as a small child sitting at my great grandmother’s kitchen table. It was a very early Saturday morning when my Nanna called me into the kitchen taking me away from my ‘toons and the huge fluffy pillows in her spare bedroom.

In my rubber bootied onesie, I climbed onto a barstool and began to watch her prepare my breakfast treat. After unwrapping what I later found out to be a “pie” from it’s to this day unchanged packaging, she plopped it in a skillet with an already sizzling pad of butter. She allowed it to simmer and heat up a bit on each side, then quick slid it onto some of her good china, and set it down on the kitchen table.

I grabbed the fork and quickly went to work. It’s outer crust was covered completely with a thin sheet of sugar similar to a glazed donut. This was no Dunkin’ Donut though. The warm chocolate filling slightly steaming made for a perfect contrast to it’s sugary exterior. Combined with the melted butter, I was in heaven.

Hubig has been producing their delectable pies since 1922 in the same historic Marigny building and with the same recipe. There are regular flavors like apple, lemon, peach, pineapple, chocolate and coconut, as well as seasonal favorites like Sweet Potato and Blueberry. Of course ever since Nanna introduced me to the chocolate, it will always be my favorite.

While visiting with Drew and Martin, I realized how iconic and important their brand is to New Orleans. I asked them what the future holds. Since Hurricane Katrina, they’ve started to sell pies online, as well as a small offering of t-shirts, but remains secondary to producing one of the most iconic NOLA products of all time.

Anyone who has spent more than a few days here quickly realizes we live to eat and not eat to live. For the most part, New Orleanians live 24 hours at a time and it’s evident in every part of our culture.

One last thing, for those of you out there who comment on the nutrition of their pies, uh it’s a fried pie! Get over it. For Hubig, adhering to diet trends and the organic culture would be not only blasphemous but also ridiculous.