An Anomaly in New Orleans: Shoe Pantry in the Kitchen

Here is a photo of the pantry of the sweet woman who visits us on Chartres Street.  Look closely, you will see no pots, pans, nor bags of Camellia Red Beans in her pantry, just shoes.

One rather slow afternoon, I asked Miss L if she cooked.
 "No. My oven is filled with shoes," she said with a perfectly straight face.

I waited, thinking perhaps she was joking.  After recovering, I asked her to supply me with a photo.  She brought me this one this morning.

So I have a direct connection to someone who has exchanged cooking for shoe collecting. Imelda Marcos  would be proud!  Perhaps Imelda's collection rivals Miss L's, but Imelda had the budget of the Philippines at her fingertips.  I have read that Imelda's 3,000 pairs of shoes have been eaten by termites.  I shall warn my new friend about the possibility. God knows the termites love our city.  At night during mating season they swarm around lamp post, like our local characters who drink too much.

I wonder if the termites have concocted a recipe for filet of sole? Or perhaps in-step á la King? Marinated tongues?  Stringy almondine?  This might be the title of a non-cook book.  How to feast on the soles of our past purchases?  There are some Wall Street sharks who do just that!
  
Is there no surprise that our Imelda of Chartres Street, works in a shoe store? 

I once had some dear friends help me move, I was accused of being an Imelda on a teacher's salary.  My poor shoe collection did not have designer labels like the "Sex and the City" characters.  Just a modest collection from various shoe sales.

"The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize." Olympia Dukakis', who plays Clairee Belcher, in Steel Magnolias announced to her hair salon companions.  Maybe, we are just trying to step away from the crowd.

There certainly could be worst things in our closets!