Sweet Eats: Sugar And Honey

What’s sweeter than honey? Sugar! Or is it the other way around? On this week's Louisiana Eats!, we try to answer that question as we examine the sweetest things from Louisiana, California and across the world.

At over 100 years old, the Domino Sugar Refinery in Arabi, Louisiana is not only one of the country's oldest sugar refineries, it's also the largest in the western hemisphere. Every day, the installation processes millions of pounds of raw sugar, turning it into those white crystals you find at your grocery store. Fred Goodrow, head of environmental and quality control at the refinery, gives Poppy a tour of the facility, and shows her why making sugar is such a sweet job.

Then, we head to Youngsville, Louisiana to visit Charles Poirier, owner and operator of Poirier’s Pure Cane Syrup. To make his cane syrup, which is highly regarded by chefs throughout the U.S., Charles has revived the process farmers used centuries ago.

We also speak to Sucré's executive chef, Tariq Hanna, who explains what he learned when visiting master chocolatiers in Switzerland. He gives us a lesson in the science of sweetness.

Finally, we learn about nature’s other treat: honey. We begin with a tour of Marshall’s Honey Farm in California's Napa Valley, and end with a jaunt to the Crescent City Farmers Market in the French Market, where we speak with Gerard Burg, beekeeper, mead enthusiast and owner of Burg’s Bees.