🎙️ Rachel Henderson

SPONSORED

This week’s ad slot was purchased by friend of Foofaraw, Evan Passero, in support of Elevated Access—a non-profit organization that enables people to access healthcare by providing flights on private planes at no cost, whose volunteer pilot network transports clients seeking abortion or gender-affirming care across the United States.

Foofaraw will match up to $300 in donations to DIFFA Dallas, Elevated Access, and Denton Community Food Center through the remainder of 2025.

Donate now

Read Rachel's story, On the half shell, on Foofaraw now!

Are you a big fan of oysters? 

Yes, I love oysters—raw and chargrilled are my favorites. But it feels a bit shameful admitting this in the context of my story!

If an oyster started talking to you, do you think you’d listen or run away, worried you were going crazy?

I’d listen, but I’d be worried about my sanity the whole time (and I definitely wouldn’t tell anyone about it afterward).

Do you think you’d risk your job to save a bunch of sentient oysters?

One hundred percent yes. No job is worth that kind of guilt!

Given you live in New Orleans, do you have a favorite spot for oysters?

My very favorite is a bar called Cooter Brown’s—they let you make your own sauce, so I get to use all the horseradish I want (aka an indecent amount), and the oysters are always delicious. 

New Orleans is hands-down one of my favorite places to visit for food and music, but since I don’t like oysters, do you have any other recommendations to check out next time I visit?

Oh gosh, so many places to recommend! My ideal food places for visitors, meal-by-meal: Camellia Grill for a great diner-style breakfast, Chicken’s Kitchen for a soul food lunch (or Domilise’s for a stellar po-boy), Jacques-Imo’s or Mr. B’s for a classic New Orleans dinner. For music, the three venues I love the most are Bar Redux (it’s a smaller joint, they have some great local artists), Carrollton Station and Tipitina’s. 

I did one of the ghost tours last time I visited. Do you have any favorite New Orleans ghost stories?

I love the classic stories, not sure if I could pick a number one favorite—but I know the legends about the LaLaurie mansion were always the ones that scared me the most. My husband, who’s a complete skeptic, has been inside and said it was just a house. I’m 95% skeptic, but the remaining 5% would be enough for me to say “thank you very much, absolutely not” to any opportunity to go in there. 

What’s one of your recent favorite short stories?

Last week, I read a story in West Branch—“Work Experience” by Devon Halliday—and it really stuck with me. It’s about a group of interns waiting for a pizza lunch. Phenomenal. 

What book are you reading right now?

I’m currently reading a nonfiction book called People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry, about the disappearance and murder of a British woman in Tokyo—but I’m also taking periodic breaks for my annual re-read of Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon, because it’s October and it’s my favorite. 

Do you have anything you'd like to share and/or promote with us?

My good friend Nicole Babb has a couple of new stories I adore, one coming out soon in your zine called “Occupational Hazards,” (Ed note: going live on November 27) and one that was just published in Does It Have Pockets called “Useless” (it’s told from the POV of a T-square and it’s utterly magical). I also have a weird, gross little story called “Mister Persimmon” in an upcoming folk horror anthology, Hiding Under the Leaves – I’m very excited about that one, because I didn’t expect it to find a home anywhere. 

Thanks to Rachel for taking the time to chat with us!