If you are an electrician you might wonder what this could possibly be. Most power circuits have both a neutral and a ground for safety (the old belt and suspenders approach favored by the pocket protector elite). Neutrals are often grounded, but grounds are never neutral.

In New Orleans a Neutral Ground is a median. It's the grassy divider between the lanes of a major boulevard. On Claiborne Avenue the neutral ground is a strip park wide enough for all sorts of activities. Just don't park your car on one at Carnival or you'll get a $75 ticket. In Broadmoor and other low lying areas of the city there is an exception. The police won't ticket if a heavy rainfall is expected, and many residents move their cars to the higher ground in the center of the median. After Katrina many cars sat on neutral grounds around the city for months awaiting collection and disposal.

Rumor has it that the name traces back to the early 19'th century. When Americans began to settle New Orleans many built their homes across Canal Street from the French Quarter where the French Creole settlers lived. Much like the demilitarized zone between the Koreas and the Neutral Zone between the Romulans and the Federation, the center of Canal Street marked the Neutral Ground between the often feuding  French and Americans.

Recently the term has been co opted by a trendy coffee house.  As the nation's top coffee importer, New Orleanians take their coffee seriously. There is fierce competition among the many coffee shops. Starting with the granddaddys Café du Monde and Morning Call you'll find many specialty shops and American standards all across the city. CC's, PJ's and Royal Blend are local favorites pitted against the big boys.