I have been to restaurants in NOLA that permit BYOB because they don't have a liquor license to serve. I would definitely call ahead and see if you can bring your own. Abita is pretty available at any totesome in the area. Be sure to try their 25th anniversary Double Dog Vanilla Ale!

You may have put too much oil on the pan. I have done this on accident before and it can turn sticky rather than season the pan. The best remedy is to build an outdoor fire and put the pan right in the middle of it. Retrieve the pan the next day after the coals have all cooled.
As far as the paper towel / towel problem, I would use a flour-sack cloth to dry your pan. These are readily available at most big-box stores for a couple bucks and won't leave any lint or chunks if the surface is a bit rough.
The more you use your pan, the more smooth it will become as the patina builds up. In the long run, cast iron is very low maintenance, you just have to get through the inital seasoning. The added benefits to cast iron are that it cooks very evenly, is naturally non-stick, lasts forever and imparts a small bit of iron to your food.

I wouldn't worry about rinsing the OB off if you are going to use the stock in a recipe that could benefit from the flavor. Gumbo as previously suggested, or a jambalaya or risotto. I haven't made crab stock before, but I often make shrimp stock with the leftover heads and shells from a shrimp boil and the seasoning really enhances the stock for other similarly flavored dishes.

I have also done this "lazy" method of poking it with a knife and microwaving until soft. I like to scoop out the flesh and puree it in my food processor then freeze for later use. The puree is a nice addition to many dishes (i.e. macaroni & cheese, etc.) to add a veggie vitamin boost or for a side dish: bake the puree with a topping of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

You could always can or freeze the salsa for later if you make an extra big batch.

Thank you so much for the responses! This recipe has wonderful memories associated with it and I was so disappointed when the page was missing. Members like y'all are why the Chowhounding community is great! Thank you!

The Lori Anne peaches are so good right now if you can get them. I've been making peach cobbler at least once a week!

I recently inherited a copy of Woman's Home Companion, 1946 edition. Unfortunately some of the pages are missing, as it was a well-loved book. I'm specifically looking for page 804 recipe for Vanilla Drop Cookies - it was a family favorite. Do any Chowhounders have the book intact and wouldn't mind sharing the recipe? Thanks in advance!