Bayou Bounty
Crawfish, boudin, hot sauce—Acadiana has all the makings for a taste-tempting trip.
Take note: You’d be wise to extend your stay in the heart of Cajun Country. First-time travelers rarely allow enough time to take in the region’s treasures, from its food to its attractions to its people.
Here, the folks are generous hosts, entertaining storytellers, and excellent cooks. Many of the locals trace their lineage to the French Canadians exiled here in the 18th century. They strive to preserve the Cajun heritage, which includes knowing how to have a good time. Join in the convivial spirit at one of the area’s Cajun dance halls. Spice up your trip with a tour of Avery Island, home to Tabasco. Explore the many bayous and wetland swamps. Stroll New Iberia’s charming tree-lined Main Street, and pay tribute to Louisiana’s official crustacean in Breaux Bridge, the Crawfish Capital of the World. And do save room for some of Lafayette’s best boudin. Now, go ahead, get started. We don’t want you to miss a thing.
January 16, 2012
Like a Local » Who’s Got the South’s Tastiest Town?
Southern Living seeks the South's Tastiest Town and Louisiana delivers a double helping to their list of nominees. The magazine selected 10 cities for their South's Tastiest Town Awards, and both New Orleans and Lafayette made the cut.
We need your votes to help a Louisiana city bring home the title. Lafayette's hearty Cajun cooking is hard to resist. Think boudin, plate lunches and gumbo. In New Orleans, po-boys, barbecue shrimp and bread pudding are popular faves. Both cities boast homegrown ...
January 16, 2012
Dine In » Seafood-Stuffed Bell Peppers from Café Milano
While Louisiana’s Cajun cuisine certainly gets a lot of attention—as it rightfully should; it’s delicious—there’s much more to our menus than gumbo and gator. Take, for example, the Mediterranean-inspired fare created by Chef Brian Berry at Café Milano in Houma. The menu features mouthwatering pasta dishes, veal osso bucco, the popular almond duckling strips and more. This month, Chef Berry shares the recipe for his seafood-stuffed bell peppers.
Ingredients:
2 cups trinity (2 parts onion ...
December 01, 2011
In the Kitchen With: Dustie Latiolais, Executive Chef, Crawfish Town USA
Henderson, LA
Q: It seems as if you've grown up around the restaurant business, considering your uncle is owner of Pat's Fisherman's Wharf. What is your earliest food memory, and what pushed you toward a career in this business?
A: I started working at Pat’s of Henderson when I was 14 years old. I was put on as a fry cook and I learned “under fire,” so to speak. When I worked at Crawfish Town USA the first time, owner Johnny Hebert pushed me to be the best I ...
August 22, 2011
Like a Local » Bringing the Heat
To folks outside Louisiana, Cajun food has a reputation of being a little too hot to handle. Our food is highly seasoned, flavored with onions, celery, bell pepper, and herbs, though it doesn’t always bring the heat. But when we like to add a little sizzle, we reach for a bottle of homegrown hot sauce. We love to add a dash to everything from our morning eggs to our lunch peas and our supper oysters.
Every local has their favorite sauce, but three of the most popular are Tabasco, Crystal Hot ...
August 22, 2011
Dine In » Grilled Tilapia with Artichoke Hearts and Classic French-style Beurre Blanc
Congratulations to Lafayette on our Bayou Bounty Trail. They were recently named “Best Food Town” in the Rand McNally “Best of the Road” competition. Judges were treated to a few of the city’s best restaurants, including Blue Dog Café, who shares with us this month’s recipe (http://www.bluedogcafe.com/). Blue Dog Café is not only known for its amazing menu, but also for the Blue Dog paintings by artist George Rodrigue that adorn the walls.
Ingredients:
•butter
• tilapia filets, 1 per ...
July 12, 2011
Like a Local » Lafayette in Running to be Named “Best Food Town”
We’ve known all along that the Bayou Bounty Trail city of Lafayette is a top food destination, and now Rand McNally is making sure the rest of the country does too! Lafayette was named a finalist in the “Best Food Town” category of Rand McNally’s “Best of the Road” competition (www.bestoftheroad.com).
Judges recently spent time at some of the city’s best bites—Hub City Diner, Blue Dog Café, Charley G’s, and Don’s Downtown to name a few—and even took a cooking class at The Accidental Chef Cooking ...
July 12, 2011
Friday: Houma and Morgan City
Three-day weekend along our Bayou Bounty Trail
Work up an appetite: If the hit History Channel show “Swamp People” has you digging bayou life, take this opportunity to become swamp wise with a swamp tour in Houma (http://www.houmatravel.com/). Learn more about Louisiana’s wetlands and encounter the diverse wildlife—including mighty gators.
Lunch: Now that you’re familiar with the local landscape, get to know the local cuisine of Houma at Abears Café (985.872.6306). This Cajun restaurant has ...
July 12, 2011
Saturday: St. Martin Parish, Iberia Parish, and Lafayette
Three-day weekend along our Bayou Bounty Trail
Breakfast: You might not expect to find a raging dance party at 8:30 in the morning, but that’s what you’ll get at Café Des Amis in Breaux Bridge (www.cafedesamis.com). On the busiest weekends, a line of hungry patrons forms on the street around 7 a.m.; doors open at 7:30 a.m. The café’s zydeco breakfast is a true must-do. Don’t be afraid to hit the dance floor, even if it’s your first time. There’s sure to be a local who’ll show you the ropes. But ...
July 12, 2011
Sunday: Lafayette
Three-day weekend along our Bayou Bounty Trail
Brunch: For a yummy Sunday brunch, make reservations at Blue Dog Café (http://www.bluedogcafe.com). They offer live music—everything from Cajun to Celtic to swamp pop—from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The tempting menu includes crab cakes Benedict, made-to-order omelets, cheese grits and grillades, and more. Though not owned by artist George Rodrigue, his famous Blue Dog paintings adorn the restaurant’s walls.
Work up an appetite: Immerse yourself in the ...
May 12, 2011
Hot Item » Cook like a Cajun at Lafayette’s new cooking school
You may not have been born on the bayou, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to cook the specialties of Cajun country. A new cooking school in Lafayette, along our Bayou Bounty Trail, offers a variety of classes that not only help you learn to cook like a local, but also inspire you to take on the cuisines of other cultures too.
“The Accidental Chef Cooking School is a one-of-a-kind school in Acadiana, where you can learn not just how to cook, but why we cook the way we do, why we use the ...
February 02, 2011
Dine In » Charley G’s Bluesiana Salad
A sophisticated atmosphere. An award-winning chef. Superior customer service. For these reasons and more, Charley G’s (http://charleygs.com) is where Lafayette locals head for a memorable evening out. On your next visit, try their Bluesiana Salad—or make it at home.
Ingredients:
4 to 5 ounces blackberries
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 ounces mixed greens
2 ounces raspberry vinaigrette (recipe below)
Spicy walnuts (recipe below)
Toss blackberries, blue cheese, and mixed greens ...
January 10, 2011
Like a Local » Winter Weather = Cravings for Comfort Foods
Winter weather means cravings for comfort foods, and there’s no better way to indulge than with a Louisiana plate lunch. A plate lunch, sometimes known in other parts of the country as a meat and three, features down-home local dishes like smothered pork chops, rice and gravy, or crawfish étouffée. Typically served cafeteria-style, plate lunch menus feature large portions and change daily, but locals know which days of the week to find their favorites.
Lafayette, in the Bayou Bounty Trail, offers ...
October 11, 2010
Like a Local » The inside scoop on gumbo.
Fall’s arrival means—at last—it’s gumbo weather! Here’s what you need to know about the state’s favorite soup. Plus: Six suggestions for where to order up a big bowl.
Louisiana has adopted an official state drink (milk), an official state fruit (strawberry), and two official jellies (sugar cane and mayhaw). We don’t, however, have an official state soup—at least not yet—but if we did, our bet is it’d be gumbo. This staple of local cuisine is synonymous with the state, and the word ...
September 10, 2010
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Like a Local »
The inside scoop on a few of our favorite tailgates.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Mascot: Ragin’ Cajuns
Big home game: versus Oklahoma State, Oct. 8
Tailgater’s tip: Find your way to the tailgate of the Krewe de Chew and take notes on how these pros do up game day. Introduce yourself and they’ll surely feed you. They do ask you bring your own beverages, and, of course, if you’d like to bring a delicious dish (preferably made from scratch), they won’t turn you away. ...
August 11, 2010
Visit the Farmers Market
Before the carefree days of summer are gone, carve out a little time to enjoy the best of Louisiana’s homegrown vegetables, cool desserts, fresh fish, and more. Make these summer traditions your own:
Visit the farmers market. The slow food, buy local movement that is all the rage across the country is nothing new to us. We’ve long known that the best-tasting fruits and veggies come from Louisiana farms and farmers. If you haven’t been to a farmers’ market yet this year, there’s still time. Many ...
June 24, 2010
SIGNATURE DISH: Boudin
Say what? This authentically Cajun item is pronounced “boodan,” but you can just ask for a link.
What is it? A blend of cooked pork, rice, onions, peppers, and seasonings stuffed into a sausage casing. Boudin blanc, or white boudin, is most common. Boudin rouge, made with pig blood, is rarely found these days because of health regulations. Today, boudin makers sometimes get creative with various fillings, including seafood.
How do I eat it? Promptly. Most locals don’t make it out of the ...
