Bring Your Appetite: It's Crawfish Season in Louisiana.

by by Mary Beth Heaton
March 1st, 2010

LCT March Online Update

Crawfish. Crayfish. Crawdads. Mudbugs. No matter what you call them, just call us when they're ready. We can't get enough of the tasty freshwater crustaceans that thrive in our marshes and bayous. Though live crawfish and fresh tail meat are typically available December through July, the height of the season starts now and runs through May.

As you travel our culinary trails this spring, you'll find mudbugs on many a restaurant menu. And Friday night crawfish boils - crawfish, corn on the cob, potatoes, lemons, onions, spices and more boiled in a large pot - are a staple, especially during the Lenten season when many abstain from eating meat.

Now, we don't mean to brag, but nobody does crawfish better than Louisiana. More than 90 percent of the nation's crop comes from our waters. Though the majority is harvested from crawfish farms, there are still those who fish the natural wetlands to collect the delicious delicacies.

And cooks in almost every kitchen incorporate their hauls into bisques, cornbreads, crepes, enchiladas and countless other culinary treats. We tend to agree with Dona Degatur Richard, director of the St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission, who says, "I haven't met a crawfish dish I didn't like." Her neck of the woods, along our Bayou Bounty Trail in South Louisiana, is revered for its crawfish, particularly those trapped from the Atchafalaya Basin. It is believed to produce the best-tasting crawfish around.

Find out for yourself at Pat's Fisherman's Wharf in Henderson, where their crawfish dinner is a must-eat feast. Or try the crawfish po-boy at Bon Creole Lunch Counter in New Iberia. Or the crawfish tortellini carbonara at Fremin's in Thibodaux.

There's no shortage of enticing crawfish dishes along this Cajun-country trail, particularly in Breaux Bridge, officially the Crawfish Capital of the World. The classic dish crawfish etouffee, a seafood stew, was invented here, and the city is home to the restaurant Crawfish Town USA and the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, one of the state's favorite events (see below).

In the upcoming months, various festivals and cook-offs pay tribute to our beloved official state crustacean. Why not plan a spring road trip and join in the fun? We've put together a list of events to get you started.

One last thing: We admit peeling a crawfish may seem daunting to the uninitiated, but don't hesitate to ask a local for a quick how-to. They'll be happy to oblige, and you'll be pinching tails (and maybe even sucking the heads) in no time.

Louisiana Crawfish Festival
March 25-28
Chalmette
This annual event in picturesque St. Bernard Parish offers live music, an arts-and-crafts fair, and a midway with games and rides for every age. But let's be honest, we may never make it past the food booths. This festival serves up all manner of crawfish dishes. Here's just a taste: crawfish pasta, grilled catfish with crawfish sauce, crawfish remoulade, crawfish pie, crawfish eggrolls, crawfish etouffee, and shrimp wraps with crawfish sauce. If it's made with mudbugs, it's likely served here. For more information, visit www.louisianacrawfishfestival.com.

World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cook-Off
March 28
Eunice
The city of Eunice is known for many things, not the least of which is having incredible Cajun cooks who have a way with etouffee, the delicious crawfish stew served with rice. Each March, some 100 teams converge upon the Northwest Community Center to vie for the title of World Champion Crawfish etouffee Cook. And the competition is stiff. Celebrity judges pick a winner for each of three categories: amateur, professional and club/organization. But the real winners are the visitors who get to taste the samples, for a mere $2 a serving, once the contest is done. Learn more at www.eunice-la.com/festivals.html.

Crawfish Etouffee Cook-Off
April 11
Ville Platte
For more than 20 years, this cook-off held at Belaire Cove has been an event the entire family enjoys. The cook-off features raffles, Cajun French music, face painting, horse shoes, local vendors, and, of course, crawfish. Get more details by calling 337.363.1878.

25th Annual Etouffee Festival
April 23-25
Arnaudville
You may have noticed that, though there are countless ways to cook and serve crawfish, Louisianians are quite partial to etouffee. This festival dedicated to the favored dish includes a cook-off, carnival rides, sweet shop, parade, as well as a car, truck and motorcycle show. Bring your appetite and, might we suggest, a dance partner. With eight different bands playing everything from zydeco and classic country to rock and rhythm and blues, you're sure to want to hit the dance floor. Call 337.754.5912 to learn more.

Crawfish Festival
April 30-May 2
Breaux Bridge
When a city has been designated by the Louisiana Legislature as the Crawfish Capital of the World, you would expect their annual event to be the cream of the crawfish festival crop. And that's just what you get in Breaux Bridge. There are crawfish eating contests (the record is a whopping 55 pounds). There is Cajun and zydeco music. There is a parade and an etouffee cook-off. And then there are the world famous crawfish races. You may even rub elbows with crawfish royalty, including the 2010 Crawfish King and Queen or perhaps the Little Miss and Master Pinchers. Breaux Bridge knows crawfish and, for half a century, their festival has been a must-attend event. Discover more at http://mudbugmadness.com for more details.

Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival
May 28-30
Bell Chasse
Yes, this festival pays tribute to all sorts of seafood, but rest assured its vendors dish out healthy helpings of crawfish favorites. From boiled crawfish and crawfish pies to crawfish and corn soup and crawfish pistolets, they've got you covered. Consider treating yourself to a little dessert too. Maybe a fried Snickers bar? In between meals, enjoy the crafts, continuous live music, and carnival rides. Get all the details atwww.plaqueminesparishfestival.com

A March Must: Feast upon roadfood favorites and learn more about Louisiana's Culinary Trails at this month's featured event.

What: The New Orleans Roadfood Festival. The experts at Roadfood.com regularly celebrate America's best regional bites from locally owned restaurants on their Web site. Now they are bringing some of their top-ranked roadfood items from restaurants around the country to the Crescent City.
When: March 26-28
Where: 300 to 700 Royal St., New Orleans
Why: The street festival will feature the regional specialties of some 20 vendors, including seafood chowder from Maine Diner, pecan pie from Royer's Round Top Cafe, and Philadelphia cheesesteaks from Tony Luke's. New Orleans' favorites, like the shrimp Uggie from Uglesich's, will be on hand too. Admission to the street festival is free, and proceeds from food and beverage sales go to participating restaurants as well as Cafe Reconcile, which provides at-risk New Orleans youth the opportunity to acquire skills used in the food service industry. If you're still not convinced to attend, here are four words that will change your mind: world's largest oyster po-boy. That's right. Help assemble then eat this monstrous sandwich. Don't forget to stop by the Louisiana Culinary Trails booth to say hello, pick up a copy of our Trails Guide, and take home a mini bottle of Tabasco.
Learn more: Find a schedule of events, a list of vendors, and much more at www.neworleansroadfoodfestival.com.

Mark Your Calendar
As the weather heats up, so does our festival season. Check out these March happenings.

Frisco Fest
March 6-7
San Francisco Plantation, Garyville
Held at the most colorful and opulent plantation home along Louisiana's famous River Road, Frisco Fest features more than 100 arts and crafts exhibits, toe-tapping music, a bike tour, car show, and, of course, a cracklin' contest and chefs' choice cook-off. Log on to www.sanfranciscoplantation.org for all the details.

25th Annual Here's the Beef Cook-Off
March 7
Opelousas
Each year, the St. Landry Cattleman's Association sponsors this beef cook-off at the Yambilee Ag Arena. Categories include gourmet, brisket, roast, ground meat, and more. Admission is $5, which includes yummy samples. For information, call 337.945.0364.

Sicilian Heritage Festival
March 12-14
Independence
In the late 1800s, Sicilian immigrants set roots in Independence, drawn there by its burgeoning strawberry industry. Today, the community pays tribute to its heritage with a parade, carnival rides, and authentic Sicilian food. And what's a Louisiana festival without a cook-off? In Independence, competitors vie for top spaghetti chef. Learn more at www.indysicilianfest.com.

11th Annual Catfish Festival
March 18-21
Washington
Enjoy antiques shopping, arts and crafts, musical entertainment, and a parade at this family-friendly event. On Sunday, hang around after the catfish cook-off and sample the winning dishes. For more information, visit http://townofwashingtonla.org/catfishfest.html.

Que'in On The Red
March 19-20
Alexandria
Sometimes good barbecue is hard to find. Thank goodness the kind folks in Alexandria bring it all to one spot for a convenient, delicious, and fun-filled weekend. Teams from across Central Louisiana and around the country will gather for this Memphis Barbecue Network-sanctioned event at North Levee Park to compete in six savory categories, including chicken, pork, and sauce. The weekend entertainment features a variety of artists, from Cowboy Mouth and Cross Canadian Ragweed to Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and Keith Frank; The Soileau Zydeco Band. Log on to www.queinonthered.com for all the details.

Rabbit Festival
March 19-21
Iowa
Here, hares are the toast of the town. Event highlights include a parade, live music, arts and crafts, and a rabbit cook-off. There's also the crowning of Miss Bunny, who represents the festival around the state. Don't miss the judging at the state rabbit show, which draws more than 400 competitors. Check out www.iowarabbitfestival.org for more information.

Amite Oyster Festival
March 19-21
Amite
For 35 years, the community of Amite has come together to celebrate the Oyster Festival. Highlights of this year's event include carnival rides, music, a scavenger hunt, and parade. All sorts of foods will be served, including fried and raw oysters. There's also a chili cook-off. For details, call 985.748.7156.

Friends of James Beard Benefit
March 21
New Orleans
This event, to be held at the Kingsley House, brings some of the state's most celebrated chefs, including Donald Link, Haley Bittermann, and John Besh, together with local farmers and fisherman as they create an authentic Louisiana menu. Funds raised from the tasting event will benefit the James Beard Foundation, whose coveted awards are considered the highest honors in the culinary industry. Tickets are $100. Visit www.jamesbeard.org for more information.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Youth Service Bureau.

Chef Soiree
March 21
Covington
This fundraising gala for the Youth Service Bureau features delicious dishes from more than 85 of the Northshore's best restaurants and beverage purveyors. Admission to the event, held at Bogue Falaya Park, is $125 per ticket or $380 for four. Don't leave early or you'll miss the evening's fireworks finale. For more information, call 985.893.2570.

Smokin' Blues & BBQ Challenge
March 26-27
Hammond
More than 50 traveling professional barbecue teams will compete in this challenge sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Each team is required to compete in four categories: pork ribs, pork shoulder or Boston butt, beef brisket, and chicken. With additional local teams competing in the Backyard Boogie and Chicken Little competitions, Hammond will host the largest barbecue event in the state. Get the scoop by visiting www.hammondbluesandbbq.com.

Louisiana Chili Cook-Off
March 27-28
Baton Rouge
This spring weekend brings together two of our favorite things: food and flowers. Come for the first-rate chili cook-off, an International Chili Society-sanctioned event with such categories as red chili, chili verde, and salsa. The cook-off, held at the LSU 4-H mini barn, also includes live music, a talent show, and a classic car show. Plus, right next door in the Parker Coliseum is the annual Spring Garden Show. For more info, visit www.louisianachilicookoff.com.