Bayou Bourbon Beans + Oil Spill Update !

With only a few days to go until the holiday weekend, I am starting to finalize my Memorial Day BBQ menu. I've asked around to see what dishes my family members would like and this recipe was unanimous. These beans are killer and can be made a day ahead, giving you a little more time for fun! Enjoy! A fabulous dish that will make your mouth water, cher!

Bayou Bourbon Beans

1 (15 oz.) can pork n' beans
2 (15 oz.) cans (ranch w/ jalapeno beans)
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked, drained and chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup spicy BBQ sauce (I used Hickory Smoke)
1 tbs. Creole or yellow mustard
1 tbs. Worcestershire
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbs.'s minced garlic
1 shot bourbon
1 tbs. Cajun seasoning

Salt and Tabasco to taste

In large heavy Dutch oven, brown ground beef with 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning and drain excess oil.  Add onion,  bell pepper,  and garlic, and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add beans, Wor. sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce, and cook on medium low heat for 20 minutes. Add chopped bacon,  and bourbon and simmer for 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Oh cest bon, cher! Bon Appetit!

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Operation Top Kill

BP has started the procedure that is shooting large quanities of mud "non toxic drilling fluids", down into the gushing well, in hopes of STOPPING the horrible leak that is spewing enormous amounts of crude into the Gulf, each day, with over 6 million gallons to date! Here is a video about the "Top Kill" operation going on as we speak! They will know in 24 hours if it's going to work! Make it or break it time!
PLEASE PRAY THAT IT WORKS and send lots of positive thoughts to the Gulf.
Merci beaucoup, ya'll!



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Spring Fever on the Bayou ! + A Cajun Getaway !

We started off the weekend on Friday at noon, at this week's T.G.I.F. Bach Lunch, at Parc Sans Souci, in downtown Lafayette. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and 78 degrees, and just perfect for an outdoor concert and lunch. . It's all about preserving our fabulous Cajun culture and having fun! The addition of two beautiful concert parks to downtown Lafayette has enabled the city to host huge festivals and weekly concerts, at no cost to it's citizens. (click to enlarge)

The crowd was excited and dancing up a storm! Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole entertained the crowd with their soulful, traditional Cajun and Zydeco music! A mighty fine fiddle and band!

Some chose to sit and listen, while others chose to dance a few!

A bon ton' was had by all!

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Since we've been having one gorgeous Spring day, after another, here in Cajun country, I've really been enjoying all of the beautiful flowers and blooms. Just driving along my usual route, is absolute heaven! The azaleas are in full bloom and are everywhere. It is so wonderful and it all has given me a bit of Spring fever and a strong "ahnvie" to get out to nature, while the pristine weather lasts!

I will be going to the Atchafalaya Basin, better known as the "Henderson Swamp", for the weekend, cher and who only knows what fun Cajun adventures, await me there! This is the perfect time of year to go boating or just relax and enjoy the beauty of the basin.

I am renting my little floating, houseboat chalet, (on right) the same place that I had, the last time that I took a little impromptu getaway to the swamp.

We will also be going to Turtle's Bar, at Basin Landing. And eating some fabulous fresh seafood at Pat's Fisherman's Wharf Restaurant! I cannot wait to have a broiled seafood platter! Divine!

And Whiskey River Landing for the weekly, Sunday afternoon dance. Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin' Cajuns will entertain the crowd. Woo hoo! Hope to see ya'll there!

Laissez les bon temps rouler, cher! The life of a Cajun is oh so good! Hope that ya'll have a fun and fantastic weekend, mon cher amis!! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

French Quarter Mardi Gras! + Sinful Bayou Crab Bisque

More beads and a lot more beads are what Mardi Gras revelers are hoping to catch at this year's Mardi Gras parades. Throwing trinkets to the crowds began in the 1870's in New Orleans by the "Krewe of The Twelfth Night Revelers". The beads were made of glass, back then, and were considered treasures, and were in the traditional Mardi Gras colors, purple- which represents justice, green- faith, and gold- power . Thus the tradition continues, only with plastic beads in every imaginable color and design. My bead collection is HUGE, but I am looking forward to adding to it. Shown here are beads that I caught at just one Lafayette parade.

Happy Mardi Gras, Ya'll!

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Mardi Gras in New Orleans

And one of my favorite things about Mardi Gras is wearing costumes.  Here is a clip of New Orleans creativity, at it's best! Fat Tuesday in the French Quarter! Let the good times roll, Cher!

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Sinful Bayou Crab Bisque

This sinfully delicious Louisiana recipe is a real treat for crab lovers, and is a "must have" for Mardi Gras! Adapted from "Cane River's Louisiana Living", this fabulous dish is "over the top". Enjoy! Cest bon, cher!

(photo courtesy of Keith's Ballroom, Lafayette, La.)

2 cups fresh lump crab meat

2 cans cream of portobello mushroom soup (undiluted)
2 cans cream of asparagus soup (undiluted)
1 cup half and half
1 cup milk
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. or more of Tabasco sauce
2/3 cup dry sherry
Salt and Cajun seasoning to taste
Bacon bits and croutons for garnish

Combine crab meat and soups, in blender or food processor and blend well. Pour mixture into a large, heavy, saucepan. Add half and half , milk, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and sherry. Heat thoroughly, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (do not boil) Garnish with bacon bits and croutons. Can be made one day ahead and kept in refrigerator, but should not be frozen. Serves 10 to 12. Out of this world, cher!
Bon Appetit!

French Market Beignets + Bayou Boogie

Since I've recently had several requests for a recipe for beignets, I thought that I would share one of my favorite recipes that tastes almost identical to the ones that are served at the French Market, in New Orleans. I started off my Sunday, with these fabulous beignets and coffee and worked my way up to grillin' some Cajun jumbo shrimp, chicken, and burgers. Yes, grilling ! It's a gorgeous day, (sunny and 70 degrees) in Cajun Country! Perfect for having family and friends over to watch the big game. Geaux Saints!

This recipe, adapted from Southern Living Magazine, 1998, is as close to the real thing that I've ever had! And so easy, too! There's really nothing quite like the heavenly taste of biting into one of these babies with a good strong cup of Community coffee! Cest bon, cher! Enjoy!

French Market Beignets

1 envelope active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 large egg
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Combine yeast and warm water in small bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes. Combine yeast mixture, evaporated milk, and next 3 ingredients. Gradually stir in flour to make a soft dough. Cover and chill for 8 hours.

Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and knead 5 or 6 times. Roll dough into a 15 x 12 inch rectangle and cut into 3 inch squares. Pour oil into a large Dutch oven, to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 375 degrees. Fry 4 or 5, at a time, for one minute on each side or until golden. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 2 dozen.

Bon appetit!

 Hope that ya'll have a wonderful, fun week! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Christmas Fun on the Bayou !

On Sunday, after a delicious breakfast of crawfish omelettes and biscuits, we headed out to find some Cajun fun. Vermilion Ville, a Cajun heritage and folk life park , in Lafayette, was having their Old Time Christmas celebration. But first we wanted to go to the Cajun Christmas Fair, going on at River Ranch, in Lafayette. With all of the rain we've been having in Cajun Country, you might say we're in the monsoon season, again! Thanks to El Nino, we've gotten over a foot of rain, so far in December, and it's only the middle of the month.

But thankfully, the rain held off on Sunday afternoon for "The Gift of Music" fundraiser, held at River Ranch, in Lafayette. It was a family event to raise money for several area youth programs and included a gumbo challenge, old fashioned games, live music, a live nativity scene, and an arts and crafts show.

We bought a few gifts at this great jewelry booth and enjoyed some fabulous music, before heading over to Vermilion Ville for "An Old Time Christmas".

Old fashioned craft demonstrations were held all day, at Vermilion Ville and The Jambalaya Cajun Band was playing in The Performance Center, Le Jour de Fete, from 1-4 pm., where there was a whole lot of dancing going on.



The weather was warm and balmy which was perfect for walking around the grounds, along the Vermilion Bayou and attending the various activities planned for the day. Boat rides on the bayou were also offered.

Then someone told us that they were serving a delicious Christmas buffet at the restaurant, La Cuisine de Maman. Who could resist an all you can eat Cajun Christmas buffet! A perfect ending to an enjoyable day!

Rockin' on the Levee + Bayou Stomp

Last weekend was such a wild and crazy weekend in Cajun Country, with so much going on that, I had to split it into two posts. If you didn't read my first post , Cajun Weekend Lagniappe, last weekend, you can click here, to see it. It was about my Cajun adventures on Thursday and Friday nights. There was so much more fun to come!

On this past Sunday, we took a ride to the Atchafalaya Basin to get out to nature a bit, before going to the weekly dance at Whiskey River Landing. After riding the levee, we stopped in at Turtle's Bar, for a little refreshment and ran into some friends who were going to the dance. The more the merrier!

Geno and French Rockin' Boogie

From there, we headed over to Whiskey River Landing, where Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie were really rockin' the crowd. Zydeco heaven! If you've been to Whiskey River, then you know what I mean, cher! If you haven't, then you need to go! It will be one of the best times you've ever had!

After dancing for a few hours, we drove over to Pat's Fisherman"s Wharf Restaurant and dove into a fried seafood platter! Cest bon, cher! There was a Swamp Pop band playing in the Atchafalaya Club, which has one of the biggest dance floors in Louisiana. Swamp Pop was very popular in Cajun Country, in the 60's and still is, today! It's a timeless style of music that incorporates Cajun, blues, and 60's pop music. The slow songs are romantic and remind me of a few guys I used to dance with, back when. Here's a little clip that I took of Cookie and the Cupcakes. Let the good times roll, cher!

Cookie and the Cupcakes

And finally, here is the long lost video from last week's Downtown Alive that I was finally able to upload! It was dark, but I hope you can see me dancing! Oh, the life of a Cajun is oh, so fun!!

Chubby Carrier and  the Bayou Stomp Band

A Real Cajun Breakfast + Bayou Boogie!

Every once in a while I love to go out to a big Cajun breakfast. Like every other Cajun meal, this first meal of the day is planned out to the last detail and takes several hours to prepare, when you're talking about feeding half of Lafayette for breakfast. As in, T-Coon's Restaurant, on the corner of Pinhook Road and Kaliste Saloom Road, which has become Lafayette's latest hot spot for a real authentic Cajun breakfast, the kind your Maw Maw used to make. From the beignets, buttermilk biscuits, and bread, to the smoked sausage and boudin, to the crawfish omelettes, all cest bon, cher!! And of course , everything is HOMEMADE and served with a smile, with plenty of good old Mello Joy coffee to go with it.

And T-Coon even has his own seasoning called "The Stuff" which is highly recommended! (Click here to visit the website). He calls his style of cooking, "Zydeco Cooking", but make no mistake about it, T-Coon is a Cajun and his restaurant is fabulous! The eggs, grits, sausage, bacon , biscuits, and beignets were divine! And from the looks of the lunch buffet that they were setting up, I will go back soon, for lunch!

After ordering, my companion and I sipped a cup of Mello Joy and read, The Times, a weekly newspaper that gives details of upcoming events in Cajun Country. I saw that Joe Hall and the Canecutters are going to play this Saturday morning at the Zydeco breakfast at Cafe Des Amis, in Breaux Bridge, so that will be the next breakfast out in 2 days! See ya'll there!
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Here is a little clip of some Bayou Boogie that I took of Joe Hall and his talented band, The Canecutters, at Festival Acadiens in October. Let the good times roll, cher! Enjoy!

What is a Cajun? + Bayou Boogie

What is a Cajun?

Between the hills of North Louisiana and the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, lives the Cajun. Among the marshes and the bayous, the tall oaks and whispering moss, he carries on the traditions of his hardy French, Nova Scotian ancestors, les Acadiens, whose deportation and flight from persecution brought them to the lush Louisiana soil over two centuries ago.

(click to enlarge)

A Cajun likes fiddles and accordions in his music, plenty of pepper and spice in his food, shrimp and fish in his nets, speed in his horses and boats, neighborliness in his neighbors, and lots of love in his home. A Cajun likes to dance and laugh and sing when his hard week of work is done. And on Sunday, he likes to go to church to refresh his spirit and keep his always sustaining faith.

A Cajun dislikes people who don't laugh enough, fish enough, or enjoy all of the good things God has given to Cajun country. He doesn't like to be hurried when he's resting, or distracted when he's working. He doesn't like to see people unhappy, and he'll do all he can or give all he has to bring a smile to a face stricken with sadness.

A link with a proud past, a Cajun is a man of tolerance who will let the world go its way, if the world will let him go his. He is full of great friendliness, and will give you the crawfish off his table, the sac-au-lait off his hook, or the shirt off his back. If he likes you, he'll give you his whole wide world. If he doesn't, he'll give you a wide berth, or the toe of his boot!

A Cajun can be as stubborn as a mule and as onery as an alligator. If he sets his mind on something, he'll fight an alligator before he'll yield to your opinions. You'd just as well argue with a fence post, as to try and change his mind. He carved out Acadiana, by hand, from the uncultivated swamps and marshes and prairies. He can work as hard and as long as any man.

But when the work is done and the argument ended, a Cajun can sweep you right into a wonderful world of "joie de vivre" with an accordion chorus, a good gumbo, and a handful of little words, laissez les bon temps rouler! He loves a good time and celebrates with many festivals and a fais do do. He loves to eat and to cook the way his ancestors did so many years ago.

A Cajun has as many ingredients in his blood as Mama's gumbo, and his virtues are many. He has tolerance for those who earn it, charity for those who need it, a smile for those who return it, and love for all who share it ! He likes to have fun and enjoy life and has the joie de vivre in his soul. So what is a Cajun? All these things and more! 

Adapted from "What is a Cajun"? - Hamm, 1972

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My favorite festival, Festival Acadiens et Creole, is right around the corner. Here's a little clip that I took from atop a picnic table, at last year's festival, just to give you an idea of the good times coming right up! Let the good times roll!

Honest Scrap Award + Bayou Boogie

My dear Cajun bloggie friend, Kora, recently presented me with this fantastic award . She is such a sweetheart and her wonderful blog,  Dixie Lust, A Guide to Charming Adventures
and Decadent Pastimes, is fabulous and filled with many unique Cajun tidbits and creative surprises. Be sure to pay her a visit soon and tell her that I sent you. Many thanks, Kora, for this honor! She says that I am supposed to list 10 random things about myself that my readers may not know, but since that is a lot easier said than done, I will offer my whole blog as representation of this part of the Honest Scrap. This award represents bloggers who speak from the heart and tell it like it is! It is my pleasure to pass this great award to the following 10 Honest Scraps. Please check them out, you'll be so glad that you did !

Jo at:) A Majority of Two
 Jeni at:) Down River Drivel
 Cal. Girl at:) Empty Nest Evolution
 Elizabeth at :) Elizabeth Bradley Fiction
 Expat at:) Expat from Hell
 Nancy at:) Life in the Second Half
 Owen at:) Magic Lantern Show
 Ellen at:) Stuff from Ellen's Head
 Mark & Jill at:) Welcome to Acadiana (The Daily Meaux)
 Laura at :) White Spray Paint

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Bayou Boogie

I had a few requests over the weekend for a little bayou boogie. This is a video clip that I took of one of my favorite bands, playing some good old bayou boogie, at Festival International. Enjoy!
 
Lil' Buck Sinegal and Friends

One Foot in the Ocean and One Foot in the Bayou!

One of my dear bloggie buds, who lives on the Eastern shore of Maryland, sent me the most fabulous photos of his adventures "down the ocean", this weekend. Ocean City, Maryland is a 10 mile barrier island, on the coast of Maryland, with 30 blocks of boardwalk, a beautiful beach, and lots of fun to be had, all along this stretch of paradise. Aside from Cajun Country, it is one of my favorite places to enjoy life. I will be going there soon, and when I tell you that I am looking forward to it, then you know that I mean it! I am dreaming about eating a Chesapeake Bay crab cake, and the beach, and the boardwalk, and all the fun that I'm going to have there!

Here is a photo of the crowd at the 36th annual White Marlin Open, which was held this week, from August 3-7 in Ocean City, at Harbor Island Marina, at 13th Street and the Bay. The winner, claimed a $1,000,000. prize and with the stakes this high, there were entries from all over the Eastern seaboard.


After all this excitement, it was time to celebrate and he and his friends headed over to Reel Inn for a few Heinekens. The bartenders could hardly keep up with this partying crowd. They were feeling kind of hungry and headed over to Fish Tales for a bite to eat and maybe a little more partying.


While waiting for their dinner, he got this great shot, at Fish Tales, of a group drinking a "Surf's Up", shots of Tequila X 4! What a party town, indeed! Looks like they might even be able to keep up with the Cajuns! Let the good times, roll, cher! Do you have a favorite party spot where you live?

A Cajun Dinner on the Bayou

Growing up on the bayou in Abbeville was a seafood lover's dream. Fresh gulf seafood was at our fingertips daily, right off the boats. My mother's cousin had a trawling boat and would bring in tons of fabulous, fresh shrimp, crabs, oysters, and fish every weekend. He would make the rounds to all the family member's homes and stock their freezers full. He was generous to a fault!


Then his family would have a big seafood feast on Saturday nights, complete with a live Cajun band that he played in. They had a camp in their backyard, built especially for parties. What could be better than delicious seafood, a Cajun band, and a whole lotta dancing going on. How I wish that I had videos or even pictures of these shindigs. Even though I do not, my memories of these good times are so etched into my memory, that I can recall every detail, just as though it was yesterday. Fun just stays with you.


I took a ride to Abbeville, today, to visit my Dad and to take him out to dinner. Since Abbeville is famous for it's selection of fabulous seafood restaurants, it's always hard to choose one. I was in the mood for boiled crabs (yes, again), so we started to head over to Richard's Seafood Patio to dive into some sinfully delicious, highly seasoned crabs. On the way there, please try to understand that we had to drive by three other fabulous seafood restaurants, before getting to Richard's. We were getting hungrier by the minute.

Black's, a landmark in Abbeville, is famous for it's oysters, as well as it's seafood gumbo, and other Cajun seafood delicacies. It's original location was a bit up on the same block, on Pere Megret Street, in my grandfather's old building. My Dad's store was right next door, in the same building. To say that this was lucky is understating the joy of smelling all of this wonderful food cooking, whenever my brother and I would go to Dad's store, after school. We had more than a few after school snacks at the old Black's. Oh, cest bon, cher!


Dupuy's Oyster Shop was closed for vacation, so that eliminated agonizing over that one. Next we came to The Riverfront Grill, which is famous for it's New Orleans style seafood dishes, as well as divine Cajun cuisine. Dad wanted some crawfish etoufee and by this time, I just wanted crab anything. And then I remembered the succulent , Eggplant Evangeline that is my favorite item on the menu. Fried eggplant /topped with crabmeat in bechamel sauce with a spinach salad and sweet potato fries. It was all out of this world! What about Richard's? Well, maybe next week! Do you have a favorite seafood restaurant?

A Fun Cajun Getaway + Bayou Blues

When the horrible heat wave finally broke, I was hit by a wave of wanderlust and decided to take a little getaway. We rented a small houseboat on the swamp, in Henderson and retreated to the Atchafalaya Basin, which is a short 15 minute drive. It is quieter during the week, without the weekend water lovers that frequent the swamp on the weekends. Pure bliss doesn't even begin to describe the experience. Nature, at it's finest in one of the most beautiful settings on the planet. Spending the night on the swamp is not for the faint-hearted, however. There are alligators and yes, mosquitos, but a Cajun learns early on, how to deal with these things.

We dined at Pat's Fisherman's Wharf Restaurant and feasted on a divine seafood platter. Oh, cest bon, cher! My family has been eating at Pat's since the 50's and you can always count on getting the best, sinfully delicious seafood on the levee, there. We had a nightcap at Turtle's Bar, before retreating to the little floating chateau.

The next morning we went fishing and caught a whole ice chest of catfish, which set the menu for the day. The smell of catfish frying and a big catfish stew simmering, brought visits from boaters that were coming in from Henderson Lake. Since we had enough to feed a small army, we invited them all! Oh, the life of a Cajun!

So, this adventure turned into quite a party. After a fantastic lunch, and several hours of playing boo ray, (a Cajun card game) we packed it up and headed home and back to reality, at least for another few days. It is amazing what a change in scenery can do for the psyche and the soul.
Do you have a place to get away where you live?

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I've had a special request for some more bayou blues. The audio is not very good, for the singer, but hopefully you will be able to understand the lyrics. Song entitled, "You Can Have My Husband, But Don't Mess with My Man"!

Bayou Blues Jam

Bayou Blues Jam at Artmosphere

We had an absolute blast at

Artmosphere Bistro last night, where they have a Jazz/Blues Jam every Thursday night. The place is well known for it's nightly music, great food, awesome art and chocolate martinis. Artmosphere is a combination art gallery, restaurant, and live music venue, as well as a great spot to catch beads during Mardi Gras season. I have company from Maryland, this week, and wanted to give them a taste of our talented blues musicians.

My son and daughter met us there and it was starting to become quite a party. After adjusting to the darkness, I looked around the cozy bar area and saw several people waving at me. Oh my gosh, it was a group of friends from good old Abbeville who I had gone to high school with, that I hadn't seen in ages. Well, the party began turning into an Abbeville reunion, as one friend pointed out that most of the band members were also friends from Abbeville.

An old family friend told me that his son was up next to play in the jam. Then my son told me that one of his friends was about to play, as well. It turned out that our sons were friends and neither realized that their parents were old friends. Talk about synchronicity! The music was hot, as always, in Cajun Country and seeing my old buds was icing on the cake. Lassier les bon ton rouler, cher!

Have a fabulous fun weekend!! Do you have a place like this in your town?

Dancin' on the Bayou

Of all the things that a Cajun loves to do, dancing is perhaps at the top of the list. "There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good", to quote the famous dance critic, Edwin Denby. Here in Cajun Country, dancing is taught from birth, when your parents took you along, as a baby, to the weekly dance. Back then, it was usually a feast, with live music at a friend's or relative's home. My dear mother used to dance around the kitchen ,while she was cooking, when she was expecting me! So you might say that I've been dancing since before I was even born!

To a Cajun, to dance is to release such inner joy, that nothing else quite compares to it. Whether it be Cajun, Zydeco, Rock and Roll, Jitterbug, Swing, or Swamp Pop music doesn't matter, nor does where you dance.. The dance partner is very important because there is nothing quite as fun as dancing with a partner that really knows how to boogie. No shortage of great men or women dancers here in Cajun Country.

And if you should happen to go to any dance hall in Acadiana, you will see people in their eighties who are really cutting the rug, right alongside, and with, the younger generation. I dance with a 75 year old friend who can dance better that most forty year olds I know! In my dancing travels, I see lots of " hot as Tabasco" dancers who take the fine art of Cajun or Zydeco dancing to a new level. Here are a few examples. Enjoy! 

Have you been dancing lately? And what is your favorite kind of dance music? Let the good times roll, cher and hope all of my bloggie buds have a very Happy Father's Day!