Crawfish, alligator bites, zydeco shrimp, gumbo, boudin balls, crab claws, po-boys and crawfish bisque. Ahhhhhh.
Louisiana has won me over – and that cajun goodness of southern Louisiana ranks for me as America’s top cuisine. Does it have any rivals? (Maybe the creole goodness of New Orleans that I’ll be testing during my stay here…)
Welcome to Cajun goodness
Gumbo….ahhhhhhh!
Michelle and Sam introduce me to boudin balls and zydeco shrimp
Oysters on the grill
Michelle and Sam, thanks for your warm and open-armed welcome to your home in Lafayette. So good to relive the memories of that year when you and daughter Maggie lived in Assisi – as we dined on cajun specialties my first night in Lafayette. Ah, that crawfish at Alligator Cove! Thanks for the lessons in how to eat crawfish, Sam. And for me, first time in a restaurant with a sink in the main dining room (for washing up after crawfish-feasting).
Michelle and I, ready for the cajun goodness at Alligator Cove
Crawfish feast at Alligator Cove with Sam and Michelle
Cajun temptations
Checking out those cajun sauces
Sam teaches me how to eat crawfish
Our waiter, Jake (from the back!)
Sam with all those cajun sauces
Waiter Jake with alligator bites
Young Jonah opts for smoked sausages with his crawfish
Sam Demonstrates
Washing up right in the dining room – after the crawfish feast
Loved cooking with you and your Lafayette friends on my second night and delighted all enjoyed the Umbrian rural cuisine we cooked up.
My only regret? That I couldn’t be feasting on cajun food that night, too! Oh, well, we “cajun-ed” it up a bit, adding hot red pepper to the squash pasta and the chicken dish. (Missed it in the peperonata, though!)
Our united Lafayette cooking group
Our Siclian peppers dish – but missing the “cajun touch”
Sheila on our pasta with butternut squash – and we’ll add “cajun flare”
Mille grazie, Sam and Michelle, for every delicious moment of my stay, from alligator bites to crawfish feasting to dancing with “the locals” at the Breaux Bridge Zydeco brunch to the Jolie Bistro goodness to our superb tour in New Orleans upon arrival here. (I was sorry to miss Rockin’ Dopsie Jr.’s Zydeco in Lafayette: will have to catch him again in Perugia at Umbria Jazz in July!)
Cafe’ des Amis, Breaux Bridge: Zydeco brunch on Sundays
Connecting with “the locals” at the Zydeco brunch in Breaux Bridge
Dancing to Zydeco in Breaux Bridge, LA
Zydeco dancing partners
Zydeco brunch at the Cafe des Amis, Breaux Bridge, LA
And thanks so much, Sam and Michelle, for the notes you wrote to me:
“Such a fabulous evening! Delicious food, wine. Had a blast breaking bread with you again.” Michelle
“Annie, thank you so much for the re-connect! The food was fabulous, the experience was rich and the over-all fun was priceless. WE hope you enjoyed your first (and hopefully, not last) foray into Cajun country of south central Louisiiana. Can’t wait to see you again in Assisi.” Sam
Michelle and Sam, in their Italian aprons and ready to cook
Glad we linked up again over Umbrian flavors – as we did at the “First Courses” festival (and not only!) in Foligno – remember? And remember the festival linked to open house at the olive oil mills? And this time, Umbrian flavors linked me your delightful cooking gruppo. May we cook together again, everyone, here… or there!
Cynthia, Penny and Lynn, cooking trio
Sissy and Janet on the tiramisu
Sissy, Janet and Cynthia team on the cooking
Cynthia on the arugula chopping
Good times in the kitchen for Debbie, Sheila and Pam
Debbie, good job on the sage!
Michelle with her cooking friends, Sissy, Janet and Penny
Hands united to dice tomatoes
A cooking trio
Lynn, good job on the parsley
Penny and Lynn, cooking duo
Bruschetta coming up
Yum!
Tuna/brandy/cream/mushroom pate’ in-the-making
Sam and Michelle with their cooking crew
Sheila, more brandy!
Umbrian chicken with a “cajun touch”
Lynn on the fennel detail for our salad
Jean and Joel team on the pasta service
Joining Sheila and Cynthia at the burners
Pam and Penny, salad team
Sam oversees the pasta-cooking with Penny and John
A tiramisu duo
Hostess Michelle handles the black pepper on the pasta
“O mamma mia!” Sam seems to say
Sheila and Pam on the squash
Sheila at the burners
Sheila handles the squash
what fun in Lafayette!!
Enjoyed being with you in New Orlean
Thanks so much for guiding me around the New Orleans wonders, Jane..and may we connect again soon..here in Italy!