I live in South Louisiana, a strange and wonderful place.
Here, there are Swamps and Bayous, populated with Egrets and Alligators. We boil seafood, Crabs, Crayfish and Shrimp, to welcome friends and family, and we serve it HOT! When weget together to play cards, it's a good bet we'll be playing bourre' (boo-ray).
They call South Louisiana a Sportsman's Paradise for good reason.Click here to visit Dave's Duck BlindHere, we hunt just about anything from duck to deer to alligator! As for fishing, with so many waterways you know the fishing is good! Freshwater, saltwater, we have got it all! Talk to the locals to find out the best spots, and the best way to get to 'em. Not everything is on the maps.
We have been known to rodet (roe-day) on down to the fete' deus deaux (fay doe doe) to dance in the street. We have festivals celebrating everything, from our varied heritage's and our industries, to our music, and of course, our food!
If it's Cajun Cooking you want, or Creole Cuisine, or even if you don't know the difference, you are sure to find something here to make your stomach growl.
What is the difference? Well, it was once explained to me that Creole recipes are the result of French cooks trying to make French recipes with Louisiana supplies, like using pecansvisit my good friend, Wanda's, cook bookinstead of walnuts, molasses instead of sugar . . . that kind of thing. Cajun recipes are the result of the Acadian people trying to make enjoyable the foods that were available to them . . . If all you've got to eat is crayfish and rice, you create etoufee!
Contrary to what you may have heard, Cajun (Acadian) and Creole (French from the oldrecipes gathered from the household of a Cajun family who live in Franklin, LAcountry) are not our only options. There is a large Italian influence to our culture, as well as a tremendous contribution from the Black community. When it comes to food, flavor is the thing, not national origin. On an average person's dinner table you are as likely to find crawfish fettichini as seafood gumbo. Check out some Real South Louisiana Recipes, from A Cajun Family's Recipe Book.
We do things differently here, to put it mildly. Our food is different, and ourMusic in South Louisianamusic is different too.
Just as it is the flavor that is important in our food, it is the energy that is the important thing about our music. You can't sit still when Cajun or Zydeco musicians are performing! Even if you don't like the music, you will find your toes tapping. It's hard to resist the lure of the dance floor. It is the Zoire de Vie of the people of this area that make it so special. It is as if every ounce of "flavor" must be squeezed from every experience, be it eating a meal, or listening to music or just about anything else.
Vanessa Cadiere's Acadian Expulsion PageTo understand how the Cajun People got to be who they are you have to understand a bit of our history. The Acadian Expulsion is the pivotal event that caused us to become who we are. Check out this page for a thoughtful retelling of the Acadian Expulsion.
Whatever the background, South Louisiana is just overrun with special, talented people. Iclick here to buy the book from Amazonkid you not, talent is so ordinary around here that we don't realize how special we are until we leave home! In every neighborhood is a talented artist, a gifted musician, a world class cook, an exceptional writer . . . we take it for granted. Proud tho we may be of our home and our heritage, a more modest bunch of people you may never find!
A lot of South Louisiana folks have relocated all over the United States, even the world. For many, it's a temporary thing, and they return home eventually.a native of South Louisiana, check out her art, read her stories and poetrySome find happiness in far away places and never come home to stay, but South Louisiana is always home. Tho they may not come home to stay, most come home every chance they get.
Every one of us who leaves home brings a bit of home with us, be it a family recipe for Etoufee or Rice & Gravy, an unquenchable craving for Community Coffee, a collection of Zydeco recordings. One thing each of us brings with us is the outlook, the way of life, thatThe Bayou Website . . . Everything you ever wanted to know about Grand Isle, LAdesire to get the last drop of zest out of each experience.
And we usually bring a few wanna be Cajuns back home with us! I think it's safe to say that there are more "imported" and "wanabe" Cajuns than any other ethnic group. For a group with such an oppressed heritage,A Cajun Home Page . . . from Opelousas, Louisianathat's quite an accomplishment! Think of a derogatory word used to describe an ethnic group. Ever saw anyone wearing a T shirt that says "Certified (ethnic insult)", or 100% pure (ethnic insult)" or especially "Imported (ethnic insult)"? The derogatory for Cajun is "Coon a**" Everybody wants to be a Coon a**! Many beauque T-shirts are sold that proclaim the wearer to be a Coon a**, either by heritage or by choice. It must be our Zoire de Vie, that irrepressible love of life that has never been defeated.
In the spring, and summer, we have Festivals celebrating our food and our music. But that's only right, because our food and our music is a celebration. To kick off the Festival Season in Style, we celebrate Mardi Gras. My home is in a very rural area, and our celebration is abit different from the famous one in New Orleans.
I live in St. Mary Parish, a very rural area right in the heart of Acadiana.
The Parish Seat, Franklin, is my home town and boasts a tiny population of 9,000.
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They threw us out of France, they threw us out of Nova Scotia, I'll be dammed if they gonna throw us off the Net!
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