Holy Smoke!

Not Just Another Piece Of Meat

My wife and I moved from South Florida after hurricane Katrina ripped through Louisiana.  Most of the available homes were bought in a short period of time following the storm. Many families from New Orleans area evacuated and their homes were destroyed. The trauma of losing a home, escaping with only the clothes on your back must be horrific.

Two years ago helping my neighbor board up his new home during the last hurricane threat was a joy and opportunity to help a neighbor and make a new friend.  Several of the neighbors were walking around in a daze and I noticed their homes were not prepared for this storm. The owners seem overwhelmed and were experiencing an emotional disaster. All I could do to help was assure them we were in this one together. After the storm passed with little damage people came out of their homes and began talking, crying and laughing. They released bundles of emotion that has been waiting to erupt since Hurricane Katrina. Things were now normal again. We can survive a hurricane together.  With appreciation a neighbor gave me a whole rib eye rack.  I did not want to accept it, but it was given with joy and thankfulness for getting through this tribulation together.

I buried this large chunk of meat in my freezer for the right occasion.  The day arrived and I decided to not slice and cook but season and smoke. I began with beef base rub liberally over the entire rib roast.  Covered in fresh cracked pepper and allowed to blend overnight before smoking.  Smoked over pecan wood at 250 degrees for 7 hours then allowed to rest for 30 minutes. I prepared side dishes of spaghetti squash with cinnamon butter, twice baked potatoes and a small Caesar salad.

The prime rib was so tender I was able to cut each bite with a fork. The au jus sauce retained while resting was the richest I have ever eaten. Enjoying this meal with family and friends is a reminder why we moved back to Louisiana.  It is a place like no other; where people look after each other, protect each other and share all they have with each other.

LIVING IN LOUISIANA WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY          RATES        5


Louisiana Life Magazine

Mothers Day

 Mothers Day

Crawfish Finale

Every second Sunday in May as a country we celebrate Mothers Day. I have a mother, but for years I have purchased gifts for both my wife and mother.  I have two sons and over the years they purchased gifts and cards for their mother.  Near May 1st each year I start getting reminders around the house “Mothers Day is around the corner”.  I start calling my sons to remind them not to forget Mothers Day. Call, write, and send a gift please.  No one can over celebrate Mothers Day. But how do I gently tell my wife she’s not my mother?

This year my younger son decided on celebrating with a crawfish boil.  He wanted to pick up live crawfish and boil them at my house to surprise his mother.  A grand gesture, but a bad idea.  I knew he was going to setup, boil, and clean up.  I also knew the mess.  My wife wanted to relax and spend time with her son.  Some times a small song means more than a parade.

I have eaten crawfish several times this year. I have been disappointed by size and price of the local market. I told my son it was too expensive and messy.  We were not going to boil crawfish but instead find another way to celebrate Mothers Day.  He agreed to my surprise.  He said he would bring food for Mothers Day and for us to just sit back and relax. He began planning without my knowledge to treat his mother to boiled crawfish.  He started shopping and shopping and shopped some more. 

He arrived at noon with his fiancé and they began unloading an ice chest of the largest boiled crawfish I have ever seen.  They were steaming with corn and onions.  We began to feast. The crawfish were huge, perfectly boiled and easy to peel.  My son could not have planned a better meal for his mother, disposable.  It was exactly what my wife wanted, no kitchen time.  She enjoyed this day with her son.  Now I can say it clearly with out reservation, “honey your are not my mother.”  She now can expect her son to be there and I get the day off.     Happy Mothers Day!


THE CRAWFISH HOLE                             YOU RATE                               5
Lafayette, LA 7o508
510 Verot School Road
337-534-8974


 Crawfish Hole

   Old School

Only A Few Remain

Many years ago, every Friday night for me was high school football or basketball game night.  I remember watching my older brother and sisters participate. My parents were always around to support the local school activities. However, Saturday night was special.  My older brothers and sisters were out with their friends. My parents loaded my younger sister and I into the car to frequent a local restaurant.  I remember ordering off the menu.   I don’t remember always receiving what I ordered but the memory of me sitting in that huge booth with my younger sister is as clear as yesterday.  Saturdays were special and the food experience memorable.

My father pasted away 12 years ago.  My siblings and I enjoy weekly meals with my mother.  I have learned that if she picks the restaurant then all will be well.  You see she doesn’t understand why some restaurants would want to put tasso and a rosetta parmesan cream sauce over shrimp.  She believes that the best way to cook shrimp is boiled, fried, or stewed. She feels very comfortable with a restaurant that has a crab dinner, oyster dinner or a shrimp dinner as there special.  Katie bar the door if she knows there is broiled flounder that night on the menu.  My mother is old school and there is something to be said for her great taste. She is a marvelous cook and has taught all her children to cook.

This past week I enjoyed a lunch with my mother and my old brother at one of her favorite restaurants.  She always gets a cup of seafood gumbo as an appetizer.  She orders fried catfish bites for the table by habit.  She tells stories of times gone by with a smile on her face.  I believe she is reflecting back on an era of meals with my dad, simpler menu, and a lack of cell phones which maid the restaurants quieter leaving conversations uninterrupted.

At 90 years young, she can make an order of lump cram meat in drawn butter disappear faster than David Copperfield.  She’s had a lot of practice.  The grandchildren love to dine with her.  It’s a time when she allows them to order off the menu and the waitress has her job cut out for her.  The room gets louder and the laughter lingers long after we leave the restaurant. It builds a memory with a new generation and a legacy for her children and grandchildren to continue.  What a great joy to dine with someone you love.  It makes every meal great.


GUIDRY’S  REEF                                    YOU RATE                                                   5

You have stayed true to your heritage and your father’s legacy also.

Guidry's Reef

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Chicken Marsala

  

Little Pricey

I will occasionally purchase online a coupon for a discount at local restaurants.  Buying a coupon for Ruth Chris at a $100 value for $ 50 is a sweet deal.  Sometimes purchasing a coupon will allow me try a restaurant I have avoided for some time due to price, food selection or other reasons.  I decided to try a local fine dining Italian restaurant. I was told it was pricey but I was prepared.

I ordered Chicken Marsala.  I have enjoyed this rich flavor over the past years and I knew what I was going to be served.  I received one chicken breast filet pounded flat slit in two, dusted in flour then pan saute'ed topped with one mushroom sliced so fine it was in 15 pieces.  Beneath the one chicken breast was a small collection of haricots verts.  Haricots verts is an expensive way of saying “green beans”. 

I spent the next few minutes having a discussion with my waitress on how to order a side Caesar salad.  Everything on the menu seemed a la carte and I notice side salads were missing on the menu.  She tried to exchange it for my haricots verts, but I wanted green beans and would gladly pay for both.  At this moment, I noticed my wife’s eyes starting to light up. I knew then I went down a road less traveled.  How dare I ask for what I would like?  After all, I am paying for it and that has no reasoning.

My wife ordered Ravello – sautéed shrimp, crawfish, mushrooms, spinach, tasso and sun tried tomatoes in a basil sherry cream over linguini pasta.  I encourage her to order a side salad but she just wasn’t up for it at this moment.

Fresh bread arrived with olive oil and herb ashes. It was a nice touch.  We each had a glass of Columbia Crest for $8.95 each. I understand that wine in a restaurant is more expensive normally by the glass but I could have purchased a bottle for the price of one glass.  I’ll give them benefit of doubt; maybe they have it brought in daily from Washington State.

Our food arrived and was set on a pristine tablecloth.  The candles were dim and the presentation was beautiful.  I must admit that the chicken marsala was wonderful and the haricot verts were green as ever.  To my surprise the best thing I ate this week was out of my wife’s plate. The Ravello she ordered was magnificent.  It was rich in flavor and you could taste each individual ingredient. It was exactly how this dish should taste. This dish should be an experience worth going back.

The over all dining experience was great but the dishes were over priced for the portions.  When you serve someone green beans, call it “green beans.”  No waiting in long lines to be seated. It would be a great place to propose, only 20% of the tables were occupied and if she declines only the staff would know.


BELLA  FIGURA                     YOU RATE                           3

bellafigura.net

Tortilla Soup

Light And Hearty?

Last week after returning from a road trip my wife and I decided to dine out and relax over a glass of wine at our favorite Pizzeria.   I wasn’t in the mood for an extravagant meal. I wanted to relax and regroup for the weekend.  We normally order a pizza, and a side salad.  Tonight, I wasn’t in the mood for any lettuce because of the recall on television all week.  I decide to get outside my comfort zone and order a cup of tortilla soup.

I have never tried tortilla soup in a restaurant before.  I exposed my male chauvinistic gene because women always order it, and I figure it to have little flavor or calories. I order the heavier soups and larger salads that I should avoid.  It was the best decision both in flavor and enjoyment for that evening.  Later that night I went to bed thinking, “Why have I never made this before?”  It’s probably because I never ate it before and now I’m hooked. The following day I stopped at Wal-Mart and found everything I needed to prepare my version.

          1  Rotisserie chicken
          2  Large cans whole kernel corn
          1  Large can diced tomatoes
          1  Small can sliced carrots
          1  16oz bag frozen chopped onion and bell peppers
          6  Chicken bouillon cubs.
         ¼  Cup Olive Oil
          8  oz Cheddar Cheese
          8  oz Sour cream
          1 Bag tortilla chips


I began with a deep sauce pot and added oil, onions, peppers and sauté.  I added corn, diced tomatoes, and sliced carrots I cut in half moon shape and sauté.  I added bouillon cubs and water to make the consistency of a soup (6 cups). Then, I pulled apart rotisserie chicken into small spoon size pieces to fold into my soup.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  This was too simple and I thought I might be throwing it out.  I served the soup into a large rimmed bowl, added tortilla chips, a spoon of sour cream, topped with shredded cheddar cheese and chives. It was the lightest soup I have eaten and as rich as any gumbo I have ever made. 

I will now have a standard to judge all tortilla soups in the future.   I must confess “thick & creamy” isn’t always better, and my feminine side has been enlightened.


Dean O’s South                             YOU RATE               4

My Recipe Tortilla Soup                I RATE                                5


www.deanospizza.com

In Season

Always Delicious

Every year I wait for football to start in the fall. I wait for baseball in the spring.  However, the wait for crawfish has been the most difficult.  Each winter the cold temperature determines how long we will wait for the crawfish season to begin.  This year we had a very mild winter and many fishermen started delivering crawfish to the restaurants as early as November.  Normally, it is January before any serious amount is harvested. I anticipated a bountiful harvest and prices to slide. That didn’t happen. Fishermen at Christmas time were receiving $2.25 to $2.75 a pound for their catch.  Restaurants bought every little creature in site. As the weather became mild, their catches got greater and most of the restaurants got greedy.  They are now paying from $1.25 to $1.50 per pound and are selling five pounds of boiled crawfish for $26.95 to $32.95.

I started looking at another source, “Chinese Crawfish”. Yep! You can purchase them at Wal-Mart. They are larger than our little buddies here and are available year round. Wow! Problem solved.  I suddenly began to recall the dog food fiasco where many dogs were seriously poisoned and died over tainted dog food.  Then, I remembered the baby formula crisis where an additive was used to boost the protein level to meet requirements to sell on the open market.  There went my yearly supply.

My mind started to examine our local source.  Locally, crawfish is harvested two ways; in harvested rice field flooded during the winter and spring crawfish is harvested till around June.  The second source is in local rivers, swamps, and lakes. This method of fishing is called deepwater crawfish.   They are harvested in a different manner.  This is the more traditional method from days gone by. It’s not as plentiful of a harvest but a larger and cleaner crawfish.  Well if they harvest from rice fields and crawfish live in the ground, then all the pesticides and fertilizer from over the past 75 years still reside in the soil.

I need to find another source. Yes, the larger than life cousin of the crawfish, the lobsters.  Raised in the ocean, they are harvested and flown to my favorite market year round.  Do I just eat one like a normal person?  Not at all!  If an order of crawfish cost an average $30.95 plus beer, tax, and tip, then how many lobsters will that will buy.  I can still pinch the tale. The head may be a little awkward to suck, but the claws are magnificent.  I may even get an extra claw from my wife’s plate. Then again… maybe not.

It may not be the traditional meal for a Cajun, but after all, we are about quality and quantity.  Lobsters are now “The Other Deepwater Crawfish.” I can’t wait to see how many lobsters fit in my crawfish pot!

RESTAURANTS SELLING CRAWFISH AT $30.95 AN ORDER      YOU RATE      2

www.thecrawfishguy.com


Crawfish Deals

Tres Leches

Cinco Estrellas

Traveling all week, staying in hotels and entertaining customers for lunch and dinner sounds very exciting and usually is.  Sometimes being on the road the hotels and restaurants all blur together.  Applebee’s, Chili’s, and Outback are usually near and easy in and out before returning to my room. I lie across my bed channel surfing and catch the Food Network. This night Guy Fieri, on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, is traveling describing the best thing he ate this week on the road. I love to watch him experience home cooking in diners and dives across the country.  I often get a recipe I want to try or relive a memory of something I experience. 

While living in South Florida for 15 years I enjoyed dining at friends homes and sharing their recipe and cultures. Matilda, a close friend was born in Cuba and arrived in South Miami summer of 1980 on the “Mariel Boatlift”. This was a mass immigration from Cuba of more than 125 thousand people arriving on the shores of South Florida in everything from fishing boats to rafts finding safety and freedom in the United States. She was a young child who arrived with her parents, never to return home and having to start a new life.  Their culture was all they left with and saving it was very important.  Sharing it with friends was always a festive occasion. 

This night we enjoyed mojito roasted pork, picadillo, frijoles and rice then a dessert that would separate all meals in my mind.  Matilda brought out a single layer cake that has been in her refrigerator for 2 days resting.  She arrived at the dinner table and pulled a sheet of saran wrap off the top like a matador dodging a raging bull with it’s cloak. Her presentation was exciting as the meal.  Since this night I have ordered tres leches cake whenever I see it on a menu just to compare and try to relive that night.  Not until now can I say I have found it.  I went web surfing for the ultimate recipe and found it.  This weekend I remember how that night went with music, laughter, food and friendship.  Reminds me that in life, the journey is as important as the destination.

Matilda and Martha Stewart       GREAT    You Rate                  5

http://www.marthastewart.com/262916/tres-leches-cake

http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=cuban&fnSearchType=site

http://www.semp.us/publications/biot_reader.php?BiotID=572

Pizza Alesi

A TRADITION!

National advertising has made crust, meat and delivery a standard to measure what a pizza should be.  Even a frozen pizza for 5 bucks is accepted as “great.”  I have eaten Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Little Caesar’s, and DiGiorno.  Then there’s Alesi’s Pizza House, opened in 1957 by Mariano "Mike" Alesi. Mike and his wife, Bertha, brought Lafayette its first Italian Pizza House.  It was originally located on the corner of Cameron and Bertrand Drive.  Alesi’s has been at their current location since 1962.  Now operated by sons and grandsons, a tradition continues for locals to taste Italy in South Louisiana. 

Veal Scaloppini and Fettuccini with Alesi’s butter and garlic sauce are truly great Italian dishes. I find it hard to order pizza with such a great menu.  Everyone kept telling me, “You have to try the pizza.” Wow! What a treat.  The sauces are rich in culture handed down from generations of Alesi’s family recipes. The toppings are loaded and not scattered.  The serving staff only enhances the experience.  By your second visit you’ll feel like family.  The restaurant decor is a step back in time. If you ate at Alesi’s in the 1960’s and returned today, 50 years later, you would experience the same charm and hospitality. When you eat there, you will relive the memory of a high school date, a family dinner, or simply travel back in time to when restaurants were always a great experience. I look around and I see couples in booths reliving their past.  I see mothers and daughters’ Night Out. They are laughing while enjoying their pizza. Civic club meetings are held here. It has all the ambiance of a small town restaurant.

 Great Job                   Alesi Pizza House                 You Rate   5 


Mr. Mike I miss seeing you there.  Your boys are making you proud. Your legacy continues as they carry on your tradition.


http://alesipizzahouse.com

Shrimp Quesadilla

No Penance

Living in South Louisiana has many benefits; great friendships, great beauty, and of course great food.  Many people traveling through Louisiana often refer to it as God’s Country.  Louisiana was inhabited by a large number of Indian tribes living off the land for food.  Records show an exploration of Louisiana in 1605 followed by a large deportation from Nova Scotia in the early 1700’s. Acadians traveled to Louisiana for their final settlement.   The French settlers, with their wagons and supplies, also brought their strong Catholic beliefs.  Every year Catholics in Louisiana start with Mardi Gras, followed by Ash Wednesday as the beginning of the Lenten season.  Local church leaders push a strong participation in penance by encouraging followers to refrain from eating meat during Lent’s Fridays as a joint sacrifice in the community.  The local restaurants adjust their menus with seafood to accommodate their customers. 

My wife and I took the road less traveled tonight to enjoy a local Mexican Restaurant, La Hacienda in Broussard, LA. We walked into an authentic Mexican experience. The tables, fixtures, and personnel were all from Mexico.  The menu has a wide range of dishes with vegetables, chicken, beef, and of course seafood. I can normally tell how great food will taste based on the restaurants salsa. If a Mexican restaurant makes a great salsa, then the rest of the meal will be enjoyable.  I would indulge this Friday with a Shrimp Quesadilla. As in most Mexican restaurants, it doesn’t take long for the food to arrive. Our waiter warned me saying, “Caliente! Caliente!” I expect the food to be smoking hot within the quesadilla.  The shrimp were plentiful and the grilled peppers, tomatoes and onions inside were caramelized to perfection. The price, a reasonable $12.99 compared to $29.95 for 5 pounds of boiled crawfish a few blocks down the road. I enjoy a restaurant where the wait time is none and the parking is easy. La Hacienda is a well kept secret for the locals. I hope more people will discover it.


Good Job      La Hacienda Mexican Cantina.            You Rate     4

Need to turn down the mariachi music. It competes with a quiet conversation, but does give a festive atmosphere.

Cajun Benedict

 UNBELIEVABLE

It all started with a father and son bet.  My younger son told me the best thing he ever ate was at a Downtown Lafayette cafe called The French Press.  I found it puzzling because for the past 24 years it seemed to me that he ate most of his meals at my table.  Upon graduating from college and starting an exciting new life, he has discovered a new world of culinary delight.  My first thought was, if he paid for the meal maybe that's why it tasted better.  He challenged me to taste outside my own experiences and if I did not like his choice of breakfast he would pick up the tab.  Little did he know I was planning on giving a critical review of his choice and enjoy a free meal.

His description on the way to the cafe he told me I was going to enjoy a large bowl with french bread, topped with a boudin patty,  2 poached eggs, a slice of cheese, covered with chicken andouille gumbo.  I could not imagine those flavors at the same time. I accepted his bet and was ready to enjoy a free meal that has been a long time coming.

The French Press seats around 40-50 people.  The ambiance was great.  I was able to have a subtle conversation with my son without the clanging of dishes and voices bouncing off the walls. Reclaiming old buildings to make fresh new starts is encouraging for a new era of Lafayette character and history. It is located in the old Tribune Printing building, an icon of days past. It was great to be in the building once again.

My son walked up to the register and ordered for the both of us. The bet was on.  I was anxious to experience what my son thought was the best thing he ever ate.  While enjoying a cup of coffee our breakfast arrived.  I stared for a few seconds, glanced at my son and said, “this one is on you”.  I began to eat and enjoy the rich flavor and heritage that went into this original dish. It wasn’t bread, boudin and gumbo.  It was an Acadiana celebration at its finest!  It was a meal rich in culture, orchestrated to enjoy, laugh, and return to.

That’s right. I paid for it once again. I am happy to know that some of the money spent on college, went to his appreciation for great food and being able to seek it out.


GREAT JOB  “ THE FRENCH PRESS”    YOU RATE      5


The French Press

Home Page Post

This has been long time coming. For years I have talked about exceptional food in Acadiana and poor service ruining restaurants.  Some owners do not wish to hear complaints as long as their cash registers are ringing loud.  Well look out!  It is time we get together and tell the Good, the Bad and the Tasteless.  Let's start grading our experiences on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being Great.  Let everyone know know what you think.  Be honest, not political. This is not here to damage reputations, but to recognize the best and worst experiences in Acadiana.  There are many restaurants in Acadiana doing a great job.  However, there are a few off the mark.  Post about your good experiences. Post about your bad experiences.  Together, we will bring back what everyone expects of Acadiana,  great food with great service at a reasonable price. I'm calling it QUITS... paying for over priced food with poor service. Remember, TIPS is an acronym for To Insure Prompt Service.  Let your voice be heard here!