food & travel
The Proof Is In The Bread Pudding (and other Cajun truisms)

A serendipitous invitation to a restaurant opening blossomed into a 4-day excursion into Louisiana's Cajun Country, one of America's most vivid culinary regions. The journey packed with exceptional food and festive zydeco music commenced in Lafayette in the heart of Cajun country, meandered across 50 delicious miles of Interstate 10, and came to a much too early conclusion in Baton Rouge. Our stay included several exquisite bed and breakfasts, the proprietors of which were diversely knowledgeable in the subjects of Louisiana's history, gastronomy, and ecology. The hospitable and charming disposition of our hosts, a reflection of the populace in general, made for a fascinating gastronomic visit. As a native New Yorker with limited access to authentic Cajun cooking, my goals for this trip included discovering all the culinary gems possible that epitomize the Cajun essence. As the old proverb states, "The most direct line to a Cajun's heart is through his stomach." Simply stir the conversation toward food, sprinkle in a dash of passion, season with just the right amount of sincerity, and you have the recipe for lifelong friendship.

Cajun country is named for the Acadians, French settlers from Canada's Nova Scotia province who migrated to southern Louisiana over 250 years ago. The Prairie Cajuns-- descendants who settled in small, isolated communities--exhibited a pronounced German culinary influence, salting and curing their meats, as in the famed Tasso ham. Conversely, Bayou Acadians, settling closer to the water basin, gathered provisions on a daily basis. Thus their quotidian life took on a more communal and shared existence. The Creole element, a third and important influence in Louisiana's culinary heritage, stems from the Caribbean and African plantation cooks who were adapting French recipes to their familiar methods.

Around the Bayou, outstanding food can be found in the most unexpected places, especially at the roadside grocery stands and gas station shacks that stud Highway 10. I could not resist stopping at a roadside store which called itself the "Cracklin King." Sitting outside under an ample treetop shade was the only way I could imagine consuming Cajun lagniappe (sampling) of boudin, that ubiquitous sausage casing stuffed with rice, ground pork liver, and spices that is the basis of Cajun gastronomy; cracklings, crispy pork skin pieces; and hogshead cheese, accompanied by an enamel pitcher of homemade root beer. Along the route specialty food stores abundantly display stuffed meats and seafood, especially the unusual Cajun Turdukin, which is essentially a boneless turkey, stuffed with a duck which has been stuffed with a hen, and padded in between the layers with cornbread and pork crackling!

My arrival in Louisiana coincided with crawfish season and commenced at the much-lauded Crawfish Town USA. The barn-like exterior and informal air affirmed that the Cajun essence relies on casual comfort and down-home cooking. What better atmosphere than this to roll up the sleeves and dig in to a Boil, a five pound pile of steaming, boiled crawfish highly seasoned with a secret blend of Cajun spices, boiled skin-on potatoes, whole onions, and corn-on-the-cob. Peeling off the tail shells and sucking on the heads is a typical ritual at any crawfish restaurant, including Crawfish Town USA; an eatery that sees a staggering 7 tons of crawfish consumed weekly.

A visit to Cajun Country must include a sojourn at Bois des Chênes Bed and Breakfast, a circa 1890 Carriage house, which holds historical significance as the former home of the Mudd family, of John Wilkes Booth fame, who inspired the saying, "Your name is Mudd." Owner Coerte Voorhies, a leading conservationist and retired geologist, provides personally-guided tours of nearby Lake Martin and the surrounding breathtakingly eerie Atchafalaya swamp, hailed as Louisiana's answer to the Grand Canyon. Pristine cypress, hanging Spanish moss and mixed woods creep along the perimeter. The air, thick and humid, resonates with the sounds of over 38 species of birds, including osprey and blue heron. Fifteen-foot long alligators stealthily float by the inert shell of a turtle, while beavers, nutria, otters and mink frolic nearby.

Mornings are a delightful time on the Bayou. After restful slumbers in antique four-poster canopy beds, guests feast on hearty breakfasts of pecan pain perdu with Steen's cane syrup (Louisiana's version of maple syrup and a general presence in most dishes), crisp orange toast, sesame biscuits, herbed eggs, hot boudin and café noir. Although ample and delicious, this spread pales in comparison to the kinds of outrageously hearty and elaborate breakfasts once offered at plantations; meals that could solidify or ruin a plantation mistress's reputation!

Lunchtime directed me to Prejean's, a self-described "simply Cajun" restaurant serving catfish Pontchartrain, battered catfish topped with crawfish sauce and served with eggplant and okra casserole and dirty rice; blackened redfish etouffee; cane syrup-glazed Dixie duckling with corn macque choux (similar to hush puppies); smoked duck and andouille sausage gumbo; and alligator grand chenier, white tailmeat wrapped around crab and shrimp stuffing. There was little room for dessert but as the saying goes, "When in Rome do as the Romans do." The memorable meal ended on a sweet note with Acadian bread pudding in a Jack Daniel's butter sauce. The proof certainly was in the bread pudding, a Southern specialty flawlessly prepared at Prejean's.

From Cajun Country I headed toward Breaux Bridge, located southwest of Baton Rouge in the heart of plantation country, and offering small town charm with a Cajun French flair and a Creole touch. The namesake Breaux Bridge crosses the Bayou Teche, binding the neighborhoods that lie on opposite sides. Breaux Bridge is also the home of Café Des Amis, renowned for Saturday "Zydeco Breakfasts" led by Jean Pierre and the Zydeco Angels. Owner Dickie Breaux, an avid storyteller, fondly revels in the Cajun saying, "You know your mama loves you when she uses a rooster foot to enrich the gumbo." But you know your mama is Cajun if her slow cooked stews and meats are sweetened with cane syrup and flavored with a blend of onions, green peppers, celery and roux.

With the help of the music, the outstanding food, and the ambience we were transported to the ultimate Cajun daydream. To start, Café Des Amis, with its white brick walls adorned with local artwork, is the home of the best beignets: the fried dough swathed in powdered sugar is crispy and well browned outside while light and airy inside. Also available are oreille de chochon (pig ears), a delicious thin beignet dough stuffed with boudin and drizzled with cane syrup; eggs begnaud, comprised of homemade grilled biscuits topped with crawfish etouffee and eggs; and couche couche, a traditional Cajun cereal of reduced cornmeal drizzled with milk and cane syrup. Breakfast is typically accompanied by "Southern pecan" flavored coffee.

The relaxed pace of life on the Bayou, the charm and sincerity of the locals, the quaint restoration of the plantations, and particularly the homey and satisfying Cajun cuisine created a memorable experience that was difficult to leave behind and would be impossible to reproduce anywhere else. Whether you are looking for a quick weekend getaway or a slow exploration, a visit to Cajun country should be at the top of your list.