It Takes More Than Crayfish to Make a Cajun Wiggle - An eater's journey through Acadiana

The New York Times ^ | December 4, 2002 | R. W. APPLE Jr.

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Reasonably well written, for the Times; the pretension recedes before the real goodness of the Acadian people and great eating. Laissez les bon temps rouler!!

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Barbecue shrimp at Joe's Dreyfus Store Restaurant in Livonia.
Photo by Jonathan Cohen for the Times.

[Catspaw]

Don't post pictures like that. You're just going to make me cry. I can't taste it through the monitor, even though I tried licking the picture.

[Moonmad27]

How timely and tempting! I was just talking with a pal in far East Texas about my upcoming Christmas trip back to my native Houston from California. She figured I was missing boudin. No way! She was shocked that I never touched it (never will), and I was shocked that she liked it! Guess the closer you live to Louisiana,the more cajun one is.

[deport]

the turtle tastes like chicken dark meat but better

If the damn chicken hadn't made it out of the egg, I wonder what other meats would be compared to today?

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Take a drive to Beaumont or Port Arthur! There's gotta be some really tempting cajun cafes along the way! Even Galveston must have some Acadian transplants. I must find a napkin, my mouth is watering just thinking about it all.

[BooBoo1000]

If you get a chance stop in "Dulas" In Homa, after your fill of "Mud Bugs" Dula will teach you how to dance.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Now I am hungry. I made the Luzianne's chicken gumbo out of the box tinight it was NOT GOOD. I prefer grammas. I wonder if Zatarainnes sp? mix is better.

[7.62mm]

Pretentious, perhaps. Having lived in South Louisiana all of my life, I can confirm that this is quite accurate and, I believe, well written.

Cajuns DO live to eat. It is the be all and end all of their existence. You haven't really lived until you have tried some of the food and places he talks about.

Well done, thanks for the post.

Best Regards

[nothingnew]

Now, at last,I am hungry!

FMCDH

[Miss Marple]

I thought the article was not complete without a picture of the author. Here is R.W. "Three Lunch" Apple of The New York Times:

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Cafe des Amis

[deport]

LOL...... Looks like he's stopped at a few other places along the way while getting to LA..... but having been in that part of the country some and eaten at a few of the places he mentioned, I can assure you that he did a good job with the article. Most every small community has at least one place that is a stand out. Food is the center of most all gatherings and events.

[Moonmad27]

Actually the East Texas pal I was talking to is in Beaumont, around which are a few down-home East Texas restaurants (the type of food which here in California is served only at "soul food" restaurants - usually located in parts of LA I wouldn't want to drive into, day or night!). Can't wait to hit those places in Beaumont. I don't think chicken and dumplings are on the Atkins diet, but what the heck, it's the holidays!

[Miss Marple]

Actually, I thought he did a good job with the article as well. It's a shame that he can't be as good a reporter when covering politics or government.

The article makes me hungry, and as you know, I am on a diet. Sigh. I had better go to bed before I am tempted to snack.

[ZOOKER]

Bump for future use?

Love cajun food and the wife and I are always looking for vehicular adventure...

[Magic Fingers]

My Mom (from Lake Charles, La.) visited us (in Phoenix) over the Thanksgiving holidays and made chicken & sausage gumbo (a big pot, so there's plenty for the freezer). Beats turkey and stuffing any day!

[cryptical]

LOL...... Looks like he's stopped at a few other places along the way while getting to LA

Never trust a skinny food critic!

[Khurkris]

Down Port Arthur way you have to go to the BOUDIN HUT...real food...real music...great place.