My Cajun story.......

[Bob Wright]

Years ago, while I was working, I went to survey a grain elevator in Southern Louisiana, near Mermantau, La. With me was a structural engineer, who was a Hindu Indian. Jha had not been too comfortable the whole trip, flying down from Memphis and getting our rental car. He was intimidated by the roughhouse of most of the local men.

We ate lunch at a Popeye's fast food place. As we ate I mentioned I'd like to find some real Cajun food. A local man, looking pretty rough around the edges, heard me and offered to tell us of a place for some Cajun cooking. As he talked, he showd us the contents of a boudin sausage, holding the sausage in one hand and disecting it with a fork in the other hand. I noticed the Pachuko tattoo on the web of his hand atthe thumb.He then told us how to get ot the restaurant.

Then he added, "Coarse I bin out of circulation twelve of lebben years...."

Jha looked bewildered and really apprehensive. "I wonder what he meant about that~ that he'd been away eleven or twelve years."

To calm his fears, I said, "Probably been in prison." Then added, "For murder."

That night (it was in November, so got dark early) we drove to find the place. We headed South out of Mermemtau. And it was DARK! We saw lights from oil rigs out in the distance, then found the place. Bare light bulbs strung along the perimeter of the lot, where a half mobile home, half concrete block structure awaited us. But when isnide all worry vanished as we dined on etoufe, crawdads, shrimp and catfish.

People are people, where ever they live.

Bob Wright

 

[contender]

Great story Bob!

Often,, the roughest people know where the best small restaurants are.

But I'm sure your fellow engineer wasn't quite as comfortable as you may have been.

 

[Bob Wright]

Great story Bob!

Often,, the roughest people know where the best small restaurants are.

But I'm sure your fellow engineer wasn't quite as comfortable as you may have been.

I have never felt uncomfortable nor frightened by being around "rough looking" men. (Nita used to say its that .45 on your hip.) I speak to everybody within earshot and often times end up in interesting conversations.

Bob Wright

 

[RoninPA]

When I was on the road to install or repair the automated viscosity measurement equipment our company produced, I never asked the hotel people where to eat as they would give basic, local places. I would ask the lab personnel and the guys bringing in samples from the oil fields or the refineries where to eat. They knew the really good places where most people would shy away from (because of the location or the "looks" of the place). Those are the places that have some of the best food and very good prices.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I lived in the heart of Cajun Country, Morgan City, Homua, and Thibodaux off and on for 20 years while working in our construction yard. Ate, drank and fished with some pretty rough Coon Asses. If they liked you good if not it is best to move on.

While living/working in Singapore I went out to lunch everyday with the local Chinese and had to learn to eat with chopsticks, but the food was great.

I do enjoy eating in a dive rather than a fancy place with tablecloths.

Good story Bob

 

[GypsmJim]

I often traveled and worked in LA. Great Cajun food, if you went into a local restaurant. But about that time a bunch of Vietnam refugees were relocated to the area and took over apartment buildings. Some opened restaurants. The dog population in the area dropped to zero. I was advised not to eat in their places.

Similarly, Chinese restaurants opened in the north back in the 1970's. Lots of cat guts in the garbage. (first hand knowledge)

Another trip to AL found me receiving a glass of ice tea with a fly located in the middle of an ice cube floating on the top. When commenting to the waitress she stuck her fingers in the glass, retrieved the single cube and said "your OK now". (I switched to a can of Coke to avoid her spitting in the glass because I complained.)

Another time in a barbecue place and the drapes next to the chair had obviously been used a s napkin. The cockroach climbing up was the last straw.

So many travels, so many stories.

 

[Slyk Willy]

When I was traveling extensively, I'd ask the maintenance person / room cleaner / anyone but the desk or other "official employees". I found some great food choices and made nice contacts along the way. Unfortunately, while trying to re-visit those places they were usually gone, taken over by a franchise, or a new condo.

 

[bwct]

I lived in Lafayette, LA. The best Cajun cooking was at my mother's table. She wasn't born Cajun but she sure learned how to cook it. Her Mississippi cooking was just as good.

 

[MaxMan]

I was in Baton Rouge going to a school for two weeks and a couple of guys wanted to go to Emily's on River Road IIR. We got lost pulled into a little town for directions but the town was either closed up for the night or closed for good. The store, post office and church all had signs "leave guns outside". Figured it wasn't the best place to snoop around looking so back on the highway. Found the restaurant, got inside and immediately recalled the beer commercial shot there. Yes we had the crawdads. For me the work reward was a little much. But maybe I needed more practice and off course I could have sucked the head for more nutrition.
During orientation the guys in the school were warned about Whiskey River a road house. The word was don't go there, no matter how you dress n, how tough you think you are, how you act. The local will spot you and it won't end well.

 

[steveodtw]

Not Cajuns, but I am reminded of a long ago AT&T business trip to Omaha, NE. Five of us in our 3-piece suits finished our complimentary cocktails at the Embassy Suites. One of our guys asked "So, where's the action?" The barmaid said across the river in Council Bluffs, IA. So we piled into our rented car and stopped at the first bar we hit in IA. Parking lot was filled with pickup trucks. As we walked in the band was actually rocking Whiskey River. When one of our guys started hitting on a lady who I'm pretty sure was with the band, we convinced him discretion was the better part of valor and scooted our 3-piece suits out of there.

On a side note, I have over a dozen Louisiana/Cajun/Creole cookbooks that I love use.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Just for the record
Crawdads are what you put on a hook when fishing. Crawfish are what you eat, preferably at a Crawfish Boil along with BEER sausage, corn, onions, and red potatoes

 

[PRichardson87]

Just for the record
Crawdads are what you put on a hook when fishing. Crawfish are what you eat, preferably at a Crawfish Boil along with BEER sausage, corn, onions, and red potatoes

View attachment 48775

View attachment 48776

That looks Flippin good

 

[Bob Wright]

As to Cajun establishments, 'm reminded of a place Justin Wilson described"

"When you go in dar they check you to see if you got a knife or a gun. If you doan' have one, they give you one, 'cause you sure gone need one 'fore you come out."

Bob Wright

 

[Fox Mike]

That looks Flippin good

There isn't a difference

• Whether you use crawfish, crawdad, or crayfish, you'll be pleased to know that there isn't a difference between any of them. All names refer to the same animal and the difference only matters geographically.

 

[PRichardson87]

There isn't a difference

• Whether you use crawfish, crawdad, or crayfish, you'll be pleased to know that there isn't a difference between any of them. All names refer to the same animal and the difference only matters geographically.

I don't care what you call it. Like I said it looks good

 

[Fox Mike]

They are great, no matter what it says on the menu.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Just for the record
Crawdads are what you put on a hook when fishing. Crawfish are what you eat, preferably at a Crawfish Boil along with BEER sausage, corn, onions, and red potatoes

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View attachment 48776

Whenever we do a boil no beer for me I prefer Wild Turkey 101!

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Oh just to make everybody happy call them Mudbugs

 

[WendyZXZ]

And you can't leave out the best movie about Cajuns...Southern Comfort. I did grow up with a bunch of kin that would have been perfect extras and an Uncle that could have been a stand in for Brion James as the one armed trapper:

 

[MaxMan]

Not Cajuns, but I am reminded of a long ago AT&T business trip to Omaha, NE. Five of us in our 3-piece suits finished our complimentary cocktails at the Embassy Suites. One of our guys asked "So, where's the action?" The barmaid said across the river in Council Bluffs, IA. So we piled into our rented car and stopped at the first bar we hit in IA. Parking lot was filled with pickup trucks. As we walked in the band was actually rocking Whiskey River. When one of our guys started hitting on a lady who I'm pretty sure was with the band, we convinced him discretion was the better part of valor and scooted our 3-piece suits out of there.

On a side note, I have over a dozen Louisiana/Cajun/Creole cookbooks that I love use.

Do you have the Poor White Trash cookbook. Yes it is real. I think every recipe starts with a cup of Blue Plate mayonnaise.