Louisiana Cookin' January/February 2022

WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, we had king cake parties every Friday during Carnival season. Back then, McKenzie’s was my king cake of choice, and I looked forward to Fridays when I got to enjoy a slice of the sweet Mardi Gras treat. The moist brioche dough was simply topped with purple, green, and gold sugars—no icing. McKenzie’s went out of business many years ago, but luckily for me and anyone else craving a taste of this blast from the past, the king cake can still be found at Tastee Donuts locations in the New Orleans area. Nowadays, I look forward to trying a few new king cakes each Carnival season, and I still stick to that Friday tradition. In this issue, we’ve rounded up a few of the best…

COFFEE:30 LAKE CHARLES It’s always coffee time at Coffee:30, a gourmet coffee and beignet shop in Lake Charles that opened in September. At Coffee:30, located near I-210 next to Darrell’s, patrons will find hot coffee, specialty coffee drinks, and New Orleans-style beignets. In addition, Coffee:30 offers breakfast and lunch, including sandwiches, burgers, salads, and more. Highlights include the Infinity Pretzel, a 12x12-inch pretzel served on a hook, and Chicken Lake Charles, fried chicken tenders served over an open-faced buttermilk biscuit with eggs, Cajun hollandaise, and bacon. coffee30co.com THE WILL & THE WAY NEW ORLEANS The latest concept from LeBlanc + Smith opened this past fall in the space that was formerly home to the restaurant group’s gastropub Longway Tavern. Executive Chef Josh Williams’ Southern-inspired small plates pair perfectly with cocktails from beverage director…

FOR BUSY WEEKNIGHTS, one-skillet recipes are our go-to when we need to get dinner on the table quickly. If you’re looking to make dinnertime a little easier and healthier, look no further than a fuss-free meal like this Shrimp, Kale, and Potato Skillet. With fresh shrimp, curly kale, and Yukon gold potatoes, this dish is loaded with nutrients, including plenty of vitamin C, vitamin K, and omega-3 fatty acids. With this easy one-skillet dinner, you’ll have a hearty yet nutritious meal ready to serve in no time, and you’ll have only one pan to clean up afterward. Your whole family will love this recipe, and you’ll love how easy it is to prepare! SHRIMP, KALE, AND POTATO SKILLET MAKES 4 SERVINGS This hearty dish comes together quickly and easily for a healthy and…

SWEET POTATOES have long been part of Louisiana’s landscape. Farmers have been growing the nutritious crop here for centuries, and today, the Bayou State is one of the country’s top sweet potato producers with more than 7,000 acres of farmland. In 2022, the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission is commemorating its 70th anniversary, making it one of the oldest commodity commissions in the state, if not the oldest. While sweet potatoes are technically in season year-round, they most often appear in fall and winter recipes. Sweet potatoes are versatile enough to be used in both sweet and savory dishes, including classics like pies and casseroles. This winter, we came up with a few easy and delicious ways to keep you excited about cooking with sweet potatoes all season long. With recipes for…

FOR YEARS, friendly debate has been waged between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, regarding which city first observed Mardi Gras on the North American continent. Mobile—founded by French settlers in 1702—contends that they first observed the event. Louisianans attest that on Tuesday, March 3, 1699, Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and his “krewe” religiously observed the first Mardi Gras in the New World, 12 leagues from the mouth of the Mississippi River. Iberville noted in his journal, “We have given the name Mardi Gras to this point.” New Orleans might claim Mardi Gras, but Mobile Bay is gifted with the fishing phenomenon known as a jubilee, which occurs randomly during summer months between Point Clear and Daphne on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. According to Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, conditions have…

WHILE WINE-MAKING is not one of the most storied industries in the Bayou State, Louisianans have practiced fermentation as a means of food preservation and tradition for centuries. French and Spanish colonists combined European methods with the bounty of local fruits to create unique versions of ratafia (an ancient sweet liquor often made by mashing fruits with brandy or other base spirits). The 1901 The Picayune’s Creole Cook Book (reprinted in 2013 by Andrews McMeel Publishing) contains a handful of ratafia recipes, and many Cajun and Creole households have fond memories of making cherry or blackberry bounce for the winter holidays. Louisiana’s wine-making industry had a much later start. In the 20th century, as agriculture was industrializing and local farmers were looking for ways to use extra produce, turning it into…