V4N1A

Louisiana Cookin'......Again

This winter has pretty much begun in the State of Louisiana. My intention was to go there and eat the food of the region and get as full as possible at each meal. So far that policy has held firm and fast. We've eaten at some of the restaurants that we've felt were representative of exactly what we wanted to do here.

Last issue I reported several restaurants where we ate when we were in the New Orleans area. Well, this month the report continues to be good about the food in the Lafayette area. We've especially enjoyed a place called Sicily's. It's touted as an all-you-can-eat Italian Buffet with a food table 150 feet long. Along with a full array of Pizza consisting of flavors we've never heard of before, there was a substantial amount of cajun food. Enough cajun food to merit a second visit within 2 days. The price for "seniors" was a mere $3.99. The staff at Sicily's was more than willing to cook a pizza of our choice, and asked us on both occasions to accommodate us. We took them up on it at the second visit and ordered a Cherry Dessert Pizza. When we couldn't eat it all, they promptly brought us a box to take it home. Something we've never had happen at a buffet before.

Another restaurant we visited was La Fete de Louisiane. A strictly cajun restaurant. It also, was a buffet. It's just much easier to eat at a buffet than try to translate that Seafood Gumbo may mean an entire crawfish, including the shell, is in the pot. I was more inclined toward the Seafood Gumbo which contained the shrimp, out of the shell. The food was excellent and if we stayed here much longer our clothes would grow along with us. An interesting note to La Fete de Louisiane was the check that arrived with "Aloha" penciled on the back. Our waitress was Hawaiian. Go figure.

Avery Island

Staying in Lafayette, Louisiana wouldn't be complete without a visit to the company founded by Edmund McIlhenny after the Civil War. He invented a little item called Tabasco Pepper Sauce.

We toured the factory and its Historical Gallery which included many artifacts including "le Petite Baton Rouge." (The little Red Stick) The stick which is painted the exact color of the ripened Capsicum Pepper is used to hand pick the peppers at the precise time of ripening.

The process includes picking and crushing the peppers on the same day, and mixing them with a little Avery Island salt. Then the mash ages for 3 years in white oak barrels. It is mixed with premium vinegar, stirred for a month, strained and poured in the familiar little bottles.

We watched the bottling process as it was taking place through the factory viewway. It appears that this function is completely automated, but a lot of fun to watch.

Our next stop on the tour was the Viewing Gallery with the usual hype about factory ads and sponsorships and the manufacturing process. There was also a couple of hands on electronic games to play which "yours truly" anxiously abided.

Lastly we went to the Country store where I fractured the better part of $80 before Sharon could drag me out of there kicking and screaming.

Another interesting note about the Tabasco Sauce bottle is that the Red Octagonal Caps, the Green Foil Neck band and the Diamond Shaped Label are all registered Trademarks.

A Presidential Legacy

While in Houston, we got a chance to visit the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas on the Texas A&M Campus.

The Library must be relatively new as he has only been out of office for 8 years. It is, to say the least, a beautiful complex consisting of the Museum, Conference Center and Student Classrooms. Upon entering the museum we were greeted by a 8 foot Poinsettia plant. Easily the biggest we've ever seen. Then on to the theater to watch the 8 minute introduction video.

The museum itself is a vast collection of memorabilia dealing with Bush's entire life. Particularly interesting to me was the 8mm movie which was recorded, by a crewman, aboard the USS Finback, of his rescue during WWII. Other interesting areas of the display included replicas of his offices at Camp David and aboard Air Force 1. An Avenger aircraft, a duplicate to his own wartime plane, hangs from the ceiling in the middle of the museum. Interactive computer and video displays are interspersed throughout the building. This was, by far, the most impressive Presidential Library we have visited. I am, however, prejudiced by the glitz of the electronics, but the collection of gifts from foreign leaders is also a gallery which I observe with great interest. It was a nice historical day.

KING CAKE

Another long-standing tradition associated with the Mardis Gras is the King Cake. The Mardis Gras season begins on January 6th, know as the Epiphany, the day the Three Wise Men of the East, found the baby Jesus. The King Cake symbolizes this day with its shape, color and decoration. Its oval shape represents unity of all Christians. The colors purple, gold and green stand for justice, power and faith. A small baby doll, bean or coin is hidden in the cake to represent the finding of the baby Jesus. Whoever finds this symbol in their slice of cake, traditionally buys the King Cake for the next celebration.

The shape reminded us of a Kringle from Racine, but fatter. The one we bought and ate was apple, but the morning Walt and I took off by ourselves we ended up at the Tourist Information Center and they had a Strawberry/Cheese number there, that was calling to us, so we were forced to taste it. As a self-appointed expert on these matters I can reasonable conclude that if we're ever here again at this time, we'll certainly buy another one to "taste."