Month: <span>February 2018</span>

Home / 2018 / February
Beignet, Done That!!
Post

Beignet, Done That!!

Let’s get one thing straight before we begin: it’s pronounced “ben-YAY.”

Okay, we may start.

So, the word beignet actually comes from the Celtic word bigne which means “to raise.” The word also derives from the Spanish for fritters, buelos, but ultimately, the French word for fritters (beignet, of course) stuck for the long haul. Truly, all of the influences go hand and hand.

These Louisiana specialties are fried, raised pieces of dough that make for an excellent treat. After the dough is fried, the squares of yumminess are sprinkled with powdered sugar, and the result is …

OK, It’s Okra Time!
Post

OK, It’s Okra Time!

It’s gooey, it’s slimy, it’s OKRA. It may get a bad rap, but around here, we know it as DELICIOUS.

The magical green vegetable originated in the African region we now know as Ethiopia and made its way through North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean before heading to the rest of the world. In Asia, the veggie is known as “lady’s fingers,” on the island of Macau it is called quilobo, while in North America, it’s Igbo name okwuru stuck to become today’s OKRA.

Okra came rather late to colonial America. Though introduced to the lower Americas during the …

Cajun vs. Creole: What’s the Difference?
Post

Cajun vs. Creole: What’s the Difference?

First lesson when comparing Cajun and Creole cuisines? They are not the same.

Contrary to popular belief, Cajun and Creole cuisines are not the same thing. The names may have become synonymous and interchangeable with each other and Louisiana cooking–but true Southerners know what’s up.

Second lesson when comparing Cajun and Creole cuisines? Tomatoes make all the difference.

Creole cuisine uses tomatoes and true Cajun cookin’ does not. The end. No, I’m just kidding. But, really, how can you tell one gumbo from the other? The use of a red, round veggie. (Or is it a fruit…?) But the …

Tastes of Texas: Tex Mex
Post

Tastes of Texas: Tex Mex

Tex Mex, you know it, you love it, but where did it come from? I’ve got answers. Let me give you the short lowdown on some Tex Mex history.

So, Tex Mex didn’t start as a cuisine: it started as a train. The Texas-Mexican Railway came first in 1875. Tex Mex started as the train’s abbreviation but ended up describing the people of Mexican descent who were born in Texas.

“Tex Mex” as a culture has existed for hundreds of years: it began during the mission era when Spanish and Mexican foods mixed with Anglo fare. But, Tex Mex the …