Louisiana cooking!

When I was planning out this trip, I put out a call to the general populous(read: my friends on Facebook) for suggestions of things to see and do on this trip. Of course, I was already looking for a chance to cook some Creole and Cajun food, so when Jason suggested Mario and I give the New Orleans School of Cooking a go, of course I immediately booked a class. This morning, breakfast was a piece of toast, because if you have ever taken a cooking class, then you know you always come away absolutely stuffed full of good food. 

Chef Cindy welcomed us with open arms, and with a mimosa and a Bloody Mary. Our little group of 11 was excited and ready to learn, and she had lots of information to share with us, about the history of food in Louisiana and the beginnings of Creole food, a combination of cuisines from the African slaves(okra), mixed with both French country(one-pot hearty meals) and French classical(cooking techniques) cuisines. Also of the Cajun food, more homey because the Acadiana cuisine is based on a history of hunting, fishing and foraging off the land, and incorporates a lot of spice(flavour, not heat) to camouflage the heavy, often-gamey taste of their ingredients. I speculated that maybe, since Louisiana has been know for chili-growing and hot sauce production for a long time, some of those early people may have "foraged" peppers from the outskirts of plantations, which is where the heat comes from, but this is only a hypothesis made after class, so I have no info to back it up. Take it as you will. 

Drinks in hand, we get to cooking up our Louisiana dishes: First, we learn the basics of how to make a proper roux, the base of most Creole dishes, by cooking flour in lard until it toasts a nice chocolate colour, then using this base to sweat the onions, celery and peppers, known as the trinity. Now to turn it into Gumbo, a classic Creole dish: We add some fried andouille sausage, cooked chicken and stock, and let the whole thing simmer to thicken. It's that easy. You can add some creole spice mix to it, called Joe's Stuff, or some Filé powder(ground young sassafras leaves) to thicken it more, or even hot sauce, if that's your thing. Then you enjoy it with fresh bread or rice, or eat it like a soup with a spoon, but it's very hearty. And for so few ingredients, the real flavour comes from the proper understanding of the preparation techniques, because the flavour is quite complex and unique and homey.

Jumbo shrimp!

Next up, BBQ Shrimp and Grits, which is also surprisingly easy to make. An important thing to note is that BBQ shrimp is in no way barbecued, nor grilled, nor has it seen flames at all during its cooking process. The barbecue is referring to the sauce that the shrimp is simmered in, containing all sorts of herbs and spices, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and butter. It too, like the Gumbo, is more about technique to build a flavourful dish, so we learn much about the Louisiana spice mixes and their creations before we get to making the dish. Our grits, on the other hand, have been simmering since we sat down to eat! Add in some cheese for creaminess, top with the shrimps in rich, flavourful sauce, and of course the dish is delicious. Even after eating a full helping of Gumbo, we all devour our BBQ Shrimp and Grits with gusto, and maybe another glass of wine, too. 

Our third course is a history lesson in the invention of Bananas Foster, a dish created out need for simplicity, while still retaining that "wow" factor. I mean, how can you go wrong? Bananas sauteed in butter and brown sugar, then deglazed with banana liqueur AND rum, and flambeed right before your eyes before being generously ladled over vanilla ice cream and still-warm french crepes - so good. Plus, chef Cindy upped the "wow" factor to another level by tossing in some  "Magic Dust", ground cinnamon, which when it comes in contact with the flames, ignites instantly in a shower of sparks! And it smells divine, too! Funny enough, the crepes are not part of the original Bananas Foster recipe, just an addition to the course today, ironically enough - and I have just as much fun making those as all the rest of the dishes, but it is certainly nothing new to me. Packy, our sous-chef, is impressed, so I share with him in confidence that maybe I do this for a living. He laughs, and remarks how he might have thought that given my technique and comfort with the crepe pan. Needless to say, I make 3 in the time it takes everyone else to prepare just 2, and Mario is happy.

After all that eating, we are stuffed. We roll our way back to the campervan, and then slowly roll our way out of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Another one down. The rest of the day is pretty much a driving day: We decide to leave the I-10 as quickly as possible once we enter Mississippi, running the length of the Gulf of Mexico. Beautiful white sand beaches spread out on the right side of the car, while bigger and bigger hotels and resorts and maybe a casino or two appear of the left. We originally meant to camp at one of these beaches, in the pull-off parking areas, but the town here has become weary of overnight campers using all the space, and so have made it illegal now. It's sad when people abuse too much of a good thing and ruin it for everyone. So we drive on, watching the town and fishing boats and water whizz by.

Soon, we are in Alabama, and seeing more of the same. As the sun is going down, we take a last stop at a Buc-ee's for some beaver nuts/candied pecans and a brisket sandwich. It's just okay - it's certainly not the deliciousness we tasted at the Salt Lick. No giant drinks this time, nor hot beaver water being passed off as coffee. We've been fooled enough. 

Wanting to make some progress on the driving, and since Mario is feeling good, we press on, making it all the way into Florida before pulling into a Love's for the night. It's big but surprisingly quiet for being right next to the highway, and it will give us a chance to fill the propane and NOT use the grey tank - that's right, we are beginning to think of all the task that need to be completely before returning this great beast. As sad as it sounds, the trip is slowly winding down. Two more days of #vanlife.