Sushi and sashimi have been mainstays in our nation’s culinary culture since soon after the late 1960s when it was first introduced to Americans. More recently, raw fish is catching on in new, exciting ways – namely the Hawaiian concept of poké (pronounced PO-kay and means to slice or cut) and the Japanese notion of bento, which is a prepared lunch, usually served either in a box or on a tray with separate compartments. Several new Lake Charles establishments offer innovative takes on these age-old traditions.
When it comes to diet, many meat-eating Americans tend to eat only the muscle of the animal, neglecting the rest. The advent of fast food lifestyles has us eating simple burgers and chicken wings, yet never benefitting from the full nourishment that our ancestors enjoyed. While those of us in Louisiana might see it a little more often in the bases of our gumbos and other recipes, the total nutrients and support are often lost or forgotten.
In years past, food delivery seemed only to apply to pizza – or Chinese food if you were lucky. But more recently, we’ve seen the paradigm shift to where you can get nearly anything delivered in no time at all.
According to Chef Amanda Cusey at Villa Harlequin, we’ll continue to see a rise in health-focused foods, less processed foods, and more plant-based diets. "People are becoming more aware of what they put into their bodies,” she says.
In 2016, we published an award-winning story on the emerging food truck community in the Lake Area. Many of those early pioneers still thrive, such as Sloppy Taco, Paul’s Rib Shack, and Hi-Licious Street Kitchen. They paved the way for other entrepreneurs to enter the food truck fray and since then, numerous mobile eateries can be found along the Lakefront, at festivals and other events; so many that we felt the need for a sequel story. The trucks featured here are not an exhaustive list but rather a sampling of all our SWLA food truck culture has to offer.
The life of a chef isn’t all pristine white coats and foodie glamour. It’s sweat and stress and passion. It’s long hours and impossible demands, but it’s all worth it if you’re the kind of person who can put it all together.
As the New Year rolls in, football takes firm hold of our hearts, and our stomachs, as bowls after bowls after bowls flood your television set, leading to the granddaddy of them all, the Super Bowl.
Cool winter days find us longing to wrap our frigid fingers around something warm and steamy – like a mug of hot cocoa! We did some sweet research to find several unique and exceptional varieties at local establishments. You’re welcome!
The start of a new year can bring newfound courage for difficult tasks – such as tackling the pantry! It’s the perfect time to ditch some of the heavily processed junk food and stock up on healthy options. But how do we get past the fancy marketing claims and find the truly nutrition-packed foods? Empower your grocery store purchases by learning to decipher the food labels.
On December 12, 2019, Pat Darbonne experienced the "best day of her entire life.” She appeared on the Today Show, doing a cooking segment with one of her favorite celebrities, Hoda Kotb. The journey that brought this Southwest Louisiana native to that best day is not what you might expect of a professional chef. After high school, she worked at the Plantation House as a bus girl. She worked on a Mississippi River cruise ship as a cocktail waitress and stateroom stewardess. She worked as a janitor at Citgo from 1989 to 1999, then law enforcement till 2015. Though she’s always loved cooking, she has never cooked for the general public. But at Citgo, she cooked meals for the operators in the control rooms, much to their delight. That was the beginning of her career as a professional chef. And this feisty, independent, single woman has big plans!
The magic of the holiday season changes over the course of our lives. We transition from kids with sugar plums dancing in our heads to parents handling the "some assembly required” part of Christmas. Gifts, travel, planning, family and office gatherings, white elephants, ugly sweater contests, elves on shelves…it can all become rather stressful.
In the ashes of what many remember as the old Dairy Barn has arisen a phoenix which is The Captain’s Table; a new riff on an old idea. And behind every great idea, there’s an architect and guiding light; in this case, that’s David LeJeune.
The holidays mean different things to different people. For families, it’s a season of magic mixed with childhood wonder. For adults of legal drinking age (with or without kids), it can be about all those things . . . plus a little alcohol.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner; a time when we take stock of where we are and what we are grateful for. Family, friends – it's a time of celebration! It is also a time time to celebrate food – turkey, dressing, ham, cakes, pies, and a banquet of delectable dishes. It's a feast that results from hours and hours of preparation: stuffing the turkey, glazing the ham, preparing sides, baking the pies . . . this holiday can cause a lot of stress in the kitchen! Unless it doesn't. Ever consider having your Thanksgiving meal catered? Several local establishments stand ready to do the work for you.
The world might have survived The Great Fried Chicken Sandwich War of 2019, but we will carry the battle scars with us for the rest of our days. Bitter words were spoken, pitting brother against brother, cousin against cousin, that one friend from high school who won't stop selling essential oils on Facebook against that other friend from high school with a cosmetics side hustle.
The holiday season is a festive time but can present unique challenges for those with food allergies—whether you are a host or guest – as many of the top food allergens appear throughout the meal.
This month, we celebrate McNeese’s homecoming against Houston Baptist with a Cowpoke Chili. We think the sweet heat will match the Cowboys intensity come game day. And we’re pretty sure this is a recipe that new head coach, Sterlin Gilbert, would approve of! Our southern traditions run deep here in SWLA, as do our allegiances. Now as we scramble to find any evidence of fall, the one thing we can always count on to unite our community, football, is back in full swing. Whether its Barbe, St. Louis, McNeese, LSU, ULL, or the Saints, it feels good to root for our favorite local teams again.
When Should We Introduce Nuts?
Could early avoidance of high-risk foods be partially to blame for increased allergy rates? In 2008, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) rescinded its recommendation to hold off on introducing high allergy-risk foods to healthy infants. Based on a 2015 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the AAAAI issued a statement of the importance of early introduction of developmentally appropriate peanut products in almost all children, regardless of their allergy risk. Discuss how to do this specifically with your pediatrician.
Things are popping down on Lake Street! Happy snackers are being spotted around the Lake Area with bags of brightly colored popcorn, and it’s all thanks to RhinoPOP.
If you love salads and a huge variety of ingredient options, Nelson Rd. is your new health food haven. Not to say there aren’t good salads at restaurants all over Southwest Louisiana, but several new salad-based eateries have recently popped up along this South Lake Charles thoroughfare.
Like any businesses that serve basically the same product, there are similarities and differences. Some create your salad for you with ingredients of your choice or pre-designed company concoctions, Subway-style. Others allow you to dish up your own meal, like a giant salad bar on growth hormones. Some serve primarily salads, while others offer other dishes for those who like something a bit heartier.
In 2013, Liz Fuselier and her start-up, Sassy Oil & Vinegar moved into the SEED Center Business Incubator. In 2017, she opened the Café on the SEED Center’s first floor. In addition to very reasonably priced coffee (75 cents a cup!) the Café also serves as home base for her oils and vinegars. She hosts "Tasting Socials” in the café or in homes and demonstrates how to use her exceptional products. She’s a mobile retailer and can take these events on the road, as well. She also offers on-line ordering, gift baskets, and free delivery in Southwest Louisiana.
September is National Rice Month and as any good Cajun knows, this small but mighty grain is an integral part of life in Louisiana. We eat it, we farm it, and we mill it. From flooded fields dotted with bobbing crawfish traps to bowls of étouffée and gumbo, rice is part of everyday existence in our state.
But how much do we really know about this versatile grain?
Rice may seem a bit straightforward, but there are actually over 40,000 varieties of rice grown worldwide, each with their own qualities and uses. Let’s consider just a few of them.
By popular demand, Rouge et Blanc returns to downtown Lake Charles on Saturday, October 12, 2019. Southwest Louisiana’s premier wine & food festival, a sell-out event for 13 years running, is also moving to a cooler 4:00-8:00 p.m., in the shade of the historic 1911 City Hall building at 1001 Ryan Street.
Everyone knows that Rouge et Blanc is one of the best and most prestigious annual events on the Southwest Louisiana social scene. But do they know WHY the Banners team works so hard to plan this amazing event year after year? The answer is simple – so that Banners, a financially self-sustaining organization within McNeese State University, can continue to provide the community with access to exceptional arts and humanities programming, and education through the arts that is unique to the area. Banners is committed to lifelong learning and an appreciation of cultural diversity, with a focus on enhancing quality of life in the communities of Southwest Louisiana.
July is National Grilling Month, and hamburgers are finding their way onto grills all over Southwest Louisiana! However, the simple acts of picking a meat, choosing a grilling method, and mixing ingredients can all contribute to radically different flavors. For best results, keep these tips in mind.
Summertime is peak season at area farmers’ markets. Fresh produce, meats, jams and jellies, locally-roasted coffee, fresh milk, kombucha, herbs, fresh-made prepared foods, local honey, baked goods, meats, fresh-pressed juices, tamales, homemade candles and soaps, and other crafts comprise a short list of all the fantastic items you might find on market day. There are a multitude of reasons why you might want to shop at these bastions of bounty.
Take a short drive down I-10 to Welsh, LA, and transport yourself back to your childhood in this cool retro confectionary.
Good food is easy to find in Lake Charles. Great food – now that’s a different story. Great food is not only tasty, but also leaves you healthier. It helps you work, play, and live better. Food is meant to be enjoyed but also to nourish.
Summer is here! Caregivers and students get a mental break from homework, uniform washing, and carpool lines. This is a perfect time to get the kids away from the TV and into the kitchen and garden with you! One of the best ways to encourage "picky eaters” is to involve them in the process of preparing the family’s meals. So, get out and grow something—even if it is just a small pot of herbs. Kids are more willing to try foods they have had ownership in growing, selecting, or cooking.
Eggs are a staple of our kitchens, yet few ingredients have faced such a rollercoaster of opinions. With their nutritional value and health benefits constantly in question, eggs are a controversial – and essential – element of almost all cuisines.
Here in Southwest Louisiana, we love the convenience of a mom-and-pop drive-thru, be it for crawfish, po-boys, snowballs, or daiquiris. Recently, several new shops have opened, each with their own unique flair.
Looking for a great cup of coffee? You’re in the right place. Louisianians love their morning cup, most having grown up on "coffee milk.”
Whether you like it black or loaded with cream, sugar, flavorings, and whipped cream on top, read on for places to satisfy your coffee cravings. Most of these establishments are open for breakfast and lunch and offer some combination of pastries and baked goods, homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. So go there hungry!
There’s nothing we Louisianans have in common more than our food and drink. Regardless of age, gender, or race, most all of us all love our crawfish, our boudin, our jambalaya, our gumbo, a good Sazerac, or a cold Abita Strawberry. But there’s one staple we share more than any, and that’s a hot cup of Community Coffee in the morning.
Everyone knows someone who can’t make it without their daily coffee. Maybe it’s you, a loved one, a co-worker . . . or all of the above!
