New Orleans 2009--Episode I Attack of the 8-legged Appetizers

Hello All!

I am realizing that I have not yet blogged about the trip home and to New Orleans.

Let's begin with home....

The trek from Houston to Simmesport was uneventful, except for the fact that both driver and passenger were both lethargic and required frequent coffee stops....therefore, when that lone interstate McDonald's appeared, there was much rejoicing...yay.

We made it to Simmesport at about 7:30pm, just in time to visit and eat some of the best chicken and rice n' gravy known to man...my mother's. She's super at this, and, green beans as well, spectacular. AND...all done without consuming ANY alcohol (she's given it up for Lent) so, kudos mom. We visited for a bit and talked about what had been going on lately in our lives and then the conversation turned (as it usually does) toward..."what are we going to have for supper tomorrow night?" Now, if you've read my previous blog entitled "Mudbug Mambo" you know my affinity for crawfish...and, I was completely saddened by the fact that this has been the worst crawfish season in ages (lucky me) and there was a 99.9% chance that consuming crawfish on this visit was not to be. So, I resigned myself to settle for oysters on the half shell and crabs (not a bad 2nd place). Then, low, the clouds parted and the birds began to sing as my father said "Yeah, I thought we'd have oysters and shrimp....(deliberate pause for effect) AND A SACK OF CRAWFISH.....aaannnnddd commence with the Snoopy Happy Dance...go.

We were very excited and I had dreams of the stuff and couldn't wait for tomorrow.

We watched a movie with dad and then all headed to sleep. Mom had to go to work the next day and dad had the day off but had a dentist appointment, so, needless to say we were nice and lazy throughout the day...building up our endurance for the crawdad trials. (Although, it was incredibly nice to wake up to the coffee already brewed and the TV to yourself, if only to see what kind of crazy movies dad is watching these days...we decided we'd investigate a few Tru Blood episodes...bizarre to say the least) Later in the morning, the crawfish man drove over in his mud-caked Ford and handed over the booty...Viswa got the see them live and squirmy in the sack, I think he thought that they would be dead already.

Dad came home and piddled around the house for a while and mom made it back in as well. Viswa wanted in on the crawfish prep, so he observed the process of transferring and purging, etc. Mom and dad aren't fans of throwing all the potatoes and corn in w/ the crustaceans, so we boiled them separately in a pot inside (which was still magically delicious). My Granny came over to join us, so that was a nice treat to get to visit with her. OH, also, the pre-crawfish appetizer was fresh oysters on the half shell (and a few bbq'd) shucked by dad and Viswa in turns. I was almost too full to eat crawfish by the time they were done, but I made it work. Dad also threw some huge shrimp in with the crawfish boil.

*******************CUE FLASHBACK*********************************************************************

Some of my favorite memories growing up were from crawfish boils at Papa's house. I was lucky enough to live right next door to my maternal grandparents, and they knew how to have a boil. Although, my beloved Maman had contracted an allergy to crawfish and I think she missed being able to eat them. I remember Papa in one of his many hats (the trucker kind with the mesh in the back, he used to collect them...I think he even had one w/ pinchers coming out of the top) and we'd boil away near the workshop and play in that expanse of green grass and flowers between my house and theirs...life was good.

But, that Thursday at mom and dad's w/ Viswa and Granny was a sublime day, too. We had our beer, mom made the dip, and we dove in for some of the best mudbugs I've had in ages. SO GOOD. Dad is the man. We ate, and ate, and ate, picked on Viswa for his peeling skillzzz, then ate some more...laughed a lot and just, in general, had a blast.

Here are some photos below for your enjoyment :-)

Here are a few more....Notice the pile size of your seasoned crawfish peeler (aka MOM) and your novice attempt (aka VIS) :-)

Viswa Vs. Mom

A view from my seat

Mom and Granny (I think mom's had that shirt since i was in middle school)

After we stuffed our bellies full we decided we should probably begin the clean-up process before we all looked like big balloons and floated off into the mystic. We popped a generous number of tails and uneaten shrimp into a bowl to be used later in scrumptious dishes that I would not be there to taste, unbuttoned our jeans and waddled inside. I was high on life. Viswa was re-thinking his statement made weeks earlier of "I don't know if I like this crawfish stuff" and replacing it with "You were right, your dad is the man, and I'm a crawfish fan"

In the morning we were as swollen as well-fed ticks, but happy for the experience that preceded the agony. (retaining water in a 3 hour car ride to New Orleans, I don't advise doing that)

We went to visit my grandfather in Marksville and had a nice, long chat and stayed for lunch. Papa introduced us to everyone he knew and all the nurses he loved to buzz around. They all seem to love him and he appears happy there, which in turn, makes me happy. I remember smacking him on the arm and saying "Papa! You are such a flirt!" to which his response was "Gotta do something to keep busy and from being bored around here" ...I love my Papa. I miss Maman, too. Especially when I go to visit him and I see the old photographs of the two of them...especially when they were younger. He was a handsome war hero and she was beautiful in the way that women were beautiful in those days, just classic.

Anyway...no time for being sad, it was a great few hours and, according to Papa, he's looking and feeling fine so that's what we celebrated.

Ok, it is time for me to close now...I'll write more about the actual New Orleans part, soon.

Until next time.....

Lache pas la patate