VIVA NOLA April 2019

NOLA FOOD
?Tell M e What You Eat, and
I?ll Tell You Where You?re From.?
by Marcella Escarf uller
Everyone knows the old adage: ?tell
me of the company you keep and I?ll
tell you who you are.? This version is
just as telling: ?tell me of the food you
eat and I?ll tell you where you?re from.?
Whether we realize it or not, food
defines culture in virtually every
corner of the world ? and the great
U.S. of A. is no different. We associate
Wisconsin with cheese, and Maine
with lobster. So, naturally, it follows
that seasonal food traditions would
exist. New England has the clambake
? and Louisiana has the crawfish boil.
Spring crawfish boils are as much of a
social tradition in Louisiana as
summer barbeques are for the rest of
the country. In fact, locals love them
so much that Louisiana produces an
average of 50 tons of crawfish a year.
That?s 90% of crawfish consumed in
the U.S., 70% of which is consumed in
Louisiana. And it?s no wonder ?
crawfish have been abundant in
Louisiana for hundreds of years.
Spring craw fish boils are as
m uch of a social tradition in
Louisiana as sum m er
barbecues are for the rest of
the country.
There are over 30 species of crawfish,
but the crawfish we all know and love,
the red crawfish, is native to the Gulf
of Mexico?s wetlands and swamps. Its
culinary history can be traced back to
the Native American tribe of
southeast Louisiana, the Chitimacha ?
skilled farmers, hunters and
fishermen who fashioned nets
stringed with deer meat to attract and
catch crawfish.
Today, the crawfish-eating tradition
lives on. Local college students host
Sunday boils up on the Fly,
overlooking the river, with plenty of
crawfish and beer to go around. But
everyone has their favorite spot.
Whether it?s Harbor Seafood & Oyster
Bar in Kenner, Captain Sid?s in
Bucktown, or Clesi?s in Mid City, there
is no shortage of mudbug grubbing
options.
Ask anyone on the street and they?ll
tell you ? the secret is in the
seasoning. Some buy special blends
from grocery stores or seafood
markets, others pride themselves on
making their own. And experimenting
has never been more popular. Take
Ideal Market?s crawfish for example.
Their special ingredient? Jalapeños.
Even Viet-Cajun crawfish are on the
rise: fresh from the boiling pot,
crawfish are sautéed in a pan with
butter, garlic, and Vietnamese spices,
then served hot with corn and
potatoes.
Some call it sacrilege, altering the
hallowed tradition of the crawfish
boil. Others call it creative liberty or
artistic license. Honestly, as long as
it?s served on newspaper and plastic
in the company of friends and family,
that?s all it?s really meant to be.
Viva NOLA Magazine - Page 13