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Anywhere Lafayette (wife's family owns a famous Cajun restaurant there) or further South is fine as you'll essentially be in Cajun Country. If they sell crackli

Anywhere Lafayette (wife's family owns a famous Cajun restaurant there) or further South is fine as you'll essentially be in Cajun Country. If they sell cracklings or Boudin by the side of the road instead of snowcone stands, you're in the right place. Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Orleans are all great. The middle of the state (Alexandria region called Cenla for Central Louisiana) is a mixture of south Louisiana influence and the more Northern influences, so the Cajun influences are there, but watered down. Northern Louisiana is nothing like the rest of the state. With the exception of Shreveport and Monroe (maybe Ruston) it is mostly small towns and has a very Bible belt feel to it. Some call it "South Arkansas" as it has more in common with that region. I've had gumbo and jambalaya made by Cajun family and the best places in the South and it's much better than anywhere else in the US when it is made properly. I've had plenty of what's called gumbo/jambalaya in other southern states and it is good, but doesn't quite taste right.

jriot 6y ago
I live where I can get cracklins', Boudin, and snowcones on the side of the road. Is that extra right?
- 7thaccount 6y ago
  It means you can have your heart attack and diabetes inducing temptations all in one spot :) What about drive-through daiquiris? Seriously, my most missed part of Louisiana. If we weren't up for cocktails, my wife and I would each get a sonic cup sized frozen daquiri of pure deliciousness. For whatever reason this is just not a thing in most states.
  - jriot 6y ago
    Forgot about that! I have two different drive-thru daiquiris near my house. We had friend's visit from Seattle and we took them. They were surprised how much alcohol they put in them. They expected them to be weak since it was drive-thru daiquiris.
MisterBastahrd 6y ago
In DFW, Brookshires sells a smoked Zummo's brand that, while not as good as what I can get at a place like Billy's, is great coming out of the air fryer. 17 minutes at 380 degres yields a boudin with a skin that will snap to a fork. The River Parishes (St. Charles, St. John, St. James) are pretty much their own region too. It's a mixture of New Orleans and Cajun plus a healthy dose of German.
- PTOB 6y ago
  Zummo's is from my hometown of Beaumont, Texas. SW Louisiana and coastal SE Texas share quite a bit of that Cajun culture. I have unsuccessfully tried to persuade Zummo's to send their delicious Party Time Hot Links to my current home in Colorado. If you're here and you work for Zummo's, please listen to my plea!
neverartful 6y ago
Lafayette is indeed the heart of Cajun Country (Acadiana). Although it spills over in various degrees to other parts of the state, Acadiana itself is a well-defined, specific area that includes Lafayette, Carencro, Breaux Bridge, St. Martinville, New Iberia, Abbeville, and Crowley (this list is not exclusive, but just to give the idea). Baton Rouge and New Orleans are most definitely not Cajun. Sure, you'll find pockets of authenticity, but generally speaking they're not. New Orleans is Creole, a mixture of various influences but primarily French, Spanish, and Native American. There are other parts of the state that have a fairly pure French heritage that are not Cajun nor Creole (towns in the central part of the state like New Roads and Ville Platte). 'Cajun' is the one that is most well known, but Creole and non-Acadian French (ancestors came directly from France, not exiled from Nova Scotia) also have outstanding cuisine. Some of this may feel like splitting hairs, but the distinctions are important for some of the Louisiana natives.
- 7thaccount 6y ago
  There's a large Cajun influence in both places. You're of course correct that I didn't cover the creole part. I was mainly using the term "Cajun" in a general sense which although not super correct is how people generally use it.
rmason 6y ago
In the early part of this century I had another startup and Internet radio was just starting. I found louisianaradio.com which was headquartered in Lafayette and I had it on in our office all the time. The two guys running it at the time even sent me a bumper sticker I put on my pickup. Sadly it is no more but I understand they run a record label in Lafayette.

jriot 6y ago

I live where I can get cracklins', Boudin, and snowcones on the side of the road. Is that extra right?

7thaccount 6y ago
It means you can have your heart attack and diabetes inducing temptations all in one spot :) What about drive-through daiquiris? Seriously, my most missed part of Louisiana. If we weren't up for cocktails, my wife and I would each get a sonic cup sized frozen daquiri of pure deliciousness. For whatever reason this is just not a thing in most states.
- jriot 6y ago
  Forgot about that! I have two different drive-thru daiquiris near my house. We had friend's visit from Seattle and we took them. They were surprised how much alcohol they put in them. They expected them to be weak since it was drive-thru daiquiris.

MisterBastahrd 6y ago

In DFW, Brookshires sells a smoked Zummo's brand that, while not as good as what I can get at a place like Billy's, is great coming out of the air fryer. 17 minutes at 380 degres yields a boudin with a skin that will snap to a fork. The River Parishes (St. Charles, St. John, St. James) are pretty much their own region too. It's a mixture of New Orleans and Cajun plus a healthy dose of German.

PTOB 6y ago
Zummo's is from my hometown of Beaumont, Texas. SW Louisiana and coastal SE Texas share quite a bit of that Cajun culture. I have unsuccessfully tried to persuade Zummo's to send their delicious Party Time Hot Links to my current home in Colorado. If you're here and you work for Zummo's, please listen to my plea!

neverartful 6y ago

Lafayette is indeed the heart of Cajun Country (Acadiana). Although it spills over in various degrees to other parts of the state, Acadiana itself is a well-defined, specific area that includes Lafayette, Carencro, Breaux Bridge, St. Martinville, New Iberia, Abbeville, and Crowley (this list is not exclusive, but just to give the idea). Baton Rouge and New Orleans are most definitely not Cajun. Sure, you'll find pockets of authenticity, but generally speaking they're not. New Orleans is Creole, a mixture of various influences but primarily French, Spanish, and Native American. There are other parts of the state that have a fairly pure French heritage that are not Cajun nor Creole (towns in the central part of the state like New Roads and Ville Platte). 'Cajun' is the one that is most well known, but Creole and non-Acadian French (ancestors came directly from France, not exiled from Nova Scotia) also have outstanding cuisine. Some of this may feel like splitting hairs, but the distinctions are important for some of the Louisiana natives.

7thaccount 6y ago
There's a large Cajun influence in both places. You're of course correct that I didn't cover the creole part. I was mainly using the term "Cajun" in a general sense which although not super correct is how people generally use it.

rmason 6y ago

In the early part of this century I had another startup and Internet radio was just starting. I found louisianaradio.com which was headquartered in Lafayette and I had it on in our office all the time. The two guys running it at the time even sent me a bumper sticker I put on my pickup. Sadly it is no more but I understand they run a record label in Lafayette.