Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Giveaway #2

Welcome to the Bite and Booze Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Giveaway: Round 2!

The fine folks at Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning have graciously donated some fine products to be given away through Bite and Booze.  Slap Ya Mama is a Certified Cajun company in Ville Platte, Louisiana which produces an array of seasoning options including their original Cajun seasoning, a white pepper blend, hot sauce, fish fry, seafood boil, and their new etouffee sauce.  What sets Slap Ya Mama apart from other Cajun seasonings is that their mixture contains more red pepper and other spices that make great tasting Cajun dishes without filling the product with such high levels of sodium that leave you with over-salted food.  Slap Ya Mama is "recommended for all dishes, from popcorn to seafood, breakfast to late night snacks, gourmet foods to French fries."

Our two grand prizes are SYM Gift Mugs that come stuffed with a 8 oz can of regular seasoning, a Slap Ya Mama koozie, and a Cajun roux spoon!  Two other winners will receive a 16 oz can of Slap Ya Mama original blend seasoning and a purple and gold SYM koozie.

2 Grand Prizes:

 Slap Ya Mama Travel Mug with 1 can of SYM Original Cajun Seasoning, 

a SYM Koozie, and a Cajun roux spoon (not shown)

Two Other Prizes: 

A 16 oz can of Slap Ya Mama Original Cajun Seasoning, 

and a purple and gold SYM Koozie (not shown)

To enter the giveaway contest, please fill out THIS SIMPLE FORM.  Before you will be eligible to win, you will also need to be following Bite and Booze on Twitter OR be a fan of Bite and Booze on Facebook (doing both will double your chances of winning).  You can also increase your chances of winning by "retweeting" or "sharing" this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media platform that you may use (use the share button below to make it even easier).

The contest will end at midnight central time the night of Sunday, May 16, 2009!  I'll be in touch with the winners shortly after that.  Thanks for entering, and have fun making all your food so good that it makes you want to "slap ya mama!"

Fiber Fete Day 2: Bandwidth to the Belly

The second day of Fiber Fete brought about even more innovation, enthusiasm, and general excitement to the gathering of technology leaders.  I once again found myself at the LITE Center in Lafayette, where on day one all of the participants were treated to a series of inspirational speakers followed by cocktails and fresh Louisiana cuisine.  I knew that the same agenda was in order for day two, so I prepared myself accordingly!

Fiber Fete at the LITE Center in Lafayette, Louisiana

It's a good thing that Fiber Fete revolved around a home-to-home fiber network connecting the citizens of Lafayette to high speed internet access rather than connecting fiber to one's diet.  Fortunately, they did manage to supply a little bit of fibrous food early in the day to help with our digestive future.  We began our post-breakfast feasting with a selection of vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower with some spinach and cheese mini-quiches and breakfast pastries.  A little later on the conference goers were treated to some soft pretzels with mustards.  Not bad snacks for a technology conference, I must say!

Veggie Plate with Quiches and a Pastry, Salt-Covered Soft Preztels

Lunch brought us out of the LITE Center and to the Cajun Dome where we joined a business luncheon sponsored by The Independent Weekly, Lafayette's premier news, culture, and commentary publication.  The food clearly did not come from Prejean's and certainly lacked the Cajun pizazz that filled the rest of the Fiber Fete fare. By no means did I think it tasted bad, but it also did not showcase Louisiana's culinary superiority.  We started with a bisque of some sort.  It tasted like a tomato and crab bisque with a severe lack of seafood.  Perhaps they were going for just a tomato and basil soup, but it seemed to have other elements in there.  The soup had savory elements to it and all in all wasn't too shabby.

The main course featured a seafood topped fish filet with a rich cream sauce, jasmine rice, and a vegetable medley that pretty much featured nothing but green beans.   Everything on the plate tasted fine but didn't blow me, or anyone else I talked to, away.  The fish had a smooth texture but was too covered in sauce for me to tell what it was by taste.  The good news is that I like the sauce enough to eat it with the fish rice and veggies.  The meal did nothing more than me fill me up, ignite my sweet tooth and prepare it for carrot cake, and make me miss the Prejean's catering.  As for said carrot cake: sufficient, not spectacular.

Tomato Bisque, Lunch Plate, and Carrot Cake

After the letdown of a lunch (truly only because it didn't compare with the rest of the food from the event), we all made our way back to the LITE Center for the afternoon session of Fiber Fete.  The main theme of the afternoon asked now that we have the fiber network, what do we do with it?  The event proved to be informative and inspiring, and I'm glad that I was able to be a part of it.  Soon, the time came for the evening's reception complete with a limited supply of Gigabit IPA (for more on the Gigabit IPA check day 1 of Fiber Fete) and plenty of tasty treats!

Gigabit IPA and Carencro Shrimp

The Carencro Shrimp are a new appetizer that Prejean's has been playing around with and if they want my opinion, I'd say it's a winner!  The should without a doubt put these babies on the menu.  The Carencro (a town just North of Lafayette) Shrimp were lightly battered and fried then tossed in a Thai chili sauce that added a sensational blend of spicy sweetness.  Magnificent! 

Fried Green Tomatoes Topped With Crawfish Etouffee, Crawfish and Alligator Cheesecake

The next selection of appetizers came in the form of fried green tomatoes topped with crawfish etouffee and melted cheese followed by a crawfish and alligator cheesecake.  The fried green tomatoes were tender and succulent, and very unique when topped with a Cajun favorite like crawfish etouffee.  Similarly, the "cheesecake" also contained crawfish in a very unique setting.  The dish had a texture that reminded me more of a quiche than a cheesecake, but the flavor of the crawfish and alligator mixed with just he right portion of cream cheese turned out very nice.

Goat Cheese Crepes

Finally, still part of our pre-dinner cocktail party hors d'oeuvres, Prejean's put out several trays of absolutely delightful goat cheese crepes.  The sensational texture of the creamy cheese inside the soft and delicate crepe blew me way.  These were right up there with the shrimp as my favorite appetizers, any possibly even passed them up.  There is also something about the taste of goat cheese that wakes up the palate and excites the taste buds.  I'd gladly eat these crepes again, and again, and again!

Dinner Plate from Day Two of Fiber Fete

The tremendous catering staff knew how much I liked the Gigabit IPA and hid the last couple of bottles for me.  After consuming the final bottle of Gigabit, I switched to other cocktails, namely a little Tennessee Whiskey known as Jack Daniels.  Several stiff ones later it came time for dinner, so I helped myself to another plate of fantastic food.  Starting at the top right are some delicious green beans with bacon cooked right in.  Pretty much everything is better with bacon!  Next came a small filet mignon topped with an onion ring.  The seasoned beef steak had a beautiful dark pink center that left it wonderfully rare and delicious.  It is hard to get steak catered to the masses and still have cooked so well, so many compliments to the chef!  Next down the plate is a piece of alligator stuffed with crawfish etouffee.  Very delicious, but much like on day one, the etouffee theme got a little repetitive.  Finally there is a barbecued chicken leg and some bow-tie Parmesan pasta. The true highlight of the plate (right up there with the steak) actually came in a bowl.  The duck and andouille gumbo had a magnificently dark roux and proper spice to be a real Louisiana treat.  I'd go back this gumbo time and time again.  I previously have not been a fan of this dark of a roux, but after tasting this masterpiece of a gumbo, I may have changed my mind!  It is rare when a taste of something can change your mind about a certain ingredient or method.  I don't think I've been awoken to something so beautiful since the Brussels sprouts in San Francisco!  

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

The final dish of the evening came in the form of a superb white chocolate bread pudding.  The bread pudding itself was moist and buttery.  The white chocolate sauce accented the rich pudding with a mild sweetness and terrific flavor.  This is the best bread pudding I've had in a while, and I wasn't the only one who thought so.  Ryan Petticrew, our event coordinator and Lafayette native, claimed that "this bread pudding makes me not give a f&(k about anything else!"  Well said, Ryan, well said.

C'est Bon, Indeed

During hunting season a group of us gathered at C'est Bon in Mermentau, near Jennings, Louisiana (Check the Bite and Booze Map and try to find it if you have no clue where that is!).  C'est Bon is a truly Cajun restaurant where you can find fantastically fresh boiled seafood and deep-fried morsels of various edible creatures.  The night before our duck hunt, Brent, Billy, P, Stanford, and I hit up this oasis of a dining experience in the middle of nowhere for some spicy and delightful treats.

C'est Bon in Mermentau, Louisiana

As with any good back woods restaurant, C'est Bon completes its ambiance with a selection mounted deer and ducks on the walls.  There is nothing like eating spicy crawfish and succulent shrimp under the watchful gaze stuffed wildlife!  I love getting out of the city!

One of the Dining Rooms at C'est Bon

I wanted to make sure to sample some variety at C'est Bon so I actually made two orders and was happy to share a taste of everything with the rest of the crew that were all eating boiled crawfish.  My first plate contained a half order of crawfish etoufee and a half order of fried oysters.  By half order, they clearly meant "half a plate."  The golden fried oysters sat piled high on top of a mound of French fries while the etoufee was served over some Louisiana rice.  Both dishes had tremendous flavor and were excellently seasoned.  The oysters had that unique texture that I've only found in superbly fried Gulf oysters.  The crispy and delicious outside cracked open and released the delicate mollusk from within.  The crawfish etoufee was clearly cooked by a Cajun.  The dish featured a great blend of spices for a complex and comforting taste that is so unique to Louisiana.  If you are reading this from out-of-state, you really don't know what you are missing.  I suggest you plan a trip soon!

Crawfish Etoufee and Fried Oysters

The second serving of food that I ordered featured a couple pounds of boiled shrimp along with some corn and potatoes.  Shrimp are another sea creature that I enjoy no matter how they are cooked, but sometimes using the simplest cooking methods is the best way to go.  These shrimp were boiled in just enough Cajun seasoning to give them a kick while still allowing the taste of the shrimp tails to be the highlight of each bite.  C'est Bon, indeed.

Boiled Shrimp with Corn and Potatoes

Things To Do
Jennings

The Roux House for Lunch with some Friends

My favorite novelty about being downtown for work these days is all of the lunch hot spots that are available within a very short walking distance.  Recently I received a phone call from Justin Ulrich, a former grad school colleague, who was hoping to meet up for some grub after he did a little research for his dissertation at some of the governmental offices.  Not being one to turn down good company for feasting, I easily obliged.  At pretty much the same time that Justin contacted me, I was also propositioned for doing lunch with Eric, Kevin, and Shawn.  I saw no reason why we couldn't all five dine together, so I told them to head downtown to join up with Justin and me. 

Justin and I walked around downtown for a little bit to see what the local restaurants had to offer.  It was a beautiful day so we decided that it would be wise to find somewhere that we could sit outside and enjoy the sunshine.  While it is best known for being a bar at night, the Roux House on Third Street offers up some pretty decent lunches at fair prices with both inside and outside seating.  Our mind was made up, and we grabbed a table in the courtyard area.

The Roux House Courtyard and Wall

The special on this magnificent Monday was Shrimp Acadiana.  For those who may not know, a typical "Acadiana" dish features something smothered in crawfish etoufee.  It is much like rice and gravy with some sort of smothered meat like a pork chop, but instead of rice and gravy it has rice and crawfish etoufee.  Usually the meat in an Acadiana dish is some sort of fried seafood like catfish or, in this case, shrimp!

Shrimp Acadiana with a Honey Mustard Side Salad at the Roux House

To start with, I had a side salad with honey mustard dressing.  The rabbit food was a slightly above average side salad and certainly gave my diet a little much needed roughage.  The honey mustard itself was top notch, but surely something that came in a prepackaged bottle.  The Shrimp Acadiana had a great flavor to it.  The fried shrimp formed a ring around the outside of the plate while the crawfish etoufee sat nicely in the middle.  The shrimp themselves were spicy and flavorful, though a little smaller than I would have liked.  Although, given their size, the Roux House did make up for it with quantity.  There were enough shrimp for nearly every bite to have a fried shrimp and a fork full of Cajun goodness. 

I truly enjoyed the company for a downtown lunch as well as the food.  I've come to really be a fan of guests for lunch, experiencing new restaurants and items, and showing other people dishes at places they've never been before.  A lot of people around Baton Rouge don't even know the Roux House is open for lunch.  That, my friends, is a mistake because you really ought to give it a try!

A Culinary Adventure on Government Street Part II: Opie's Cajun Cafe

Eusebio and I continued our culinary adventure on Wednesday by moving down Government Street from Bistro Byronz to Opie's Cajun Cafe.  Opie's creates two more food dishes that I was told I needed to try, so we wanted to make sure we ordered those and whatever else looked good.  We walked into Opie's and loved the place at first glance.  The entrance to the restaurant is through the bar area which has a very classic, old school feel to it.  We sat down at the bar and waited for someone to greet us.  It wasn't long before we had three people, including the owner and his son, asking what they could do for us.  I ordered a glass of Maker's Mark bourbon with a splash of Diet Coke and Eusebio had some Jack Daniels whiskey with a splash of Sprite.  They made the drinks right for us (as in very strong) and we began looking over the extensive cajun menu.  Opie's is the kind of place where they leave the remote control for the TV on the bar for the customers to change the channel at will.  We put the main TV on the USA v. Costa Rica World Cup Qualifying match and were able to watch the USA tie the game off of a corner kick in stoppage time to secure first place in the CONCACAF qualifying efforts.  Geaux America!

One of the items that I was told I needed to try were the boudin balls.  I had only previously had boudin balls at Tony's Seafood and The Chimes, so I thought it was a great idea to branch out a little more.  We started with the appetizer sampler which contained boudin balls, blackened shrimp, and crawfish pies with a bit of remoulade sauce for dipping.  The boudin balls were way more similar to the balls at Tony's than The Chimes.  Their cylindrical shape and crispy exterior created a perfect casing for the warm, moist boudin in the middle.  The flavor and texture were great, but I could have gone or a little more spice.  Still, Opie's has a great boudin ball and a good alternative to the other ones in town if you are in the mid-city area.  The crawfish pies were filled with Opie's crawfish etouffee and were scrumptious.  The fluffy pie crust encased the rich and savory etouffee nicely as each bite was filled with flavor.  The blackened shrimp were a good addition to the sampler platter, especially when dipped in the remoulade sauce.  They were simple, well seasoned shrimp that were bite-sized, blackened deliciousness.

Opie's Sampler: Crawfish Pies, Blackened Shrimp, and Boudin Balls

Our next direction was to sample a couple of traditional Louisiana staples, jambalaya and gumbo.  The Opie's Cajun Trio entree came with a small bowl of each along with a couple more crawfish pies and a fresh dinner roll.  The jambalaya had a strong vegetable oil taste immediately when you put it in your mouth.  Once there was some time for the flavors to get around, the rice mixture had some good flavors and was as spicy as I wish the boudin balls were.  It was good, but not like Maw Maw makes it!  The chicken and sausage gumbo was really pleasing for a restaurant version.  All too often I find that restaurant gumbo just does not compare to what you can find at people's houses and tailgate parties but Opie's was an exception.  The gumbo was a little thick and heavy on the roux for my own personal preference but Eusebio mentioned that it was exactly how he likes it.  It is amazing how we always go back to our childhood memories of taste to decide what we like today.  My family's gumbo was typically a bit thinner with a liquid broth that was seasoned with the roux, so now that is how I like my gumbo.  Eusebio had clearly grown up eating a gumbo with that thicker, heavier roux, and so now prefers it that way.  Either way, Opie's gumbo had a great, well seasoned flavor with chunks of chicken and sausage throughout.

Opie's Cajun Trio: Jambalaya, Gumbo, and Crawfish Pies

The final dish that I was told I had to try at Opie's Cajun Cafe was the Crawfish Ravioli.  The pasta itself was stuffed with cheese and then topped with a creamy crawfish sauce.  It was a good dish but probably could have been better if the stuffing had some of the crawfish sauce mixed in with the cheese.  Just a thought.  Still, the ravioli was tasty and I really enjoyed the sauce with crawfish tails, and the dinner roll to sop up the extra sauce was clutch.

Crawfish Ravioli at Opie's Cajun Cafe

Much like Bistro Byronz from earlier in the evening, Opie's had a homemade bread pudding on the menu that we thought we should take home, eat, and then compare.  Their version was a dense, flavorful bread pudding that was topped with a Jack Daniels sauce that was loaded with the tang of the Tennessee whiskey.  While the pudding itself was good and the sauce was fantastic, I couldn't help but notice that the bread pudding was overpowered with the tastes of cinnamon and nutmeg to the point of taking away from the dessert but not so much that it was ruined.  I like cinnamon and nutmeg, but it was difficult to taste any of the other flavors with those two being so strong.

All in all it was a great culinary adventure on Government Street.  I really liked the laid back atmosphere at the bar at Opie's Cajun Cafe.  The food was delicious, and I'm sure I'll be back to see the family-run establishment again.