By Katie Ferguson Guidry, Active Member since 2007
Good food is synonymous with Acadiana. Whenever we have out-of-town guests, we make sure they get their fill of local staples like crawfish étouffée, gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding, etc.
But every day, when it is just our family, we can’t help but to want a different take on old favorites. Dishes like Shrimp & Crab Angel Hair Pasta, Beef Brisket “To Die For,” Shrimp Grillades, and Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting meet that envie.
I must confess, while I love all four of our cookbooks, my favorite is “Something to Talk About.” I don’t have the patience – nor the time – to make a recipe and it not turn out good, and I know with “Something to Talk About” that will never be the case (except when I miss a step … ).
When “Something to Talk About” was created in the early 2000s, the committee went to great lengths to make certain every recipe (and I mean every recipe) was created and taste-tested/scored by no less than 10 people a minimum of three times. Only the recipes that scored a 4 or 5 made it into the book – and not all the 4s made the cut.
As a very Type A personality, I love and appreciate a precise recipe. Because “Something to Talk About” dishes were tested so many times, I know exactly what is needed. If the recipe states 1 cup, it means 1 cup – not 1⅛ cup, not ¾ cup. And no more looking for name brands that are no longer produced like Oleo and Snowdrift. (In case you are wondering, those were bands of margarine and shortening, respectively.)
Regardless which of our cookbooks you choose to pull from, you will undoubtedly create a feast your family and friends will rave about.
For more information about Junior League of Lafayette cookbooks or to purchase one of your own, click here.