Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras, (French for “Fat Tuesday”, also known as Shrove Tuesday), is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, a 40 day period of fasting and reflection in preparation for Easter Sunday. Mardi Gras was historically a time to use up the foods that were not to be used during Lent, including fat, eggs, and meat.

Mardi Gras celebrations in rural Acadiana are distinct from the more widely known celebrations in New Orleans and other metropolitan areas. One tradition is the wearing of a capuchon, which is a cone-shaped ceremonial hat. Another distinct feature of Cajun celebration centers on the courir (translated: to run). A group of people, usually on horseback, will approach a farmhouse and ask for something for the community gumbo pot. Often, the farmer or his wife will allow the riders to have a chicken, if they can catch it. The group then puts on a show, comically attempting to catch the chicken set out in a large open area. Songs are sung, jokes are told, and skits are acted out. When and if the chicken is caught, it is added to the pot at the end of the day. The “Courir de Mardi Gras” held in the small town of Mamou has become well known. This tradition has much in common with the observance of La Chandeleur, or Candlemas (February 2), by Acadians in Nova Scotia.

After New Orleans, the city of New Roads in Louisiana has the 2nd oldest Mardi Gras celebration in Louisiana. New Roads is Located in Pointe Coupee Parish.

Jambalaya

Jambalaya is one of the most celebrated foods on Louisiana menus. The spicy concoction makes an appearance at virtually every festival in South Louisiana—especially the Jambalaya Festival in Gonzales, west of New Orleans, which calls itself the Jambalaya Capital of the World.

The name is believed to have come from the French word for ham, “jambon.” You can make a quick version by combining chicken and smoked sausage with Bayou Boys Jambalaya Rice Mix. Our mixes are created with a built-in blend of authentic New Orleans-style spices, so it’s easy to whip up real jambalaya right in your own kitchen. All you need to do is add your favorite meat.

Gumbo

Chicken and Sausage gumbo and Seafood gumbo are two popular choices.

The dish gets its very name from the African word for the okra vegetable, “gombo.” Roux is a mixture of flour and oil that has been cooked to the color of peanut butter or darker

When you’re ready to eat, ladle gumbo over a mound of steaming rice and sprinkle with some chopped green onions or parsley.

Don’t have time for a roux? Opt for Bayou Boys Gumbo Mix. All you have to do is add one pound of seafood or meat to our mix, and in 30 minutes, you’ve got delicious gumbo.

Dirty Rice

Don’t worry, it’s only a name. Dirty rice isn’t actually dirty—it’s called that because the chicken gizzards and livers it’s traditionally made with give it a brown or “dirty” color. Most common in regions of Southern Louisiana and Mississippi, it’s similar to pilaf in its use of the holy trinity of New Orleans cooking—green bell pepper, celery and onion. Then meat is added, and the whole thing is garnished with green onions and parsley.

If you’re not into chicken livers and gizzards, try Bayou Boys Dirty Rice mix with ground beef or sausage for a delicious alternative.

True Cajun Flavor

Jambalaya is a Southern Louisiana dish, which originates from the influence of the many different cultures found in Louisiana, particularly French, Spanish and African.

Louisiana’s climate is perfect for growing rice, a crop that has been a vital ingredient in many Louisiana dishes, but Louisiana is also known as a Sportsman’s Paradise, because of the many different varieties of wild game that make their homes here.

Ca·jun also Ca·jan  (kjn) n.

A member of a group of people in southern Louisiana descended from French colonists exiled from Acadia in the 18th century.

adj. Of or relating to the Cajuns or their culture.

What does the term ‘Acadian-Cajun’ mean? 

Usually, the word Cajun is used to describe those French people from south Louisiana. But the term Acadian is sometimes used; and when one looks into it, they find that their ancestors in fact were Acadians from Canada. Acadians and Cajuns are the same … yet they are different. The Acadians were French settlers who settled the area (now known as Nova Scotia) in the 1600′s. In the mid 18th century, they were exiled by the British. Over the following 30 years, several thousand of the exiled Acadians made their way to south Louisiana.

Over the next 100+ years, the Acadians became the dominant culture in certain areas of south Louisiana. They retained much of their culture, and absorbed some of the other cultural influences. The German, Spanish, French, English, Indian and other cultures added to the Acadian culture to produce the Cajun culture. The word “Cajun” comes from the word “Acadian”, just as “Injun” is a variant of the word “Indian.”

So, the Acadians were French settlers in 17th-18th century Canada. When they were exiled, they were no longer a single group. But the Acadian people survived in other cultures … sometimes merging into those cultures, and sometimes (as in south Louisiana) being a dominant culture. Today’s Cajuns may have roots that go back to the Acadians. But along the way, you will probably find German, French, Spanish, etc. ancestors that merged with the Acadians.