Louisiana Vacation

It's all about food and family when I visit  Gonzales, Louisiana.

I stay with Mom and on Friday she usually gets the Fried Fish Plate from a couple of local grocery stores.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Lamendola's and Rouses Grocers have great deli counters. The menus change daily so check out their websites by clicking on the names to see the delicious selections.

And I wash down to-go meals with a local brew called Dixie.

My brother from another daddy, the Swamp Chef, likes it too!

Even Mom's kitty, Howie, has a use for Dixie Beer.

The beer's name Dixie is so controversial that the name has now changed. Read about it here.

Louisiana is usually cloudy with frequent rainy days during winter. It rained one day only when I visited Gonzales and it only grew cold the last couple of days of my vacation.

I like to start the day with a cup of a local brand of java called Community Coffee. 

And if I'm lucky Mom does a bit of baking when I visit, including homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Cajun country has a great sausage culture that is unique to the South. Along with typical smoked sausages there are Hot Links and a rough ground Andouille sausage that's used for Gumbo and Étouffée.

Louisiana Sausage slide show.

Other local delicacies.

Butter Beans

My L.A. girlfriend, Linda, flew in from Philadelphia where she was visiting her own relatives, to spend a few days with my Cajun family and celebrate my Mom's 85th birthday. 

We picked up Linda at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport then drove to the French Quarter for a quick chicory-flavored Cafe au Lait and sugar powder-covered puffy Beignets at Cafe du Monde.

 Dale & my sister Denise

Linda

 Linda + Cheap$kate

I made a video about Cafe du Monde a few years ago. My video is a fun behind-the-scenes look at an order of Coffee and Beignets -- I give prices at the end of the video, but that has changed.

For Mom's birthday, she wanted to hit the L'auberge Casino Hotel in Baton Rouge right on the Mississippi River. She plays the penny and nickel slots.

Everybody got in on the action, especially with comped Bloody Mary's flowing.

We made it out of there with the shirts on our backs, too.

On the way back to Gonzales we stopped for a quick bite at St. Gabriel Grocery & Deli in Iberville Parish on River Road. This roadhouse dates back to the 1820s and serves tasty Sausage Po-Boys and Shrimp & Corn Soup. 

Locals Foodstuffs

And a whole lotta other stuff...

I always try to find Southern-style Boiled Peanuts and they had them here -- extra spicy too!

But the dining highlight of my vacay is usually a visit to the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet at Country Kitchen in Gonzales -- all for about 11 bucks! My girlfriend Linda was blown away at the flavors and variety of veggies. Below is just a small sample as the menu changes daily, and Fried Chicken was at the top of the menu that day.

 Mac & Cheese, Jambalaya

Yellow Crookneck Squash

It's always a fun and literally filling time when I visit my Mom in Cajun country. And it was especially great to have my girlfriend Linda to show around...and boy did we finish the trip in high style with a Cajun Happy Hour. Just click on the play button to watch the video below!