Tuesday, October 13, 2009

& back from Lousiana



Maybe twenty years ago, when we first went over to Lafayette, a friend gave me a list of places to eat. I think the first was Dwyer's, a solid old joint right downtown where everyone in Lafayette is likely to eat sometime during the week. They feature a buffet meal at noon, a meal we have learned is the end of the day if you eat it. We usually go for the breakfast, featuring homemade biscuits and grits, if you fancy grits, and good, strong Cajun coffee. On Wednesday, a bunch of locals gather to sing old Cajun songs in French, and it's one of life's more valuable experiences.
Lafayette looks prosperous, no doubt off of oil prices. The streets are full of late-model cars and real estate prices are way above what they were in the past. That notwithstanding, the town has a singular feel to it, and a spirit that must be ancient, or anyhow a couple of centuries old. My primo maintains that the Cajuns are so much fun because they are the only tribe of Southerners that aren't pissed off all the time. 'Tis true; they are good-natured folks with sunny souls, not to mention superior cuisine.

2 comments:

Sugar Magnolia said...

And why is it so hard to find down-home cookin' like that here? Have you set foot in a restaurant down in these parts that serves eggplant casserole? Man, now that's some EATIN! I love me some lima beans and yams. Grits? Bring 'em on, the more the bettah. In fact, I'll eat any vegetable that doesn't eat me first. YUM. I'm glad to hear yourself and herself had a good time. What a nice diversion.

Pilot said...

Not sure if'n that's bacon, or a chop, or a small strip of gator, but a link of boudin would go nicely in that spot as well. Hell, if one is in a cholesterol injection mode, may as well optimize and have both I s'pose......