Written by The Independent Staff
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
SMOKIN'
Ever since Johnson's Boucaniere opened on St. John Street, ...
JESUS JAMS
Lafayette's Bernadette "Ms. Deannie" Steven has a lot of stuff ...
'SCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THIS PIE
Two days from now is Good Friday. ...
SMOKIN'
Ever since Johnson's Boucaniere opened on St. John Street, I've been walking (got to get some exercise somehow) over to chow down on boudin and smoked sausage, family cooking traditions Wallace Johnson taught his daughter, Boucaniere owner Lori Walls - traditions revived from the family's famous Eunice store. The family focus has grown to incorporate Lori's husband, Greg Walls, who designed both the shop and the smokers, and who is now getting up at 3 in the morning to slow smoke country style ribs. What I'm talking about is barbecue of the first order. What you need to know first, for all you bone-phobic folks, is these aren't really ribs; they are what's called a finger cut from a pork shoulder roast. They're coated with a spicy dry rub, smoked for four hours, finished for another two hours until they are falling off the bone (ha!) tender, then basted with the Walls' house-made barbecue sauce. The sauce itself is great; it's got a really fine vinegar note to balance the sweetness. On the lunch menu Saturdays, a $7.55 plate includes a link of boudin or a scoop of jambalaya, and two sides, be sure to get the cornbread dressing. Check www.myspace.com/johnsonsboucaniere, or call 269-8878 for more info. - Mary Tutwiler
JESUS JAMS
Lafayette's Bernadette "Ms. Deannie" Steven has a lot of stuff in her musical grab bag: slinky rhythm and blues, proselytizing pop, salvation gospel, Chicago blues, piano balladry, and a bunch of other stuff. In her CD, Simply Deannie, clean and crisp production serves as a platform for genuine songs of faith, devotion, and a whole lot of good old Jesus jams. The message in the songs is the same as the message on her MySpace bio (www.myspace.com/msdeannie): "I'm a servant for our Lord Jesus letting you know that he loves you. You see we are all vital to the Kingdom of God." Amen. You can find Simply Deannie in the music section at Barnes & Noble. Go over there and get right with the Lord. - Dege Legg
'SCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THIS PIE
Two days from now is Good Friday. But for a few pockets of quirky Cajun tradition in Acadiana, it's also Pie Day. The origins of Pie Day might go back to the Middle Ages in France, or they might not. It depends on who you ask. But the tradition is deep within the bosom of the Roman Catholic tradition of fasting on Good Friday morning. Waiting on the other side of the fast are the pies - custard, chocolate, blueberry, crawfish, blackberry, you name it - baked on Holy Thursday. Musician and roots music impresario Drew Landry is finally releasing a short film he produced on the Pie Day tradition shared among friends and family in Scott, St. Martinville and Catahoula. The charming, 18-minute film follows the preparation and baking of the pies at Paul Begnaud's house in Scott through the miles-long walking of the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday morning along La. 96 between St. Martinville and Catahoula to the final destination, Greg Giurard's home in the Atchafalaya Basin where the pies and the people rendezvous for fellowship and gastronomy. Pie Day is $15. Log on to www.bourques.org to get your copy. - Walter Pierce