Acadiana Profile Magazine February-March 2024 by Renaissance Publishing

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F EB RUA RY/MA RCH 2024

Features

Put A Little Veg In Your Life

Veggie makeovers to make your favorite dishes more nutritious

A Fresh Approach to Living

Taking care of your body and soul in the new year

Top Doctors

A list of Acadiana’s top doctors and specialities

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VO LUME 43 NUMB E R 01

Feb/March 12 NOTE DE L’EDITEUR

Editor’s Note

16 NOUVELLES DE VILLES

Round up of what's new in Acadiana

La Maison Acadiana creatives cast a new vision within their historic Lafayette home

20 UN VOYAGE AU VILLAGE

The heart of swamp pop phenomenon lies in Ville Platte

22 L’ART

Lake Charles artist Candice Alexander’s mission

62 DE LA CUISINE

Easing your body and soul into the Lenten season

64 EN FRANÇAIS, S’IL VOUS PLAÎT

L’Autre jeu de cartes cadien

Dîner Dehors The culinary genius of Lafayette’s Scratch Farm Kitchen

Recettes de Cocktails A savory cure-all cocktail gets a Cajun kick at Uncle T’s Oyster Bar in Scott

Acadiana Profile (ISSN 0001-4397) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 and 128 Demanade, Suite 104, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919. Subscription rate: One year $24 auto-renewal; no foreign subscriptions. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acadiana Profile, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright © 2024 Renaissance Publishing LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Acadiana Profile is registered. Acadiana Profile is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Acadiana Profile are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

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E D I TO R IAL

Editor Art Director Associate Editor Copy Editor Lead Photographer Web Editor

Reine Dugas Sarah E.G. Majeste Ashley McLellan Liz Clearman Danley Romero Kelly Massicot

ADVE RT I S I N G

Sales Manager

Rebecca Taylor (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 Ext. 230 rebecca@acadianaprofile.com

R E NAI S SAN CE P U B L I S H I N G PROD UCTION

Digital Director Production Designer

Rosa Balaguer Ashley Pemberton

MA R K E TING

Marketing Manager

Greer Stewart

CIRCULATION

Distribution

John Holzer

AD M INISTRATIO N

Office Manager Chief Executive Officer

Mallary Wolfe Todd Matherne

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NOT E D E L’E D I T E U R

AWA R D S

’m not going to sugarcoat it (besides, it’s the health issue so this surely isn’t the place to do that) — we live in a hard place to be healthy. I’m not making excuses but between our amazing food and the long hot summer months, staying fit can be a challenge! We have some of the most delicious food in the whole country, right here in our own neighborhoods. I bet there’s a restaurant within a five-minute drive from your house that serves the best fried oyster po’boy around. My spot is dangerously close — it’s actually within walking distance. It’s not just the food and the summers that make it difficult to prioritize our health — it’s the fun. We know how to have fun on a daily basis, plus there are so many great activities all year long. We’ve got festivals and music happening most weekends and dang it, we just like to have a good time here. For us, that includes spending time with family and friends, having a bounty of our favorite food, drinks and great music — the works. And that’s just a regular hang out with a few folks on a Saturday afternoon. When we really celebrate, look out. Even my friends from cities with health food stores on every corner, plentiful bike paths and hiking trails and temperate weather year-round have been challenged to maintain their health and fitness routines once they’ve moved here. I’ve struggled with my weight my whole life and the one thing I’ve learned is that if I don’t make it a priority, it’s so easy to get distracted by everything around me. Just when I’ve started regularly working out, gotten my weight right where I like it and am into a good yoga and meditation groove, I’ll get caught up in a flurry of dinners with friends, festivals and parties and before I know it, the train is off the track again. But I’ve been living in Louisiana my whole life and I’ll likely stay here, so recently, I prioritized finding the balance between enjoying all of the pleasures this place has to offer with my health and well-being. Do I still eat fried oyster po’boys? You better believe it (dressed with hot sauce and a side of fries) — that’s my favorite, but it’s a rare treat. Now more than ever, there are healthy options that can help us take care of ourselves, no matter where we live. Options such as veggie makeovers for some of our favorite dishes, shopping at farmers markets and ideas for moving more — all mentioned within the pages of this issue — are excellent starts.

International and Regional Magazine Association 2023 Finalist Magazine of the Year Silver Overall Art Direction Silver Art and Culture Feature Bronze Art Direction of a Single Story Bronze Reader Service Bronze Home and Garden Bronze Photo Series Bronze Cover 2022 Winner Magazine of the Year Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Gold Portrait Series Silver Food Feature Bronze Reader Service Article Bronze Special Focus 2021 Gold Art Direction Single Story Silver Covid Related Story Silver Food Feature Bronze Overall Art Direction 2020 Gold Overall Art Direction Silver Art and Culture Feature Silver Recreation Feature Bronze Food Feature Bronze Profiles Bronze Art Direction of a Single Story 2019 Winner Magazine of the Year Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Art Direction Single Story Gold Photo Series Silver Photographer of the Year 2018

Reine Dugas Editor Reine@AcadianaProfile.com

Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Magazine Photographer Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Gold Food Feature Gold Department Silver Magazine Writer of the Year Silver Hed & Dek Silver Photo Series 2017 Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Magazine Photographer of the Year Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Gold Food Feature Silver Cover

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ÉQ UIP E D E VE NT E

Rebecca Taylor Sales Manager (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 Ext. 230 Rebecca@AcadianaProfile.com

COMING SOON!

A P R I L / M AY

Women Who Lead Celebrating women in business

Top Lawyers Listing to Top Lawyers in the region

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NOU VE L L E S D E VI L L E S

Prize-winning Crawfish Étouffée Round up of what's new in Acadiana BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY

For Budding Photographers

N EW A M A ZO N JOBS IN A B B EVI L L E Slated to open later this year, Amazon is “immediately hiring” people “for all positions” for its new last-mile facility in Abbeville, “both during construction and once the facility is completed” (amazon.com).

EUNICE

Got Crawfish Cravings?

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Since the debut of crawfish étouffée in the early 1920s at the Hebert Hotel in Breaux Bridge, the savory dish has stirred debates that have evolved into tribal feuds. “There’s a different recipe for every five miles,” says Chef John Folse, an advocate of adding tomato sauce to étouffée (an objectionable offense among blond roux purists like Chef Paul Prudhomme). Cajun Chef “I-gar-un-tee” Justin Wilson’s version closely resembles Hebert’s original recipe (no roux or tomatoes). Crawfish lovers can sample an extensive variety of styles from competing professionals during the World Championship Crawfish Étouffée Cook-Off (March 23; etouffeecookoff.org).

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Statewide If you enjoy capturing Acadiana’s vibrant blooms through the lens, entries are being sought for LSU AgCenter’s 2025 Get It Growing calendar. Approximately 40 photos will be selected for the popular gardening almanac that showcases professional monthly gardening tips. High-resolution digital images (anything 300 DPI or over) must be submitted online by March 31, 2024. Limited to 25 images per person. (LSUAgCenter.com/ GetItGrowingCalendar).

Books on the Bayou

For more news briefs visit AcadianaProfile.com

New Iberia Fans of author James Lee Burke novels will have the opportunity to explore the hometown of his most beloved character, Dave Robicheaux, during New Iberia’s 8th annual Books Along the Teche Literary Festival (April 5-7; booksalongthetecheliteraryfestival. com) featuring notable authors, poets, historians and chefs. Tickets are required for the Great Southern Writer keynote presentation by Natalie Baszile, author of “Queen Sugar.” Season Eight of the eponymous TV series (based on Baszile’s novel) debuts October 1 on OMV Network (oprah.com/ app/own-tv.html).

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NOU VE L L E S D E VI L L E S

MAIS BIEN SÛR! According to a recent global survey of American accents by WordTips (with a little help from Hugging Face AI algorithm that analyzed how positively Twitter users talk about 165 accents in 104 countries worldwide), Cajun and New Orleans accents rank among the top 10 favorites. New Orleans took the number 1 spot for the favorite American accent. Cajun accents came in at number 10 (word. tips). Talk about!

Poetic Visions To celebrate Easter (March 31) with a special gift for Francophones, consider giving artist Melissa Bonin’s “When Bayous Speak, Lorsque Les Bayous Parlent,” a beautiful new coffee table art book showcasing a collection of the New Iberia native’s dream-like paintings and bilingual poetry, the first of its kind in Louisiana. The limited first edition, 160-page hardcover tome ($80) includes 40 spot varnished color art images spanning 20 years of the contemporary landscape artist’s career (melissabonin. com/store/book).

Chasing Chickens at the Boucherie

NEW IBERIA

The Art of Plein Air

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More than 170 artists from 25 states, Canada and the Philippines are competing for $10,000 in cash prizes during the 10th Annual Shadows-onthe-Teche Plein Air Competition (March 9-16). Artists will be painting en plein air in several designated Acadiana towns for one week, culminating with a juried exhibition and prizes at the Shadows (ShadowsOnTheTeche.org).

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Houma Get out your dancing shoes for the 4th annual Bayou Terrebonne Boucherie (March 2) featuring a Cajun fais do do, mounds of pork sizzling in smokers, a whitebean cook-off and the zany Cajun Cup Olympics. Fourperson teams compete to win the cup with a chicken chase, a keg toss, duck calls, pirogue races, axe throwing and nail hammering, courtesy of Bayou Terrebonne Distillers. Created to attract folks to downtown Houma (facebook.com/ bayouterrebonnedistillers).

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UN VOYAG E AU VI L L AG E

Swamp Pop’s a Poppin’ The heart of swamp pop phenomenon lies in Ville Platte, named the “Swamp Pop Capital of the World” by the Louisiana Legislature. This February, it’s the 18th annual Swamp Pop Reunion concert at the Ville Platte Civic Center. Tickets went on sale after New Year’s but be warned, they sell out quickly. BY CHERÉ COEN

Grab a Swamp Bite

Buy the Hits…and More!

All that dancing to swamp pop music works up an appetite, so pause at Café Evangeline for gumbo, blackened stuffed redfish Evangeline or Ville Platte poutine — French fries topped with cheese curds and cream sauce. Cottage Couture on Soileau Street offers a café, gift shop and bed and breakfast, plus occasional live music nights. Check Facebook pages of both eateries for times and events.

Learn the History

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Everything you need to know about swamp pop music may be found at the Swamp Pop Museum in the heart of Ville Platte. The museum, celebrating 13 years, contains photographs, albums, a wall of fame autographs, instruments, stage costumes, musician stories and more. Currently, the museum features an exhibit on swamp pop legend Johnnie Allan designed by Allan and his daughter, Donna Guillot. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays with a modest admission of $3.

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SWAMP POP MUSEUM 205 N.W. Railroad Ave. (337) 363-0900 CAFE EVANGELINE 102 W. Main St. (337) 363-3603 facebook.com/ CafeevangelineVP COTTAGE COUTURE 122 S. Soileau St. (337) 363-3388 facebook.com/ CottageCouture FLOYD’S RECORD SHOP AND FLAT TOWN MUSIC COMPANY 700 S Chataignier St. (337) 363-2184 or (800) 738-8668 flattownmusic.com/ floyds-record-shop

James Floyd Soileau hailed from a rural area northwest of Ville Platte and worked as a local deejay and record salesman, the latter of which led him to opening Floyd’s Record Shop and Flat Town Music Company in Ville Platte. Floyd’s became the store to purchase Cajun music, much of which was difficult to find at the time, and Soileau recorded music of his own as well as others on the Swallow and Jin labels. After 56 years, Floyd’s closed shop, but the labels continue to operate and evolve.

PHOTO COURTESY: SWAMP POP MUSEUM; CAF´É EVANGELINE

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L’A RT

“Art for the Masses.” What better

MARDI GRAS ART FOR ALL Lake Charles artist Candice Alexander’s mission BY JOHN R. KEMP

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way to create meaningful and affordable art for the greatest number of people than to produce posters and prints celebrating Southwest Louisiana’s symbolic and ubiquitous “fleur-de-lis” and Mardi Gras revelry. And that’s been Lake Charles artist Candice Alexander’s mission. Alexander’s “fleur-de-lis” prints and paintings are not the typical fleur-de-lis that one sees across the state from New Orleans to Lafayette and Lake Charles. Over the years, she has created more than 800 superblydesigned renditions of the old standard with images of bees and butterflies, Louisiana wildlife, spiritual moments, sports, colleges and military organizations. Her colorful Mardi Gras paintings and posters clearly capture the pageantry of Carnival and, at times, take a not to subtle shot at political issues such as COVID-19. Born in Jennings and raised in nearby Hathaway, La., not far from Bayou Nezpique, the 44-year-old Alexander is a remarkable and successful self-made artist with a keen head for business, production and marketing. After graduating from McNeese State University in 2002 with a degree in art, Alexander had no idea how to make a living in art. “I was 22 and clueless,” she said. “I rented a little studio in the old Central School building. I didn’t have money for a gallery, but they did have little festivals during the year. But that wasn’t enough to make a living. I picked up an artist magazine that listed art shows across the country. I came upon Renaissance Festivals, and I said this would be perfect.” For several years, Alexander worked the Renaissance circuit in Florida, Pennsylvania and New York with her small printing press, selling prints. In New York, she ended up on the sidewalk in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Still wondering about what direction to take, she wrote in a small notebook about her desire to create “art for the masses.” Little did she know it was about to happen. During a festival in Pennsylvania, a woman wanted to buy Alexander’s copper fleur-de-lis printing plate along with twelve prints, but the woman didn’t call back. Eventually, the cold weather up north got to Alexander, so she returned to Lake Charles. Back home, she was invited to sell her work at the Acadiana Mall in Lafayette. There, she displayed her fleur-de-lis prints.

“Every time I put up a fleur-de-lis,” she says, “some Acadian person bought it. These were nothing spectacular like the 800 I’ve gone on to make. I went from not knowing what to do, to thinking, my God, this is the body of work that’s going to reach the masses. That moment in Acadiana Mall kicked off my success.” Mardi Gras posters and paintings were the next step in her remarkable career. In 2018, the City of Lake Charles asked Alexander to create the city’s official Mardi Gras poster. And she’s been making “unofficial” Mardi Gras posters ever since. In 2019, she did one to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Mardi Gras in Lake Charles, and in 2020, Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins asked her to make a special poster for the popular Mardi Gras party in Washington, D.C. Then came COVID-19 and the cancellation of Carnival 2021. She made a poster anyway. “I did one with Rosie the Riveter, saying ‘You Can Do It,’” Alexander says. “I put all kinds of COVID symbolisms in it. That was my way of being sarcastic.” In 2022 her thoughts about COVID were again obvious. The imagery in that poster is based on a trip she made to New Orleans during the epidemic. Because she didn’t have a COVID vaccine card, she was barred from entering a Saints game and restaurants.

“That poster includes the mayor of New Orleans holding a syringe,” she says. “It has all kinds of symbols in there. The puppet master pulling the strings, those are my hands, my feet. Some people thought the jester looked like Trump, but I try to stay out of religion and politics. I have fans on both sides. This one struck some nerves, and that was the point. If it makes you feel something, that’s good.” In addition to the fleur-de-lis and Mardi Gras paintings and posters, Alexander has spent the last few years “embracing the roots” of Louisiana. “I’m from the bayou,” she says. “My mother was a Landry and my grandfather spoke French. I’ve started visiting places like Lake Martin where I truly fell in love with the Louisiana landscape. I’m going back to where my mind was after college. I don’t have to

M E E T T H E A RT I ST

Candice Alexander Born 1979, Jennings, La., grew up in Hathaway, La. Residence Lake Charles Inspiration Southwest Louisiana Carnival Pageantry Nature Media Paintings, prints, posters, murals Favorite Imagery The “Fleur-de-lis and Mardi Gras Louisiana landscape Web candicealexander.com

hustle so hard and take every commission. I’m in a different place now.” Why then does she continue to create art? “Because I have to,” she says. But there is a deeper purpose. She mentions a conversation she had with a visitor to her studio on Ryan Street in downtown Lake Charles. “Two people came in and started talking about my art,” she says. “One talked about how my art related to her son who had just committed suicide. It makes people feel something. It’s almost like I need to keep doing this for people. And to think that I have thousands of those pieces all around is a real cool thought.” And it is cool.

ILLUSTRATION BY S.E.GEORGE

See more of Candice Alexander’s art online at AcadianaProfile.com

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L A MAI S O N

“Tunica Waterfall” fabric brings movement to the living room windows with a pattern inspired by the cells that transport water in a tree trunk.

Pattern Players Acadiana creatives cast a new vision within their historic Lafayette home BY MARIE ELIZABETH OLIVER PHOTOS BY HAYLEI SMITH

Francis and Cathi Pavy grew their family and their creative ventures together in a 1935 Tudor cottage on the borders of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s campus. Now as empty nesters, they’ve transformed the space into a showroom for their next big act. The headliner? Bespoke textiles and wallpaper featuring Francis Pavy’s mastery of color and pattern honed over decades as a visual artist. Known for weaving South Louisiana’s vibrant culture and landscapes into distinctive iconography, he executes this same authenticity throughout the Pavy Studio product suite.

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The property is rich with rolling hills and diverse vegetation, which inspired Gossen to draw from the tropical architecture tradition and incorporate generous front and back porches.

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Curved back accent chairs become a conversation piece with the help of Pavy’s high contrast “Marshgrass” fabric, derived from his iconic block print.

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A gallery of Pavy’s paintings in the dining room adds flair to the natural wood paneled walls. (Below) The home’s distinctive Tudor facade inspired an official nickname, “the Gingerbread House.”

Cathi Pavy, who serves as Pavy Studio’s chief creative strategist, says the vision for the product line is rooted in the house itself, originally designed by Lafayette architect Frederick Nehrbass. After spending years surrounded by the fusion of its classic Arts and Crafts style and the vivid imagery of Francis’ art, something just clicked. “Living with his art for so many years, we were ready to see it on walls,” says Cathi Pavy. “We thought we’d love to see it on fabrics because we wanted to put it in our home.” It was only fitting that one of their first priorities after launching the product line was to integrate it their own interiors. The couple brought in designer Nicole Le-Blanc, of NLB Design, to help with the renovation. “Working with a designer helped us affirm what we were thinking and helped guide us to make more confident decisions,” says Cathi Pavy. The Pavys’ art collection and textiles both played a prominent role in how LeBlanc helped to reimagine the space. However, she also strived to incorporate the story of the Pavys’ history within the house. “The moment you walk up to the house, with the uneven bricks and the arched doorways and

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A photograph by Debbie Fleming Caffery serves as the focal point of a mixed media collage featuring more Pavy originals, plus a pair of the artist’s baby shoes.

C R E D I TS

the ironwork, it’s already telling a story because someone designed it with intention,” she says. She worked closely with the Pavys to curate vignettes of artwork, furniture Designer and heirlooms and choose paint colors Nicole LeBlanc that would pop against the bold patterns NLB Design of cane grass, Tunica waterfalls and moon NLBDesigns.com eyes. LeBlanc says the trick to successful layering is finding a common thread. In this case, it was the narrative of the Pavy family, which shines through as brightly as the art itself. “When you walk into a home that’s been designed with objects and art that mean something to the family, you automatically feel it,” says LeBlanc. “Your body reacts to it.” That reaction sits at the core of Francis Pavy’s artistic mission — to provide a platform where people have the opportunity to dive deeper into his creative work and make it their own. “It spills out over the margins of a picture frame,” he says. “It becomes a reality.”

Textiles Pavy Studio Shop.Pavy.com

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Over-bed canopy and accent pillows, created from Pavy’s fabric, “Canegrass at Dawn,” pop against the guest room’s salmondrenched walls.

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VEGGIE MAKEOVERS TO MAKE YOUR FAVORITE DISHES MORE NUTRITIOUS BY REINE DUGAS PHOTOS BY EUGENIA UHL ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

We have so many delicious, seasonal vegetables available this time of year, what I’m about to suggest isn’t even that radical. Or painful. A little switch here, an easy swap there and removing starchy, heavy ingredients and replacing them with light, nutritious vegetables is easier than you’d think. One way to lower the calorie count without sacrificing flavor is to replace simple carbohydrates like rice, potatoes and pasta with complex carbs like vegetables — the more cruciferous and colorful, the better. Think yellow, green and orange! We’re not talking about trying to “sneak” vegetables into a meal so that our loved ones can eat healthier. No, these are bold moves, where veggies take center stage and they’re so tasty, no one will mind. The slightly crunchy texture of spaghetti squash instead of refined, white pasta is a good modification that offers a new spin on a classic dish and results in cutting more than half the calories in the process. Other easy swaps would be choosing brown rice instead of white, whole-wheat pasta instead of refined and sweet potatoes over white potatoes. Once you make the switch and veggify your favorite meals, you will feel better for likely doubling your vegetable intake in a meal, and you might find you prefer dishes prepared this way. These veggie substitutes will be so tasty, you’ll come back for seconds.

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DIRTY RICE 1 pound ground beef 1 package of white rice, cooked 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 medium white onion 1 green bell pepper 2 celery stalks 1 beef bouillon cube 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 teaspoon Cajun/Creole seasoning ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 bay leaf

ROASTED CHICKEN AND POTATOES 3½-4 pound whole chicken Salt and pepper 6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes 6 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise 2 cups brussels sprouts, cut in half 1 onion, peeled and cut in quarters 1 red or orange bell pepper 2 shallots, peeled and halved 1 lemon, cut in half 3 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup chopped green onions for garnish Heat medium Dutch oven and cook beef with a sprinkle of salt and pepper until browned. Remove, drain grease and set aside. Pour out any grease from pan, leaving a thin layer to cook vegetables. Chop onion, pepper, and celery and add to same pan. Sauté trinity until soft, about 3 minutes and then add rice. Combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef to sautéed vegetables and rice and mix. Then, add Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, more black pepper, garlic powder and bay leaf. Heat one cup of water and add bouillon cube until dissolved. Pour half of this liquid in with the beef and vegetables and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Serve and top with green onions. Serves 4.

Pat chicken dry and season with salt, inside and outside. Set aside for an hour or as long as overnight in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Preheat oven to 450º. In a large bowl, toss potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts, onion, bell pepper, lemon and shallots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place vegetables in a roasting pan. Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil, tie legs with string, and season with salt and black pepper. Place in the center of the vegetables. Roast for 55-60 minutes, stirring the vegetables once or twice until breast reaches 160º. Remove chicken to a platter. Roast vegetables about 10 minutes more or until caramelized and then remove from oven. Carve chicken and serve with vegetables. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4.

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BLACKENED REDFISH AND PILAF 4

large redfish fillets (or six smaller ones)

1½ sticks of butter, melted 6

tablespoons Cajun/ Creole seasoning Water

teaspoons olive oil

garlic cloves

cup long-grain white rice Salt and pepper to taste

Blackened Redfish Heat a large skillet (cast iron if you have one) over high heat until very hot (8-10 minutes). While that is heating, pour melted butter into a flat dish and Cajun/Creole seasoning mix into another dish. Dip each filet into the butter first and then into the seasoning. Put seasoned fish into hot skillet and cook until a crust forms, or about two minutes. Turn fish over and cook for another two minutes. Pour 1/4 cup of water and cook for another minute but do not cover. Take fish from skillet and keep warm. Pilaf Cook rice according to package

Serve each filet over pilaf. Serves 4.

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SHRIMP PASTA

1 pack of angel hair pasta 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, juice and zest ¼ cup white wine or chicken stock 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon Cajun/Creole seasoning ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes Salt and pepper to taste Chopped parsley to garnish Salt water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the hot pan, season with salt and pepper cook for 1 minute. Try to cook in one layer so they will get crispy. Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning, and crushed pepper to the pan. Turn shrimp and cook for another minute until done. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes, and wine or stock to the pan. Bring to a simmer while stirring. After two minutes, add noodles to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute, just until tender. Return the cooked shrimp to the pan and stir through. Serve and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 4

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POTATOES AU GRATIN 1

pound russet potatoes, skinned and cut into thin slices

tablespoons salted butter

tablespoons all purpose flour

cup whole milk

tablespoon Dijon mustard Salt and pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1¼ cup grated Gruyére cheese

Preheat oven to 400º. Fill a pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until cooked. Remove, drain and place in a baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until slightly brown. Add flour a little at a time and whisk until thick or about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and cook, continuously whisking until thickened. Add mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir until mixed. Add Parmesan and mix until smooth. Pour sauce over the potatoes in the dish and add Gruyére. Bake until the top browns, about 15 minutes. Serves 4.

MASHED POTATOES 1

3 2

pound of russet potatoes, 3 tablespoons whole milk skinned and cut into ½-inch ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard cubes Salt and ground black cloves of garlic, roasted pepper tablespoons butter, melted Fried shallots

Add potatoes to a pot of boiling salted water. Boil until tender (about 9-10 minutes). Remove from pot, drain and place in a food processor. Add butter, milk, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Purée until smooth. Plate and top with fried shallots. Serves 4.

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BROWN BUTTER AND SAGE PASTA 1 pack of pasta (angel hair or spaghetti) 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup butter

½ teaspoon garlic powder 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried sage)

Salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir often so it doesn’t burn. Once the butter foams, it will begin to turn brown. Add the sage and stir. Before the butter turns too dark, remove from heat and pour over spaghetti squash. Serves 4.

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LASAGNA 1

box of lasagna pasta sheets cooked according to package

tablespoon olive oil

12 ounces ground turkey 1

cup chopped onion

cloves garlic, minced

28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

teaspoon olive oil

leaves fresh basil chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil Salt and pepper

1½ cups low-fat ricotta cheese 1

egg, lightly beaten

cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, with ¼ held out to sprinkle on top of lasagna

Preheat oven to 400º In a large skillet, sauté onion in oil until soft and then add garlic and beef. Continue cooking until the beef becomes browned (about 8 minutes). Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring from time to time, for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Mix egg and ricotta in a bowl and set to the side. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, spread ¾ cup of sauce. Place pasta over the sauce in a single layer. Add ricotta mixture to cover and lightly sprinkle with mozzarella. Then add another layer of pasta, top with sauce, ricotta and mozzarella. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Finish with mozzarella layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until sauce bubbles. Wait 15 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

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BY MARIE SIMONEAUX ILLUSTRATIONS BY S.E. GEORGE

Taking care of your body and soul in the new year

New Year’s Resolutions are notoriously hard to keep. But if you live in Acadiana and vowed to go fresh this year, your goals could be easier to reach than you may think. True, the region is known for its heavier cuisines and throwing a good party, but with an array of fabulous farmers markets, delicious local produce and stunning natural beauty, Acadiana is a great place to eat fresh, get outside and have fun doing it.

Want to join a fitness group but don’t know how? Social media is a great tool. Try searching Facebook for pages related to your interests or check out r/ Acadiana on Reddit.

MBRACE THE WATER Lafayette native Joe Miceli firmly believes the best way to make the most out of Acadiana life is to turn to the countless waterways that define the region’s landscape. Miceli is an avid boater and longtime employee of Lafayette’s beloved Pack & Paddle store, which he recently bought with his business partner Sophe Probst. Originally founded in 1974 as a backyard canoe retailer by Joan and Doc Williams, Pack & Paddle has been a community hub for all things outdoors for many years. Today, the store is the go-to destination for rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, fishing and more. But as they’ve grown over the years, Miceli said the store has remained firmly connected to their paddling roots. “We offer daily kayak tours, which are two-hour paddle trips on Lake Martin, and include a guide, a kayak, paddle and life preserver,” Miceli said. “Our guides are outdoorsmen to the maximum. They grew up outdoors, they’ve been outdoors their whole lives. One of our guides is a birder. One works with Wildlife and Fisheries. So the experience is really fantastic. They know the entire area like the back of their hands, and they’re incredible resources for learning about safely navigating this natural space.” Miceli said signing up for one of their tours or a “Kayaking 101” class is a fantastic way for beginners to get acclimated to the hobby. For more experienced boaters looking to connect with new people, Pack & Paddle offers monthly community paddles, which he said are a fantastic way to make kayaking and canoeing a more social activity. “The outdoors are definitely a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of life, and to reconnect with yourself and nature. In that way, it can be a pretty solitary hobby. Having a community to kind of lean on and share a common interest with is huge,” he said. “It definitely makes the experience a lot more worthwhile, and a lot more fun.”

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Pack & Paddle is also home base for the Lafayette Paddle Club, which Miceli said organizes activities, boating trips, and more. For anyone who’s been curious about getting out on the water but doesn’t know where to start, Miceli said that just coming into the store to talk to his staff is a great first step. “For anyone that is interested in getting outdoors, I would recommend you to come and give it a try. Come give us a call. Come into the store. Talk to us. Be willing to share a new experience, and I’m willing to bet you’ll have a great time,” Miceli said.

For kayakers looking for new places to paddle, Micei said his favorite spots are in Bayou Teche and Lake Martin. Bayou Vermilion, Lake Charlo, Palmetto Island State Park, Atchafalaya Basin and Indian Bayou are all stand-out options as well.

OIN A FITNESS GROUP If getting in shape is your driving force, joining a fitness group can be a great option. Aidan Mesche started the Tour de Lafayette running group this year and said the community element has been a huge motivator to keep up with her goals and truly enjoy working out. Growing up, Mesche lived an active lifestyle but fell out of the habit when she stopped playing sports in college. When her husband, Connor (a life-long cross country runner) suggested she sign up for the Zydeco Marathon, she “thought it was a sick joke.” “But we kept talking about it, and I did want to get back in shape and thought that having a goal would be helpful to keep me on track,” Mesche said. Giving herself a 30-day deadline to decide, Mesche started to run, documenting her progress on Instagram along the way. “I was finding it so lonely to run by myself and I was like ‘I can’t be the only one who feels this way,’” she recalled. So, Mesche took things into her own hands and started the Tour De Lafayette group on Facebook and Instagram. Less than a year later, the running group has over 40 members, many of whom have either run or are training for their first marathon – including Mesche. Mesche said their group is open to people of all skill levels, especially beginners. “Running is really intimidating, and it’s so important to me that Tour de Lafayette is a safe and welcoming place. Our goals are to forge community and to get outside to make a connection with ourselves and our neighbors. It doesn’t matter how fast you are or how thin you are, you won’t get left behind,” she said.

If running isn’t your thing, Mesche still recommends seeking a group setting for whatever your activity of choice is. “I think that today, more than ever, we have a loneliness epidemic in our country and it’s so important for people to get outside, and connect with people and to find their community,” she said. “I’m really big on positivity and connecting with people and I think that’s something that’s meant a lot to members of this group, myself included. It’s changed my life in the most incredible way possible, because I just have such a newfound appreciation for Lafayette and all the amazing things that this community has to offer.”

AT FRESH Despite being known for its boudin and cracklins, Cajun country is also overf lowing with delicious local produce year-round. Yvette Quantz is a Lafayette-based registered dietician with over 20 years of experience in the field of nutrition and wellness. One way she suggests eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is to do at least some of your weekly shopping at a farmer’s market. “Whatever’s in season is going to be what tastes the best and is the most affordable at any given time,” Quantz said. “By going to the farmer’s market, you’ll see what really is in season in your area. We have some incredible local farmers in the region and that’s one of the best ways to support them, too.” Quantz’s personal favorite is the Lafayette Farmers Market in Moncus Park on Saturday mornings, but said there are many options

If you’re interested in cultivating an edible garden but don’t know where to start, stop by the Lafayette Public Library, which has a free seed library and tons of information about growing your own food. The program launched in April 2023 in partnership with Healthy Acadiana to “reconnect our community to the traditions of growing healthy, delicious food.”

around the region to suit your schedule and your location. If your community has a co-op grocery store or a locally-sourced produce box you can subscribe to, Quantz said that’s another wonderful way to support local agriculture and add fresh foods to your diet. If you have the space and time, Quantz also recommends starting a garden to increase your access to fresh fruits and vegetables. “Even if you add just a few edible plants to your yard or garden, that can really make a huge impact,” she said. “Fruiting trees are a great option because they tend to be hardy and produce an abundant crop, as long as you’re choosing the right plant for your environment.” Gardening is an excellent form of exercise, and Quantz said it can be a fun family activity, especially for picky eaters. “If you struggle to get your kids to eat their fruits and vegetables, growing them in your garden together can be a really awesome and fun way to encourage healthy eating habits,” she said. A trip to the farmer’s market together can have a similar effect, Quantz said, even if you don’t have kids. “There’s something more pleasant about shopping at the farmer’s market, I think,” Quantz said. “It can feel less like a chore and more like a fun activity or a form of self-care.” 1

Delcambre Seafood & Farmers Market Bayou Carlin Cove First Saturday 9 am — 1 pm

Lafayette Farmers & Artisans Market Moncus Park Every Saturday 8 am — 12 pm

FARMERS MARKET Towns and parishes across Acadiana host dozens of farmers markets every week including:

Teche Area Farmers Market Bouligny Plaza Tuesday 2 — 6 pm Saturday 7 — 11 am

Hub City Farmers Market The Oil Center Every Saturday 8 am — 12 pm

Abbeville Farmers & Artisans Market Magdalen Square Third Saturday 8 am — 1 pm

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TOP DOCTORS

W WITH OVER 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE researching, reviewing, and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible healthcare research and information company. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers.

Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nomination process is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physician(s) is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Then, Castle Connolly’s research team thoroughly vets each physician’s professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history and if available, outcomes data. Additionally, a physician’s interpersonal skills such as listening and communicating effectively, demonstrating empathy, and instilling trust and confidence, are also considered in the review process. The Castle Connolly Doctor Directory is the largest network of peernominated physicians in the nation.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine’s “Top Doctors” feature may also appear online at www.castleconnolly. com, or in in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and/or in print. Castle Connolly is part of Everyday Health Group, a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 74 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data, and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. For more information, please visit Castle Connolly or Everyday Health Group.

Allergy & Immunology Jibran Atwi Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 401 Youngsville Highway, Suite 100 Lafayette Andrew Collins 320 Settlers Trace Boulevard Lafayette Bernard Fruge Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 320 Settlers Trace Boulevard Lafayette Bina Joseph Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 320 Settlers Trace Boulevard Lafayette James Kidd III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8017 Picardy Avenue Baton Rouge Prem Menon Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge Joseph Redhead Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Cardiac Electrophysiology Freddy Abi-Samra Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge Kenneth Civello Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates Baton Rouge C. Andrew Smith Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates Baton Rouge Wenjie Xu Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates Baton Rouge

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TOP DOCTORS Cardiovascular Disease Bart Denys Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 1320 Martin Luther King Drive Thibodaux N. Joseph Deumite Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates Baton Rouge Michael Dibbs Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital 121 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette Daniel Fontenot Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5231 Brittany Drive Baton Rouge Steven Gremillion Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates Baton Rouge Babu Jasti Lane Regional Medical Center 6550 Main Street, Suite 1000 Zachary Nakia Newsome Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8888 Summa Avenue Baton Rouge Fernando Ruiz Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 441 Heymann Boulevard Lafayette Christopher Thompson Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1717 Oak Park Boulevard, 2nd Floor Lake Charles Kenneth Wong Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 102 Twin Oaks Drive Raceland

Child Neurology Kenneth Habetz Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4704 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette Clinical Genetics Duane Superneau Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8415 Goodwood Boulevard, Suite 202 Baton Rouge Colon & Rectal Surgery Louis Barfield Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 206 Baton Rouge Richard Byrd Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 206 Baton Rouge Dermatology Tamela Charbonnet Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 327 Bayou Gardens Boulevard Houma Mary Dickerson 10154 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge Jill Fruge Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7855 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge Lee Grafton Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 327 Bayou Gardens Boulevard Houma Nicole Harrell Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5326 O’Donovan Drive Baton Rouge Laurie Harrington Lane Regional Medical Center 20474 Old Scenic Highway Zachary

Kevin Young Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1717 Oak Park Boulevard, 2nd Floor Lake Charles

Kristy Kennedy 1245 South College Road Lafayette

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Kristen Losavio 5326 O’Donovan Drive Baton Rouge

Gary Birdsall 102 West 112th Street Cut Off

W. Trent Massengale 163 Burgin Avenue Baton Rouge

Donald Brignac Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5428 O’Donovan Drive, Suite B Baton Rouge

Ryan Matherne Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Thibodaux Ashley Record Lane Regional Medical Center 4801 McHugh Road, Suite C Zachary Laci Theunissen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7855 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge Jordan Whatley 5326 O’Donovan Drive Baton Rouge Ann Zedlitz 5305 Flanders Drive Baton Rouge Diagnostic Radiology William Tiemann Terrebonne General Health System 8166 West Main Street Houma Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Sandra Dempsey 1727 Imperial Boulevard Lake Charles Gary Field 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Lane Frey Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 726 North Acadia Road, Suite 3300 Thibodaux Robin Kilpatrick Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5428 O’Donovan Drive Baton Rouge

Kelly Cahill Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 3220 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette Andree Caillet Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 3220 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette Indira Gautam Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 502 Lafayette Street Youngsville Karrie Kilgore Ochsner Acadia General Hospital 345 Odd Fellows Road Crowley Sunshine Little Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 3824 Northeast Evangeline Thruway, Suite B Carencro Elizabeth McLain 4212 West Congress Street Suite 2400B Lafayette Darrin Menard 202 Westgate Road Lafayette Cassandra Pillette Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 4906 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Building M, Suite 1302 Lafayette

Kimberly Tran Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 4650 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 101 Lafayette Brittany Wyger Assumption Community Hospital 143 Highway 402, Suite 4 Napoleonville Gastroenterology Stephen Abshire Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 1211 Coolidge Boulevard, Suite 303 Lafayette Irfan Alam 4212 West Congress Street, Suite 2400E Lafayette James Balart 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Charles Berggreen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 9103 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge Richard Broussard Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 439 Heymann Boulevard Lafayette Stephanie Cauble 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge David Pellegrin Terrebonne General Health System 8120 Main Street, Suite 200 Houma Douglas Walsh Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 9103 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge Gynecologic Oncology

Internal Medicine Michael Alexander Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 461 Heymann Boulevard Lafayette Leo Blaize III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 7000 Baton Rouge Ashley Bordelon Pointe Coupee General Hospital 230 Roberts Drive, Suite 1 New Roads Chester Boudreaux Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 142 Rue Marguerite Thibodaux Wartelle Castille Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 4811 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, 3rd Floor Lafayette Brian Clements Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 4345 Nelson Road, Suite 201 Lake Charles C. Ray Halliburton Jr. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 7000 Baton Rouge Susan Ieyoub Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 4345 Nelson Road, Suite 201 Lake Charles Mark LaFuria Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 2770 3rd Avenue Lake Charles

Joel Silverberg Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge

Jarelle Scott St. James Parish Hospital 21420 Louisiana Highway 20 Vacherie

Anthony Evans Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 410 Baton Rouge Hand Surgery

Bryan LeBean Sr. Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 2930 Moss Street, Suite B Lafayette

Family Medicine

Paul Stringfellow Ochsner Acadia General Hospital 345 Odd Fellows Road Crowley

John Hildenbrand IV Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 726 North Acadia Road, Suite 1000 Thibodaux

Bradley Meek Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8119 Picardy Avenue Baton Rouge

Danielle Angeron Terrebonne General Health System 496 Corporate Drive Houma

Katherine Pearce Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Primary Care for Women Baton Rouge Karen Smith 105 Patriot Avenue, Suite 202 Lafayette James Soignet Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 142 Rue Marguerite Thibodaux Interventional Cardiology Chad Dugas Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 1320 Martin Luther King Drive Thibodaux Peter Fail Terrebonne General Health System 225 Dunn Street Houma Pradeep Nair Terrebonne General Health System 225 Dunn Street Houma Christopher Paris St. Charles Parish Hospital 107 Maryland Drive Luling Andrew Rees Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Louisiana Cardiology Associates Baton Rouge Maternal & Fetal Medicine Paul Dibbs Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 105 Corporate Boulevard Lafayette Robert Moore Woman’s Hospital 100 Woman’s Way Baton Rouge Medical Oncology Bryan Bienvenu Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 500 Baton Rouge B.J. Brooks Jr Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge

Vince Cataldo Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Medical Plaza 2, Suite 6000 Baton Rouge David Hanson Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 500 Baton Rouge Steven Saccaro Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 1211 Coolidge Street Lafayette Derrick Spell Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 500 Baton Rouge Ashish Udhrain Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 608 North Acadia Road Thibodaux Nephrology Raynold Corona Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge Mitchell Hebert Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge Ahad Lodhi CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital 3021 Lake Street Lake Charles Michael Roppolo Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge Allen Vander Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road Thibodaux James Yegge Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge

Neurological Surgery Alan Appley Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 155 Hospital Drive, Suite 100 Lafayette Charles Bowie The Spine Hospital of Louisiana 10101 Park Rowe Avenue, Suite 200 Baton Rouge Jason Cormier Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 1200 Camellia Boulevard, Suite 400 Lafayette Neurology Kevin Callerame Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 5247 Didesse Drive Baton Rouge Gerard Dynes Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Edward Haight Southeast Neuroscience Center 128 Neuroscience Court Gray Jamie Huddleston Ochsner St. Anne General Hospital 141 Twin Oaks Drive Raceland Pedro Oliveira Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Obstetrics & Gynecology James Barrow CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital 4150 Nelson Road, Building G, Suite 6 Lake Charles Rachel Bezdek East Jefferson General Hospital 301 Rue de Sante LaPlace Rebecca Boudreaux Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge Randall Brown Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge

Francis Cardinale Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4640 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette

Anne Rodrigue Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 500 Thibodaux

Robert Cazayoux Terrebonne General Health System 852 Belanger Street Houma

Christopher Rodrigue Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 500 Thibodaux

Nicole Chauvin Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge

Michelle Stutes Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette

Rachel Chua CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital 4150 Nelson Road, Building G, Suite 5 Lake Charles

A. Collins Thibodeaux Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 208 Lafayette

Richard Clement Terrebonne General Health System 852 Belanger Street Houma David Darbonne Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1890 West Gauthier Road, Suite 120 Lake Charles Ryan Dickerson Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge Bradley Forsyth Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1890 West Gauthier Road, Suite 140 Lake Charles J. William Groves Jr Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles Renee Harris Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 310 Baton Rouge Kaitlin Hoover Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 310 Baton Rouge Ann Marie Lafranca Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 210 Baton Rouge Opal LeBlanc Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette Charles Padgett Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 1211 Coolidge Avenue, Suite 405 Lafayette

Terrie Thomas Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 310 Baton Rouge Frank Culotta Jr Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 1101 South College Road, Suite 304 Lafayette

Thomas Heigle Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 4000 Baton Rouge

Jane Olson 8440 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite B Baton Rouge

Rasheed Ahmad Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge Joseph Broyles Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7301 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 200 Baton Rouge

Gabriel Dersam Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4704 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette

Scott Gauthreaux Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 1101 South College Road, Suite 304 Lafayette

Celeste Luke Avoyelles Hospital 108 Medic Drive Marksville

Orthopaedic Surgery

Geoffrey Collins West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital 1625 Wolf Circle Lake Charles

Donald Falgoust CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital 1980 Tybee Lane Lake Charles

Kirk LeBlanc Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette

Nano Zeringue 900 Canal Boulevard, Suite 3 Thibodaux

Christopher Cenac Terrebonne General Health System 1001 School Street Houma

Ophthalmology

Keith Kellum Physicians Medical Center 446 Corporate Drive Houma

Allen Pearce Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 4000 Baton Rouge

Robert Easton Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge Henry Eiserloh III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge Patrick Ellender Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 726 North Acadia Road, Suite 1000 Thibodaux Harold Granger 4809 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 200 Lafayette Craig Greene Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge

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TOP DOCTORS R. Bryan Griffith Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge Michael Alan Hinton Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 230 West Sale Road Lake Charles Thomas Montgomery Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 1301 Camellia Boulevard, Suite 102 Lafayette David Muldowny Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 1103 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette Julie Neumann Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7301 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 200 Baton Rouge

Adam Whatley Lane Regional Medical Center 6550 Main Street, Suite 2300 Zachary Matthew Williams Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 108 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette Otolaryngology John Alldredge Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 225 Bendel Road Lafayette Moises Arriaga Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 709 Baton Rouge James Broussard Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 101 Thibodaux

John Noble Jr CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital 1747 Imperial Boulevard Lake Charles

Lisa David Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 109 Rue Fontaine Lafayette

David Pope Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7301 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 200 Baton Rouge

Maria Doucet Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette

Catherine Riche Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge

Jason Durel Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 225 Bendel Road Lafayette

Michael Robichaux Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge Seth Rosenzweig Iberia Medical Center 500 North Lewis Street, Suite 280 New Iberia Malcolm Stubbs Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 1103 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette

Brytton Eldredge Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 109 Rue Fontaine Lafayette Michael Goodier Our Lady of the Lake Ascension 1710 North Airline Highway Gonzales Phillip Noel Abbeville General Hospital 100 Phoenix Drive Abbeville

Meredith Warner 9373 Baringer Foreman Road Baton Rouge

Daniel Nuss Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 400 Baton Rouge

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Patricia Scallan Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 2121 Baton Rouge Chad Simon 505 Dunn Street Houma Collin Sutton 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 2222 Baton Rouge Justin Tenney Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 101 Thibodaux James White Jr. Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 1039 Camellia Boulevard Lafayette Guy Zeringue III Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 101 Thibodaux Otolaryngology/ Facial Plastic Surgery J. Kevin Duplechain Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette Laura Hetzler Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 402 Baton Rouge Jeffrey Joseph Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 1000 West Pinhook Road, Suite 201A Lafayette Lisa Morris Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 402 Baton Rouge Pain Medicine Sean Graham Baton Rouge General Medical Center 5408 Flanders Drive Baton Rouge Jimmy Ponder Jr 123 Frontage Road-A Gray

Pediatric Allergy & Immunology Sandhya Mani Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital 8200 Constantin Boulevard, 3rd Floor Baton Rouge Theron McCormick Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8200 Constantin Boulevard, 3rd Floor Baton Rouge Pediatric Cardiology Michael Crapanzano Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8200 Constantin Road, Suite 200 Baton Rouge Rufus Hixon III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8200 Constantin Road, Suite 200 Baton Rouge Mudar Kattash Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 2005 Southwood Drive Lake Charles Katherine Lindle Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics 1016 Coolidge Street Lafayette Pediatric Endocrinology Janna Flint Wilson Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4704 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, 2nd Floor Lafayette James Gardner Jr. Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital 8200 Constantin Boulevard, 4th Floor Baton Rouge Chantal Lutfallah Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital 8200 Constantin Boulevard, 4th Floor Baton Rouge Pediatric Infectious Disease Michael Bolton Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital 8200 Constantin Boulevard, 4th Floor Baton Rouge

Pediatric Surgery Deiadra Garrett Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4704 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette Pediatrics Brian Bailey Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 5000 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette Anne Boudreaux Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 142 Rue Marguerite Thibodaux Jennifer Boustany Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 102 Lafayette Danielle Calix Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner 13100 River Road Destrehan Courtney Campbell Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8415 Goodwood Boulevard, Suite 202 Baton Rouge Robert Drumm Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Bernard Ferrer 569 Enterprise Drive Houma Jennifer Hogan Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge Michael Judice Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 102 Lafayette Jamar Melton Baton Rouge General Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Hina Patel Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8415 Goodwood Boulevard, Suite 202 Baton Rouge

Henry Peltier Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 200 Thibodaux Alycia Rodgers CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital 2800 Country Club Road Lake Charles Edward Sledge Jr Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge Sylvia Sutton Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8415 Goodwood Boulevard, Suite 202 Baton Rouge Jenny Thomas Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 600 Cypress Street Sulphur Deepa Vasireddy Woman’s Hospital 7053 Johnston Street Lafayette Mark Waggenspack Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Eric Weil Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 8415 Goodwood Boulevard, Suite 202 Baton Rouge Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Mary Nell Anderson 18161 East Petroleum Drive Baton Rouge Todd Cowen 726 North Acadia Road, Suite 2600 Thibodaux Craig Morton CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital 1747 Imperial Boulevard Lake Charles Plastic Surgery Stephen Antrobus 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 301 Baton Rouge Stephen Delatte Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 100 Drury Lane Lafayette

TOP DOCTORS Michael Hanemann Jr Baton Rouge General Medical Center 5233 Dijon Drive Baton Rouge

James Maze Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Radiation Oncology Lake Charles

M’liss Hogan St. Tammany Parish Hospital 4212 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite A Baton Rouge

Perri Prellop Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 4809 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 100 Lafayette

Kenneth Odinet Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette Lafayette Ernest Clyde Smoot III CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital 4150 Nelson Road, Building A-2 Lake Charles Taylor Theunissen Baton Rouge General Medical Center 5233 Dijon Drive Baton Rouge Psychiatry Renee Bruno Woman’s Hospital 7470 Highland Road Baton Rouge Larry Warner Jr. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 10517 Kentshire Court Baton Rouge Pulmonary Disease Glenn Gomes Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge Mark Hodges Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Gary Kohler Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 2770 3rd Avenue, Suite 350 Lake Charles Michael McCarthy 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Kevin Reed Baton Rouge General Medical Center 8585 Picardy Avenue, Suite 516 Baton Rouge

Stephen Wilt Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 4809 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 100 Lafayette Charles Wood Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 4950 Essen Lane Baton Rouge Reproductive Endocrinology/ Infertility John Storment Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital 206 East Farrel Road Lafayette Rheumatology Angele Bourg 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Ronald Ceruti Jr 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Elena Cucurull 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Bobby Dupre Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 501A Baton Rouge

Sean Shannon Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 501A Baton Rouge Sleep Medicine Matthew Abraham Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1701 Oak Park Boulevard Lake Charles Phillip Conner 4820 Lake Street Lake Charles Dwayne Henry Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 501B Baton Rouge Surgery William Bisland Jr Ochsner St. Anne General Hospital 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 207 Thibodaux Jason Breaux Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 1211 Coolidge Boulevard, Suite 404 Lafayette Michael Hailey Woman’s Hospital 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 201 Baton Rouge Mark Hausmann Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 612 Baton Rouge

Khanh Ho Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 501A Baton Rouge

Mark Hebert Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 604 North Acadia Road, Suite 207 Thibodaux

Andrew Lauve Baton Rouge General Medical Center 3401 North Boulevard Baton Rouge

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Joseph Nesheiwat 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge

Harmanjot Grewal Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 501A Baton Rouge

James Lipstate Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 4212 West Congress Street, Suite 2300A Lafayette

Radiation Oncology

Jennifer Malin Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 4212 West Congress Street, Suite 2300A Lafayette

Henry Kaufman IV Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 4809 Ambulatory Caffery Parkway, Suite 410 Lafayette

William Moss CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital 4150 Nelson Road, Building G, Suite 3 Lake Charles Philip Schauer Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Bariatric and Metabolic Institute Baton Rouge Richard Shimer Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 2770 3rd Avenue, Suite 120 Lake Charles Jonathan Taylor 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge James Williams Our Lady of the Lake Ascension 2647 South Saint Elizabeth Boulevard, Suite 215 Gonzales Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery Amit Patel Baton Rouge General Medical Center 8401 Picardy Avenue Baton Rouge C. Swayze Rigby Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 8001 Baton Rouge Urogynecology/ Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery William Kubricht III Baton Rouge General Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 3000 Baton Rouge Urology Angelo Annaloro Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 2004 Baton Rouge Kenneth Blue III Baton Rouge General Medical Center 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 3000 Baton Rouge Thad Bourque Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 120 Rue Louis XIV, Building 2 Lafayette

Christopher Fontenot Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 120 Rue Louis XIV, Building 2 Lafayette

Racheed Ghanami Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 5000 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Building 1, Suite 100 Lafayette

Marcellus LaHaye Mercy Regional Medical Center - Ville Platte, LA 4940 Vidrine Road Ville Platte

Christopher LaGraize Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 129 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette

Scott Neusetzer Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 120 Rue Louis XIV, Building 2 Lafayette

John Luke III Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 129 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette

Mark Posner Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 2004 Baton Rouge William Roth Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 120 Rue Louis XIV, Building 2 Lafayette Ayme Schmeeckle 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge Farjaad Siddiq Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1715 Wolf Circle Lake Charles Walter Simoneaux Jr. Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 504 North Acadia Road Thibodaux Jeremy Speeg Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center 120 Rue Louis XIV, Building 2 Lafayette Vascular Surgery Michael Conners III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 1008 Baton Rouge P. Michael Davis Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 1008 Baton Rouge

Andrew Olinde Baton Rouge General Medical Center 8888 Summa Avenue, 3rd Floor Baton Rouge Steven Pike Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - Lafayette 129 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette

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Give your sweet a Valentine’s treat from Renaissance Publishing The Essential New Orleans Cookbook Creole or Cajun? Pompano or trout? Red sauce or brown gravy? Pasta or rice? This book helps by oﬀering recipes from the kitchen of Dale Curry, the city’s senior culinary writer, who has served as food editor for The TimesPicayune and then New Orleans Magazine. Adding spice to the mix is the splendid work of veteran photographer Eugenia Uhl, who captures the colors and textures of grand meals. Enjoy the experience with a book that is good for cookin’ and great for lookin’. The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook A collection of 50 traditional and contemporary recipes where top-notch ingredients are paired with fresh seafood. The easy-to-follow recipes emphasize Louisiana seafood and quality, local ingredients. Inspired, innovative and delicious, the seafood dishes in this collection are sure to become favorites in your kitchen. Culinary Louisiana Calendar Savory stews, roasts and grilled dishes, fresh takes on garden harvests, and to-die-for desserts are just a taste of the delectable dishes you’ll find in the latest installment of Culinary Louisiana. From appetizers to the main course and dessert, this full-color, 15-month calendar — a Louisiana Life magazine publication — ensures that every month will kick oﬀ with a fresh, fabulous recipe.

Get yours today at myneworleans.com/shop

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REC E TT E S D E CO CKTAI LS

The Energizing Elixir A savory cure-all cocktail gets a Cajun kick at Uncle T’s Oyster Bar in Scott BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY PHOTO BY ROMERO & ROMERO

There’s something about a toothpick

that starts the creative bloody mary juices flowing. Over the years, the spicy tomato-vodka-citrus concoction has risen from a curiosity at Harry’s Bar in Par is to a social media phenomena of outlandish garnishes. “You don’t know what to expect next,” says Brian Bartels, author of "The Bloody Mary." “It’s the Madonna of cocktails,” notes cocktail historian Jack McGarry, co-founder of New York’s world-renowned Dead Rabbit bar. Considered the healthiest classic cocktail, the bloody mary’s main element, tomato juice, is packed with nutrients including lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Worcestershire sauce (included in Old Bay mixes) provides immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Like Acadiana’s most iconic dish, the drink invites unbridled interpretation. “It’s like gumbo,” says Anthony Hebert, owner of Uncle T’s Oyster Bar (named Best Bar with the Best Bloody Mary by the 2023 Best of Acadiana Community Choice Awards). “Everybody has a favorite way to make bloody marys.” The cocktail’s debut as a UNCLE T’S OYSTER BAR viral sensation is attributed to 1001 ST. MARY ST. Sobelman’s Pub in Milwaukee, SCOTT when Facebook posts began UNCLETSOYSTERBAR.COM appearing with outlandish garnishes in 2012, from cheeseburgers to a four-pound fried chicken. Armed with toothpicks and skewers, bartenders began the national garnish wars, piling on everything from lamb chops to lobsters, bagels to tater tots. Acadiana’s flamboyance included boiled crawfish draped over rims and soft-shell crabs peering with lemon smiles. “The secret to our Smoked Cajun Mary is a drop of liquid smoke, glasses rimmed with Uncle T’s boil seasoning and Filthy’s fiery stuffed olives,” says Hebert. “It surprises everyone. They’re really hot!” “I’ve been accused of attempted murder with those olives,” Hebert jokes. “We almost called Acadiana Ambulance for some little old ladies from the nursing home after they had our Smoked Cajun Marys.” 

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H O M E BA R

Smoked Cajun Mary

Rim a pint glass with Uncle T’s boil seasoning (or your favorite seafood boil) and fill with ice. Add JT Meleck vodka, 1 ounce lime juice, a dash of liquid smoke and a pinch of Uncle T’s boil seasoning. Top with 6 ounces Old Bay bloody mary mix. Gently stir and garnish with boiled shrimp (16-20 count), spicy pickled okra and green beans skewered with Filthy Pepper stuffed olives.

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D Î N E R D E H O RS

FOOD FOR THE SOUL The culinary genius of Lafayette’s Scratch Farm Kitchen

Lots of love can be tasted in each morsel of food prepared and served in a bowl. Chef/owner Jamie Harson wants diners to feel the love of a mother in all her health dishes.

BY ERIC CORMIER PHOTOS BY JOSEPH VIDRINE

Every day, Jamie Harson walks into her restaurant, located in a strip mall on Johnston Street in Lafayette, and her food lover journey comes full circle. In the not too distant past, Harson was selling food she grew and grilled under a tent to people who visited Moncus Park on open market days. All she really wanted to do was share food she and her friends grew and harvested. She started preparing meals — for a small fee — for the public. “It was just me with a baby on the hip and a grill,” she recalls. Harson had no intention of opening a brick-andmortar restaurant, but her passion, strength, and focus

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ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

The flavors of fresh and locally sourced ingredients keep Scratch Farm Kitchen fans coming back. Chef Harson’s menu has some regular items on it, but do not be surprised to see something new. Harson relishes the chance to display seasonal foods.

— along with an ever-growing fan base — led to the opening of Scratch Farm Kitchen at 2918 Johnston St. Harson regards the eatery, that’s packed minutes before closing on the Saturday we visited, as part of a life journey. “I never intended to do this at all. I was farming. I love food,” the 44-year-old — who once was a pig farmer — explains.“It just happened to me. Then I opened a food truck,” she says. Word got around that Harson and her team were mobile and still preparing delicious dishes. The lines of fans got longer. Get this. It was veggies that drove eaters wild. “People want vegetables!” she notes. “They want good food, too.” Last summer, Harson moved away from her first four-walled restaurant on Garfield Street in Lafayette, to the present location. Her menu is an active exercise in culinary genius. Visitors order from a board next to the cash register. Hash-based bowls, grit-based bowls and hamburgers (beef, pork or vegetable) are regularly ordered by customers.

SCRATCH FARM KITCHEN 2918 JOHNSTON ST. LAFAYETTE. 337-295-4769 @SCRATCH_THAT_MIDCITY

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It does not matter if it is a hamburger, salad, grit bowl, curry bowl or even wine, understand that the team at Scratch Farm Kitchen is interested in feeding patrons food that inspires their souls and satisfies appetites. Chef Harson views herself as an artist and her canvas is the table.

DEC 2023/JAN 2024

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TRY THIS!

Boudini A biscuit with boudin, mayo, cheese, farm egg, pesto and kimchi. One bite, and you will wonder why it took so long to locate this version of kitchen goodness.

By the way, Harson’s grit bowl consists of Hopi blue corn grits, a protein (chicken, beef, pork, boudin, mushrooms, tofu, bacon, or egg), agrodolce, butternut squash and sorghum yogurt. Based on what is in the eatery’s pantry, the soups her kitchen team prepares range from chicken tortilla to milk and potatoes with tomato and green beans.

Harson likes each plate of food prepared in the kitchen to be appealing to the eyes, with exciting aromas, and palate-pleasing deliciousness. “People leave here feeling good. Their souls feel good. They are satisfied. I love it and I feel proud. Seeing customers leave happy satisfies me,” she says. Asked what her cooking style is, Harson responds, “Street food. It is bright and intentional. Street food, because it is made on grills. All the grills from our food truck are used in here.” Harson views herself as an artist. Her intention is to create by supporting local and regional farmers, cook good food, and get people to appreciate everything being made from scratch. All the while, she happily admits her culinary journey has included lots of lines (customers) and circles. Harson is right back where she started…albeit, on the other side of Johnston Street. 

Hash It Out One of Harson’s bowls made with hash potatoes, cheese, a protein, farm egg, vegetables and pickled peppers. This dish is one of the standby selections for restaurant regulars.

Scratch Burger Simple, to the point, but nothing on this burger is processed. Beef or pork patty, cheese, lettuce, pickles and mayo. There is a veggie version that the staff wants you to try.

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D E L A CU I S I N E

LENTEN RECOVERY Easing your body and soul into the Lenten season BY MARCELLE BIENVENU PHOTO & STYLING BY EUGENIA UHL

The season of Lent has arrived. And I’m bet-

ting that there are many who partied much too hard during the Carnival season and would welcome the season of repentance, prayer and sacrifice with open arms. Well, maybe not open arms, but at least might relish the thought of six weeks of Lent as a time to have a spiritual renewal of the soul, not to mention some recuperation of the body. Most of the meals prepared during Lent in New Orleans were referred to as Lenten soups or in French, potage maigres. And these soups were simple broths or consommés, flavored with carrots, onions, turnips, beans or peas, cabbage and parsley. Sometimes a handful of spinach might be added as well. Of course, in the city and in the country, there were meals consisting of different types of seafood – whatever was in season. My parents were very strict during the Lenten season so I can attest to the fact that I ate, as a child, my fair share of tuna salad sandwiches, butter and sugar sandwiches, fried egg sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches and a whole lot of fish sticks accompanied by macaroni and cheese. No delicious dishes such as crawfish étouffée, fried seafood or even trout amandine passed my lips back then. 

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I find it easier to make the pistou in a blender rather than in a mortar. Simply put all the ingredients in the processor and pulse several times until the mixture is smooth.

STA RT E R

MAIN DISH

Soupe Au Pistou

Grilled Vegetables With Pasta

cup olive oil garlic cloves, minced leeks, well rinsed, trimmed and chopped 4 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 ribs celery, cut into ½-inch pieces 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice 12 cups water or chicken broth 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ½ pound tender green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths 2-3 small zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice 2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained ½ pound ditalini pasta ½ 4 4

3 1 2 ½ ½

PISTOU garlic cloves teaspoon salt cups fresh basil (tightly packed), rinsed and patted dry cup extra virgin olive oil cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. To make the soup, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, leeks, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring, until slightly soft, 5 to 6 minutes. 2. Add potatoes, water or broth and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes. 3. Add green beans, zucchini, cannellini beans, and pasta and continue simmering the soup until vegetables and pasta are tender, about 20 minutes. 4. Season again if necessary. 5. To make pistou, crush garlic and salt together in a mortar. You want a creamy paste. Add basil, a few leaves at a time, grinding each batch until incorporated in garlic paste. Slowly work in enough olive oil to thin pistou to a creamlike drizzling consistency. Stir in Parmesan. To get the recipe for Crabmeat Dressing, visit AcadianaProfile.com

1 2 1 1 1 ¼ ⅛ ¼ 2 8 8 1 1 ½

large eggplant, about 1 pound, cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices medium zucchinis, about ½ pound, cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices red bell pepper, seeded and cut into wide slices green bell pepper, seeded and cut into wide slices teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepper teaspoon cayenne cup olive oil teaspoons soy sauce ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed ounces sliced portobellos, cleaned and stemmed pound spinach fettuccini, cooked and drained quart marinara sauce, homemade or commercial brand cup fresh, grated Romano cheese

1. Poach eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers in simmering hot water in a large pot for several minutes, or until vegetables are justly slightly soft. Remove from water and drain. Put in a large mixing bowl. 2. Add salt, black pepper, cayenne, olive oil, soy sauce and mushrooms and toss to coat evenly. 3. Prepare a charcoal or gas fire in your grill or barbecue pit. Grill vegetables and mushrooms, either directly on grill, or in a grill basket, over a medium fire for about 5 minutes, turning once or twice. 4. In a large casserole dish, make a layer of vegetables and mushrooms. Make a layer of fettuccini. Spread marinara sauce evenly over pasta and top with cheese. 5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly and hot. Serve immediately. Serves 8

6. To serve, ladle soup into large bowl and stir in a generous tablespoon of pistou into it. Extra pistou can be passed at table. Serves 10 ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

EN F RAN ÇAI S, S’I L VO U S P L AÎ T

Le Pidro L’Autre jeu de cartes cadien PAR DAVID CHERAMIE ILLUSTRATION PAR SARA WILLIA

Un des stéréoty pes associés avec les Cadiens est notre amour pour les jeux de cartes. Ce n’est pas tout à fait immérité, car c’est indéniablement un passetemps populaire. On joue les mêmes jeux qu’on trouve partout aux États-Unis, mais le jeu qu’on identifie le plus avec les Cadiens, c’est la bourre. Lorsque la télévision CBS est venue en bas du bayou Lafourche dans les années 80 pour en savoir plus sur la culture cadienne, ils n’ont rien trouvé de mieux que de montrer une partie de bourre avec des vieux messieurs parlant français en chapeau de cowboy, gros cigares au bout des lèvres et une bouteille de whisky à porter de main. C’est un stéréotype qui sonne juste car c’est une scène qu’on peut trouver facilement partout en Acadiana encore avec ou sans cigares. Pourtant beaucoup de Cadiens qui jouent à la bourre ne savent pas que dans la région Lafourche-Terrebonne, il existe un autre jeu de cartes cadien, le Pidro, dont les origines remontent à la fin du XIXe siècle dans le Colorado. Aussi écrit Pedro, il est tellement populaire dans le coin que l’on blague qu’il faut réussir un examen de Pidro avant d’obtenir son diplôme de Nicholls State à Thibodaux.

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For an English translation visit AcadianaProfile.com

Ailleurs, c’est quasiment inconnu. Pourtant, selon le cinéaste Glen Pitre, le pidro était tellement répandu dans les années 20 et 30 que des sociologues ont écrit des études sur le phénomène. Jack London le mentionne dans sa nouvelle, « The Unexpected ». Chose étonnante pour un jeu qui aurait des origines américaines, les règles de Pidro sont pour la plupart les mêmes qu’un jeu français, le Tarot, même si on ne les joue pas avec le même jeu de cartes. Il s’agit dans les deux cas de jouer à quatre avec deux partenaires face à face, les cartes sont distribuées trois à la fois, et les joueurs doivent déclarer à tour de rôle combien de points ils pensent pouvoir gagner basé sur la valeur fixe de chaque carte. Celui qui s’engage à gagner le plus de point en prenant les plis avec son partenaire a le droit de déclarer quel signe – carreau, pique, cœur ou trèfle – sera l’atout. La façon de compter les points et les règles concernant quelle carte on peut jouer ou pas sont étonnamment semblables. Par exemple, si un atout est joué en premier, les autres joueurs doivent suivre avec cet atout s’ils en ont un. Il n’empêche qu’à certains endroits, on joue à la « coupe-gorge », ce qui signifie qu’on n’est pas obligé de jouer un atout, ce qui rend les stratégies plus compliquées. Même les variations se miroitent. Le Pidro se pratique régulièrement encore de nos jours. Mme. Laura Thériot, qui jouait souvent avec ma défunte mère, fait partie aujourd’hui d’un groupe d’une douzaine de femmes jouant tous les deux mardis. Popie’s Palace au Cut Off parraine à l’occasion des tournois de Pidro afin de collecter des fonds pour une œuvre charitable. Que ce soit le Pidro, la Bourre ou d’autres jeux, on est toujours parés pour battre les cartes. !

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