Wed, Jan 07 2009
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Published October 14, 2008 06:31 pm - You don’t have to wait until March to get a taste of New Orleans. It’s coming to Joplin. On Tuesday, I will be taking part in the annual Flavor of the Four States. Cheryle Finley: Add Cajun twist to your meal Mardi Gras, which is French for Fat Tuesday, is traditionally the day before Ash Wednesday, the final day of Carnival. It arrived in North America in the late 17th century and began in New Orleans on March 3, 1699. The rest, as they say, is history.
You don’t have to wait until March to get a taste of New Orleans. It’s coming to Joplin. On Tuesday, I will be taking part in the annual Flavor of the Four States, and we will be celebrating with a Mardi Gras theme as part of the Southwest Chapter of the Missouri Restaurant Association’s educational scholarships fund-raiser. According to Wikipedia, an authentic Cajun meal is usually a three-pot affair. The first pot is dedicated to the main dish, the next one to steamed rice, skillet cornbread or some other grain dish, and the third contains whatever vegetable is plentiful or available. The cuisine developed out of necessity when Acadian refugees had to live off the land and adapt their French rustic cuisine to local ingredients like rice, crawfish and sugar cane, with rice being the major supplement to the meat. Spices play a big part in the food. Cajun dishes cooked outside of Louisiana tend to be hotter and spicier than their Louisiana counterparts, which is surprising. One dish of Cajun influence that’s just fun to say is turducken. That’s the deboned turkey stuffed with deboned duck stuffed with deboned chicken. I’ve never had one because they are expensive to order but probably worth the experience. Then you throw in alligator and turtle, and the options continue to expand. I’m looking forward to seeing what Cajun cuisine everyone offers from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Convention Center while tasting the fare, hearing the band and seeing lots of friends. Maple Leaf week is in full swing and with the trees starting to turn, it’s beautiful in Carthage. One of my favorite Maple Leaf events is tomorrow night at the Carthage High School auditorium. The Three Minutes of Fame lip-sync contest continues to grow each year. Duke Mason is usually the emcee but is unable to be there this year. So, Cheryle Finley, the Duke Mason and Gary Bandy back-up, will be there in his place. Don’t let that stop you from attending. I promise you a fun evening and although Duke always sang a couple of songs, I’ll only do the introductions. And I’ll see you at the parade Saturday. In honor of the Flavor of the Four States Mardi Gras party, I found today’s recipes online at www.realcajunrecipes.com. The main course is Dawnie’s smothered pork chops and gravy and could be easily adapted to your slow cooker at the point where the water is added. The red and green peppers and onions give this dish its Cajun twist. I’m not so sure about the Cajun twist in the two other recipes. The sweet-potato soufflé can be modified to a dessert by substituting pumpkin for the sweet potatoes. The dessert recipe for today is called Cajun brownies but it resembles a favorite of mine, ooey gooey butter cake. By either name, it’s a winner. It’s also good with a little almond extract added. Linda Teeter and I will be joining the folks at “Good Morning 4-States” tomorrow morning, and I think I’ll whip up a batch of Cajun brownies for the visit. Try the food at the Flavor of the Four States and for a special family evening, find some Cajun recipes with your family’s favorite ingredients and have your own Mardi Gras. Have a wonderful week and happy eating! Dawnie’s smothered pork chops and gravy 4 boneless pork chops, 1/2-inch thick 1 bunch onions, chopped 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup red and green pepper, chopped 
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