Mardi Gras is such an iconic New Orleans festival that it’s easy to forget the holiday is a celebration throughout Louisiana. In the heart of Acadiana, an eight-parish region in southwest Louisiana, Mardi Gras is not about extravagant parades, colorful beads and flamboyant costumes. Cajuns have their own traditions that are less familiar but just [...]

1 lb chopped alligator meat 1 egg 2 tbs finely chopped onions 2 tbs finely chopped celery 1 tbs finely chopped parsley 2 tbs chopped shallots 2 tsp lemon pepper 1/4 cup bread crumbs Flour to dredge 1 cup Cooking oil Cajun Seasoning (to taste) Instructions: Combine all ingredients into a bowl and then form [...]

It’s been downright cold across south Louisiana. But an agriculture expert says the state’s strawberry crop should be just fine. Regina Bracy is the resident coordinator at the Louisiana State University AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station. She said farmers have been using row covers to protect the berries and that she hasn’t received any reports of [...]

BATON ROUGE — David Garrett’s cowbells are losing a little of their ring lately. A 1982 graduate of Mississippi State, Garrett is a second term president of the Lee County alumni chapter of State. One of his sons, Drew Garrett, is a sophomore at State. David and his wife Felicia of Jackson, Miss., started taking [...]

Cajun Cabbage and Rice Casserole 1 lb. CAB ground beef 1 lb. sausage Cajun seasoning to taste 1 med. cabbage, chopped 1 c. finely chopped bell pepper 1 c. finely chopped yellow onion 1/2 c. finely chopped celery 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 3 c. beef stock 2 c. cooked white rice 3 Tbsp. green onion, [...]

An explosion tore through the Abita Brewery near Abita Springs early Tuesday morning when a tank became over-pressurized. The 1:30 blast blew through the roof of the brewery, shattered windows and left debris strewn through a nearby trailer park and was heard two miles to the south along Harrison Avenue, said Capt. Matt Huddleston, with [...]

The Small Town Poker Tour will visit the Cajun Dome Convention Center in Lafayette, Louisiana January 23, for an event that will benefit the United Way of Acadiana. ‘The tournament will be held at the Cajun Dome Convention Center to accommodate the crowd,’ stated STPT Creator Mark Fracalossi. ‘The United Way of Acadiana does a [...]

NEW ORLEANS — When Zagat issued its last ratings for New Orleans, Commander’s Palace, the turquoise Garden District landmark known for its food and ambiance, was still being pieced back together after Hurricane Katrina wrecked it. It took 13 months and a $8.5 million renovation to restore the restaurant for business, and only one new [...]

Parade floats are being built, costumes are being fitted and krewes are practicing. Let the good times roll! It’s almost time for Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras _ Fat Tuesday _ is Feb. 24 this year, and you can find a schedule of the parades leading up to the big day at the [...]

The season for harvesting sugar cane is coming to a close. The harvest season proved to be a fruitful one for local farmers. Youngsville mayor Wilson Viator says that sugarcane is vital for Louisiana’s economy. Sugar cane is the largest money crop in the state of Louisiana with over 400,000 acres of sugar cane producing [...]