TOP DOCTORS PG. 35
LIGHT rECIPES Create a seafood feast with these 5 healthy recipes Mirlitons Stuffed With Crabmeat
FEB/MA RCH 21
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feb.march VO LUM E 40 NUM B E R 0 1
6 LAGNIAPPE
A Little Extra 8 NOTE DE L’EDITEUR
Editor’s Note
12 NOUVELLES DE VILLES
News Briefs 16 L’ART
Lafayette artist Lucius Fontenot captures the otherworldly side of Louisiana and Cajun culture 18 RECETTES DE COCKTAILS
Bon Temps Grill’s Empress Mule surpasses its midcentury origins with shifting hues that mesmerize 20 DE LA CUISINE
Sticking with seasonal recipe traditions and sharing fare from afar 22 LA MAISON
After an inspiring set of bedroom remodels and a life-changing pandemic, a Rayne businesswoman’s home became her chance at a fresh start 52 LETTRES D'AMOUR
Food is the tie that binds this newspaper reporter turned policy developer to the region 54 PLUS ÇA CHANGE
Chauvin Sculpture Garden depicts the human experience in one of the state's best examples of folk art 56 EN FRANÇAIS, S’IL VOUS PLAÎT
Du sable, du sel, du soleil, des souvenirs
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Light Recipes
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Top Doctors
A flavorful seafood feast
AC A DIA NA PROFILE.COM 5
AWARDS
LAGNIAPPE
Learn French
What is your favorite type of local seafood and how do you like it prepared?
chevrette
Copy Editor Liz Clearman Art Director Sarah George Lead Photographer Danley Romero Web Editor Kelly Massicot Editorial Intern Kathy Bradshaw “Catfish, in my opinion, is where you can’t go wrong. Fried catfish is delicious, obviously, but a nice boiled or pan-seared catfish can bring just as much flavor to a weeknight dinner!” Kelly Massicot
“Shrimp lightly sautéed in olive oil, herbs and spices is on our dinner table at least once per week. The fresher the better!” Melanie Warner Spencer
A DV E RTISING
Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor
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P RO D U C TIO N
According to Dr. Lance Hill, founder and former Executive Director of Tulane University’s Southern Institute for Education and Research, mirlitons were once a backyard staple in South Louisiana. After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav wreaked havoc on the perennial climbing squash throughout the region, Hill created a nonprofit dedicated to conserving and promoting use of heirloom mirlitons. At mirliton.org, you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about mirlitons, including the history of the chayote, as it’s more commonly known in the Western Hemisphere, and how to grow it.
Silver Art and Culture Feature
Associate Editor Ashley McLellan
translation: Let’s have shrimp for supper tonight.
Can’t Squash This
Gold Overall Art Direction
Managing Editor Melanie Warner Spencer
example: Allons prendre des chevrettes pour le souper à soir.
DID YOU KNOW?
2020
E D ITO RIA L
(n.) shrimp
International and Regional Magazine Association
2018 “Blackened gulf fish topped with crawfish etouffee and steamed broccoli is a must on our menu.” Abbie Dugruise
Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Magazine Photographer Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Gold Food Feature Gold Department
Distribution John Holzer
Silver Magazine Writer of the Year
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2017
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110 Veterans Blvd. Suite 123. Metairie, LA 70005. 504-828-1380. 877-221-3512 128 Demanade. Suite 104. Lafayette, LA 70503. 337-235-7919 ext. 230 Acadiana Profile (ISSN 0001-4397) is published bimonthly with a special issue in September by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 and 128 Demanade, Suite 104, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 ext. 230. Subscription rate: One year $10; Foreign Subscriptions vary. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acadiana Profile, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2021 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.
Gold Overall Art Direction Gold Magazine Photographer of the Year Gold Art Direction of a Single Story Silver Photo Series
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NOT E D E L’E D I T EUR
In Other News by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry
Well , 2021 s ure h a s got ten of f on an odd foot , huh? Just when we thought things couldn’t get any weirder, I’ll be dipped if things didn't do that very thing. There is one certainty in this uncertain time however and that is that without fail, year-after-year, we are going to publish our annual healthy recipes issue. As the rest of the world swirls wildly out of control, we’ll do what we often do in times of stress — eat good food. OK, we also do this during times of relaxation and celebration. But good food doesn’t have to mean loaded with fat and calories (although we like that sometimes, too). Some of my best food memories are of light, often vegetable-centric meals my grandmother would lovingly prepare for our family on her farm in Kentucky. In summer and fall, we enjoyed the bounty of the seasonal harvests, while at the same time canning and preserving items that could keep, so that winter felt just as plentiful. We didn't have much, but we lacked for nothing. Except perhaps seafood. That is not a problem in Acadiana. Which is where this issue of Acadiana Profile comes in. For this installment of the light recipes feature, food writer Stanley Dry has whipped up a seafood feast. Hearty, flavorful, beautiful on the plate and good for you are all on the menu, so be sure to check out these delectable and nutritious multi-course meals. Bonus: Trying the recipes is something fresh for you to do at home. Hallelujah! Meanwhile, this is also the issue in which we profile three doctors from the region for our Top Doctors list. Health is of course on everyone’s mind as we continue to navigate the pandemic, so if you are looking for someone to help you keep your health in check, look no further than this list of the best of the best physicians throughout Acadiana. We also of course have a gorgeous home for you to tour, more delicious recipes from Marcelle Bienvenue and essays exploring the regions culture, so dig in and enjoy some good news for a bit.
Cheers!
Gaining Girl Power CALCASIEU, ST. LANDRY, AVOYELLES
Check out the new virtual program for girl teens by the nonprofit Safe Havynn Education Centers. Weekend classes are designed to help young women learn life lessons ranging from handling relationships and peer pressure to careers and sex education. Classes are free (thanks to a $1.3 million grant). Now available for all Louisiana teens, the 2021 kick-off was limited to residents of Calcasieu, St. Landry and Avoyelles. Tablets are provided to students without computers (safehavynn.org).
LAFAYETTE
Master’s Degree Debut UL of Lafayette announced the debut of Louisiana’s first and only master’s degree in industrial chemistry starting in the fall of 2021. Substantial job growth is expected in the chemical industry along the I-10 corridor between Lake Charles and Baton Rouge, hence the need for highly specialized industrial chemists. Louisiana ranks second nationally in chemical production. (Inquiries: Dr. August Gallo, Department of Chemistry’s graduate coordinator: gallo@louisiana.edu).
Big Billionaire Bucks Melanie Warner Spencer Managing Editor Melanie@AcadianaProfile.com
Get more Acadiana Profile at acadianaprofile.com and by following us on Instagram and Facebook.
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LAKE CHARLES The United Way of Southwest Louisiana received a $5 million donation from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott (the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos). She is in the process of donating $4.1 billion to 384 select organizations throughout the United States. The United Way of Southwest Louisiana says that Scott’s donation is the single largest gift in its 80-year history (unitedwayslwa).
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ÉQ UI P E D E V E N T E
Rebecca Taylor Sales Manager (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 Ext. 230 Rebecca@AcadianaProfile.com
Coming Soon!
APRIL.MAY 2021
Top Lawyers Annual listing providing top rated lawyers
JUNE.JULY 2021
Medical Innovations Spotlight on new tech and treatments plus medical news from the region 10
AC A DIA NA PROFILE FEBRUA RY/M A RCH 2021
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NO UV E L L ES D E V I L L ES by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry
Local Legend’s Joie de Vivre Lingers LAFAYETTE, BATON ROUGE
The joyful spirit of the late 53-year-old restaurateur, Ruffin Rodrigue, lives on at Ruffino’s on the River in Lafayette and at the original Ruffino’s in Baton Rouge, thanks to Director of Operations Megan Klock, who is heading the management team. It was announced in December that Klock will oversee operations while striving to create the same celebratory dining experiences. Before Rodrigue’s untimely death in November, 2020, the former LSU football player advocated for grants and relief for other restaurants hit hard by the pandemic. With an infectious smile and a larger-than-life personality, the affable philanthropist sought to uplift customers by including a bundle of cotton candy with every to-go order (ruffinosrestaurant.com).
NEW IBERIA
A Moonshiner’s Surprise
Win Summer in Nova Scotia Vermilion Parish The Centre acadien (historicnovascotia.ca) and the Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance (vermilionchamber.org) jointly announce the availability of the Russell Gaspard French Immersion Scholarship, to be awarded to Vermilion Parish high school students for the 2021 summer French immersion studies program located at the Université Sainte-Anne in Pointe-de-L’Église (Church Point), Nova Scotia. The five-week summer session (July 4-Aug. 7, 2021) is open to all Vermilion Parish students. (Contact Lloyd Doré III, President, 337-893-5400).
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Be sure to call ahead for COVID19-related closures before visiting any of the places listed.
Though Richard Landry was proud of the moonshine he created as gifts for relatives, word got out about his skills while his social media postings went viral. The Discovery Channel invited the 49-year-old New Iberia native to compete on the national TV show “Moonshiners.” Landry created a cherry bounce recipe made with Louisiana molasses and cane sugar that won the grand prize. It will soon have a limited release at Sugarlands Distilling Co. in Gatlinburg, Tennessee (stream on discovery.com).
PHOTO COURTESY FACEBOOK.COM/USAINTEANNE
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NO UV E L L ES D E V I L L ES by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry
There’s No Place Like Home ACADIANA It was reported in January that homelessness in Acadiana has increased by 82% since the pandemic began in March, 2020, according to the Acadiana Regional Commission on Homelessness. Help is direly needed to prevent shelters from closing (for info in donation options: arch@archacadiana.org).
NEW IBERIA
Historic Theater to Prevail The City of New Iberia has received a $50,000 National Park Service Grant from the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development for the restoration of the Essanee Theatre, built in 1937 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It provides a full range of theatrical experiences for the community and is home to IPAL (Iberia Performing Arts League; ipaltheater.org; cinematreasures.org/theaters/17819).
Flood Protection Enhanced
Sharing Bobby Charles Abbeville Attorney Charles Sonnier is producing a documentary about the late singer, songwriter and Abbeville native Bobby Charles (his hits include “See You Later Alligator” and “Walkin’ to New Orleans”). Sonnier is searching for fresh Bobby Charles photos, mementos and stories for the documentary. Do you have old Bobby Charles photos, party keepsakes or mementos to share? (Contact Sonnier at 337-344-5929).
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ST. MARY, ST. MARTIN, TERREBONNE, ASSUMPTION, IBERVILLE, LAFOURCHE
Be sure to call ahead for COVID19-related closures before visiting any of the places listed.
Construction on a $75 million flood control structure to protect homes and businesses in six parishes in now underway near Morgan City. The Bayou Chene Flood Protection Structure is designed to temporarily close the waterway to backflowing floodwater from the Atchafalaya River when the Corps of Engineers opens the Morganza Spillway structure.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES
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L’A RT
Shades of Gray Lafayette artist Lucius Fontenot captures the otherworldly side of Louisiana and Cajun culture by John R. Kemp portrait by James Billeaudeau
Life in Louisiana’s Acadian parishes is
colorful, yet, the internationally acclaimed Lafayette photographer Lucius Fontenot is an artist who sees timeless spiritual rhythms and beauty in the gray shadows of Louisiana’s Cajun culture. “I love how unique, beautiful, strange, stubborn and joyous Louisiana is,” says Fontenot. “There is always something new to discover. A new image, a new story that leads me to a better understanding of not only who we are but how we got there. Louisiana is a great love of mine. I will always create work about her.” Born in 1978, Fontenot grew up in Mamou to parents who were professional photographers. He studied art at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and later returned home to work in his parents’ studio. Though Fontenot studied painting in college, it was in photography and in the Louisiana Acadian culture that he found artistic expression. “In a world that is constantly getting smaller and more homogenized, the cultures of Louisiana continue to have a strong sense of identity and authenticity," he says. "And, because it is part of who I am, it is a blessing to be able
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to discover myself, my family and heritage rately costumed Cajuns on horseback race through this work.” from farm to farm and chase half-crazed That love of everything Cajun began in chickens fleeing the cooking pot. But unlike 1998 when he attended a French immersion most photographers who have documented program at the Université Sainte-Anne in Nova this tradition in color, Fontenot photographs Scotia, the original Canadian home of Louisithe riders in black-and-white. ana’s Cajuns before the British expelled them “I started photographing the Courir de Mardi in the mid-18th century. Gras in the prairies of Evangeline, St. Landry “It was there that I became proud of and Acadia Parishes, in black an white where I am from and truly fell in love about five years ago,” he says. “I find with my language, my people and our To see more of traditions," he says. "It was after Ste- his work visit that when I take away the vibrant color Anne that I vowed to myself that all lafphoto.com of the day it frees the image of a set time my work would be about my Louisiana period. I also find it better portrays the — celebrating it, investigating it, discovmood of the day — wild, weird, someering it.” times scary, otherworldly. I don’t That sense of discovery has want to document the Courir de taken him into Cajun and Mardi Gras. I want the viewer Zydeco dance halls, farms, to feel the Courir de Mardi towns and back roads of the Gras. Acadian parishes. There he “Louisiana is where I am photographed musicians, from,” he says. “Louisiana is the landscape, boucheries, who I am. Louisiana is what I and the region’s Courir de do. It honestly says it all.” Mardi Gras, the ancient rural French tradition where elaboAnd it does. ■
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RECET T ES D E CO C KTA I LS
Purple Haze Bon Temps Grill’s Empress Mule surpasses its midcentury origins with shifting hues that mesmerize by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry photo by Romero & Romero
M i xol o gi s t s f in d it e a s y to f a ll in l ove
with Empress 1908 gin derived from butterfly pea blossoms that give the libation its natural indigo color. Handcrafted in small-batch copper pot stills, its exquisite taste, regal look and delicate aroma make for a remarkable presentation. Shortly after Bon Temps Grill’s proprietors, Steven and Patrick O’Bryan, moved their popular Cajun haven to the new (former Blue Dog Café) location in November, bar manager and live music coordinator Amy Dillard debuted the Empress Mule made with Empress 1908 gin. A fresh take on the original 1941 Moscow Mule classic, the Empress Mule renders a fragrant new aesthetic distinguished by a haze of changing purple hues. Depending on how much citrus (acid) or fizz one adds, the cocktail will change from blue to purple and vibrant shades of magenta. Overall, it’s a rich, sensory experience but at its core, the Empress Mule is deceptively simple and incredibly easy to mix. “It has light and refreshing floral tones with hints of juniper and citrus, and the butterfly tea blossoms give it a deep indigo color that will change the cocktail to light lilac or pink, depending on the Bon Temps Grill amount of citrus added,” 1211 W. Pinhook Rd. says Dillard. Lafayette 337-706-8850 Extensive renovations of the new space include bontempsgrill.com a new entrance leading to brighter colors and rustic wood artwork by Rodney Lewis in the main dining room, an alligator-skin booth and decanter pendant lighting in the bar and a breezy courtyard. “We’ve tripled our seating from 75 to 300,” says Dillard. “We’ve rearranged where the bands used to play. It’s now a corner-style stage, which allows for more seating in the bar. Our patio is covered and we have a new party room.” It’s is a big draw on weekends, when the brunch crowd shows up to enjoy fresh air and cooling cocktails, abundant local beers and generous portions of opulent “swamp-edge cuisine.” A relaxing place to chill for Cajun foodies with spring fever. ■
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AC A DIA NA PROFILE DECEMBER 2020/JA NUA RY 2021
RECIPE
Empress Mule
Add 1.5 ounces Empress 1908 gin, .75 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice and .75 ounces simple syrup to shaker. Top with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass with fresh ice. Top with splash of ginger beer and garnish with mint bouquet (optional: lime wheels, cucumber slices).
A collaboration between Victoria Distillers and the majestic Fairmont Empress Hotel in British Columbia, Empress 1908 gin serves as the perfect base, blending citrus notes with tea and exotic herbs.
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D E L A C UI S I N E
Fest Feast Sticking with seasonal recipe traditions and sharing fare from afar by Marcelle Bienvenu photo & styling by Eugenia Uhl
This time of the year in Louisiana is
usually busy with Carnival parades, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, St. Joseph’s Day and the beginning of crawfish season. Not so this year because of COVID-19. We are being urged to hunker down at home, avoid crowds and entertain ourselves — an enormous burden for those of us who look forward to being with friends and family. I won’t be taking out the decorations for some of my favorite celebrations. I won’t be making lists and planning menus for various parties. Like many of my fellow Louisianians, I miss all the hullabaloo. But, fear not. This too will pass. My husband, the eternal optimist, suggested that we prepare some of our seasonal recipes and box up to-go containers and deliver them to our neighbors. Thank goodness we have not been ordered to stop cooking. I know many of us have done little else than that for the past year. My two freezers are packed with cartons of gumbos, soups, summer vegetables, red beans, and yes, even homemade bread. We are better than prepared for any catastrophe (hopefully not another hurricane season like last year’s) that comes our way. We will not be hungry. When I lived in New Orleans I hosted many post-parade parties. A pot of soup — split pea, cream of anything, vegetable and beef and white bean — was usually simmering on the stove. This year it will be a clam chowder, the recipe for which I got from the chef onboard our friends’ yacht while we cruised along the coast of Maine years ago. ■
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Rather than the oyster crackers, you might like this onion bread.
SOUP
Clam Chowder from the Adventurer If you can’t find fresh clams, use canned.
M A I N CO U R S E
ON THE SIDE
Onion Bread
MAKES 6-8 SERVINGS
1 pound clams, chopped ¼ pound bacon, chopped 1 cup onions, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped ½ pound red potatoes, steamed and cubed 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup clam juice (from the canned clams or purchased clam juice) 3 cups water or chicken stock or more as needed salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme Tabasco to taste 1 pint half-and-half
FRY bacon in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Add butter and flour and make a blond roux. SLOWLY WHISK in water or chicken stock and clam juice. Season to taste. Add remaining ingredients and cook until thickened. Serve hot with oyster crackers.
❶ Slice 1 large loaf French bread lengthwise and set aside.
❷
In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick butter over mediumlow heat. When butter is melted, increase heat to medium and add 3 garlic cloves (crushed) and 3 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (such as Vidalias). Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
❸
Add ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Remove from heat and spread mixture over bread. Sprinkle with ½ cup grated Romano cheese and 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Place bread on a sheet pan and bake at 375 F until warmed and toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Slice and serve immediately.
Shrimp And Crawfish Fettuccini If you can’t find Louisiana crawfish tails, double the amount of shrimp. M AKES 12 SERVINGS
3
sticks butter
3 cups onions, chopped 2 cups green bell peppers, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped 1½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1½ pounds crawfish tails, peeled 2 cups half-and-half 1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped 2 teaspoons garlic, chopped salt and cayenne 1 pound fettuccine, cooked and drained 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1
Melt butter in a heavy, large Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until wilted and lightly golden.
2
Add flour and stir to mix. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add parsley, shrimp and crawfish. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink.
3
Add half-and-half, cheese, jalapeno peppers and garlic. Stir until cheese is completely melted and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and cayenne.
4
Arrange fettuccine in a three-quart casserole and pour seafood mixture evenly over fettuccine. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5
Bake at 350 F for about 15 minutes or until bubbling.
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L A MA I S O N
Gossen transformed one of the closets in her daughter’s room into an efficient (and aesthetically pleasing) workspace by replacing the existing bifold doors with wood-stained antique doors. Then, she had a carpenter create a custom desktop to fit inside the shelf configuration. A coat of fresh paint and bold floral wallpaper added youthful flair.
Seasons of Change After an inspiring set of bedroom remodels and a life-changing pandemic, a Rayne businesswoman’s home became her chance at a fresh start by Marie Elizabeth Oliver photos by Haylei Smith
When Caitlin Gos sen and her husband
bought their two-story, Acadian-style home in 2007, her daughters were just growing out of the baby stage. The house, built in the 1980s, underwent a full-scale renovation before they settled in — including a kitchen makeover and update to the Hays Town-inspired exterior. Flash forward to 2021, with two teenage girls, an 11-year-old son and an Australian Labradoodle, her family’s needs look very different.
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“As we evolved as a family, we figured out the space and what we needed it to be,” says Gossen. Although she hired an interior designer for the original renovation, Gossen decided to tackle the home’s most recent remodels herself. She says the years-long process helped her tap into her love of interior design and reignited her dream of launching a lifestyle blog. Then, when Gossen lost her job in 2020
as a national sales director for a children’s clothing company because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to jump head first into the new venture. “When the pandemic started, it forced me back into that dream of mine,” says Gossen. “As sad as it was to lose my job, I was excited about this opportunity.” Gossen launched her site, cgliving.com, on her 40th birthday and hasn’t looked back.
AC A DIA NA PROFILE.COM 23
Pillows and accessories by Busa Designs helped achieve the classic-meets-boho, teenage vibes Gossen aimed for with this space. For more product details on this and other rooms in Gossen’s home, visit cgliving.com.
A complete kitchen overhaul was a critical part of the homeowners’ original 2007 remodel. The Gossens added timeless character with Old Chicago brick details and an island built out of salvaged cypress from a barn on a piece of family property.
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She says she has enjoyed the process of sharing her passion and practical design tips with her readers, especially when it comes to designing a home for a growing family. One of her first posts outlines how she slowly, but surely, transformed her master bedroom into a timeless, tranquil retreat. Up next, Gossen is looking forward to writing about the process of revisioning her daughter’s room — a project they are both especially proud of. “Working with your own teenage daughter as a client is very tricky,” laughs Gossen. “She loves the finished project. She was very excited and proud of her space.” A favorite feature is the hidden-away workspace built inside a former closet. A custom desk with plenty of storage and bright, floral wallpaper became a lifesaver for distance learning. Just one more example of how, in a year full of uncertainty, the Gossens’ home became a saving grace. ■
AC A DIA NA PROFILE FEBRUA RY/M A RCH 2021
Design and Styling: Caitlin Gossen, CG Living Carpentry: Chad Cormier Contractor: Larry Lagneaux Renovation Designer (2007): Madeline Salvatierra
Gossen says she was “chasing a spa serenity feel� in her bedroom makeover. Despite having a clear vision of what she wanted, it took her almost three years to acquire the perfect pieces and complete the look. A poster bed with a biscuit-stitched headboard from Hickory Chair served as the perfect focal point.
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Light
Recipes by STANLEY DRY photography and styling by EUGENIA UHL
a flavorful seafood feast
recipes
Seafood is a nutritious high-protein, low-calorie food — low in saturated fat and high in vitamins and minerals — that can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, obesity and hypertension.
The shallots called for in this recipe are the small brown-skinned shallots, not green onions, which are sometimes called shallots in Louisiana.
One thing everyone agrees upon
APPETIZER
Oysters Poached In White Wine ½ cup white wine 2 teaspoons minced shallots 1 teaspoon butter
is that seafood is a healthful food choice.
It is high in good things, such as protein, vitamins and minerals, and low in bad things, such as calories, total fat and saturated fat. Eating seafood can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension and obesity. On top of that, seafood is delicious. We love all types of seafood prepared in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, some methods of cooking seafood, particularly frying, take away from its healthful profile. As much as we love fried seafood (and we do love it), there are other ways of cooking it that are better for us and just as satisfying. The following recipes, presented as part of a seafood meal, are prepared with minimal added fat, no added sugar and no frying. In place of those, they incorporate herbs and spices, vegetables, mustard, vinegar and wine. Since these five dishes are designed as part of a meal, portions are small. If you want to serve them on their own, you should plan on larger servings.
12 shucked oysters coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon minced chives
The amount of butter in this recipe is only one-quarter teaspoon per serving, but it makes a world of difference in the finished dish.
Warm 4 small ramekins. Combine wine and shallots in a sauce pan over high heat. Boil until wine is reduced by half. Divide the butter among ramekins. When wine has reduced, add oysters and poach briefly — just until the edges curl. Transfer 3 oysters and some of the poaching liquid to each ramekin. Season with salt and pepper. Top each ramekin with minced chives. Makes 4 servings.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 AC A D I A N A P R O F I L E
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SOUP
Saffron Shrimp Soup
SALAD
Crawfish And Asparagus Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil 2 teaspoons Creole mustard 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar ½ cup cooked, peeled crawfish tails with fat coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 medium asparagus spears, trimmed
Ground dried shrimp in small packets is available in some markets or you can grind dried shrimp in a food processor. Dried shrimp adds concentrated flavor in any preparation and, because of its saltiness, can even be used in place of salt.
In a medium pot, combine 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 small onion (chopped), 1 rib celery (chopped) and 2 cloves garlic (minced) and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add ½ cup diced tomatoes in juice, 1 cup bottled clam juice, 1½ cups shrimp or chicken stock and ½ cup white wine. Crumble ¼ teaspoon saffron into soup. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 tablespoon ground dried shrimp. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add 1 pound small shrimp (peeled and deveined) and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, season with salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and green onion tops. Makes 4 servings.
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Combine olive oil, mustard and vinegar in a bowl and whisk until emulsified. Add crawfish and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill a large skillet with water, add salt and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and poach until asparagus is cooked but still crisp.(Test the base of the asparagus by inserting the tip of a small knife.) Drain asparagus in a colander and place colander under running cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer asparagus to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Divide asparagus among 4 serving plates and top with the crawfish. Drizzle mustard vinaigrette over asparagus. Makes 4 servings.
Louisiana cookbooks published in 1885 and 1901 contain recipes for asparagus that is boiled for 20 or 30 minutes, by which time it must have been mush. Perhaps fresh asparagus was not common in the markets, as "The Picayune’s Creole Cook Book" notes that, “Asparagus is generally bought in New Orleans in cans, being very nicely prepared.”
Tomatillos, also known as Mexican green tomatoes, husk tomatoes and a number of other names, are not true tomatoes, which can make for confusion. Salsas made from tomatillos can be used in a variety of ways— with chips, in tacos, with eggs, meats, poultry or seafood. The heat of jalapeùo peppers varies greatly, so taste and adjust how much you use.
SIDE DISH
Mirlitons Stuffed With Crabmeat
ENTREÉ
Broiled Redfish With Green Salsa 2 medium tomatillos ½ cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 small jalapeño pepper (or to taste), seeded and chopped ¼ cup cilantro leaves, packed 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice 2 teaspoons water 4 redfish filets 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove husks from tomatillos. Wash tomatillos and cook in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Cut away and discard stem. Combine tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and water in food processor and puree. Season to taste with salt. Preheat broiler. Rub redfish filets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil until flesh flakes easily. Divide filets among serving plates and top with salsa. Makes 4 servings.
Mirliton, also known as vegetable pear or chayote, among other names, is a member of the gourd family. The fruit has one large (and edible) seed. It is native to the New World, was cultivated by the Aztecs and taken to Europe by the Spanish. Mirliton is very mild and takes on the flavor of other ingredients. The plant is a perennial and a heavy producer, as anyone who has grown it can attest.
Cook 2 small mirlitons (about 8 ounces each) in boiling salted water until they’re easily pierced with a skewer, about 45 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Grease a baking dish and preheat oven to 350 F. When cool enough to handle, cut mirlitons in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh, leaving a quarter-inch shell. Season shell with salt. Chop mirliton flesh and combine with 4 ounces lump crabmeat and 1 tablespoon chopped chives in a bowl. Season with 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Fill mirliton shells with crabmeat mixture. Combine 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon freshly grated Parmesan and 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil. Spoon over mirlitons. Bake until heated through, about 20-25 minutes. Makes 4 servings. FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 AC A D I A N A P R O F I L E
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2021
TOP DOCTORS The COVID-19 pandemic dominated headlines for most of 2020. But people’s regular medical needs didn’t stop because of the COVID chaos. Our top doctors worked in a variety of fields, from dermatology to obstetrics and gynecology to urology. They all worked tirelessly to provide effective, compassionate care to their patients in a year when it felt like the world turned upside down. BY F R I T Z E S K E R
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P O RT R A I T S BY R O M E R O & R O M E R O
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Fun Fact Dr. Barrow is an avid hunter and shares that enthusiasm with his patients. He went duck and squirrel hunting with his grandpa as a child. The love of hunting never faded in adulthood, and he still enjoys the time spent in nature during deer hunting season. “I like the peace and quiet of sitting in a deer stand and watching the sunrise,” Dr. Barrow said.
Dr. James Barrow The birth of a child is a joyous occasion, and it’s a joy Dr. James Barrow loves to share with his patients as an OB-GYN at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital in Lake Charles. A native of Lake Charles, the 41-year-old Dr. Barrow wanted to be a doctor from the time he was a child. When he was in his third year of medical school and rotated through different specialties, he became interested in the OB-GYN field. He said he liked the opportunity to perform surgeries while still working in a specialty that would allow him to develop lifelong relationships with his patients. The nature of the job also means that a lot of the outcomes are happy ones. “I like the positivity,” Dr. Barrow said. “It’s also an exciting job and things happen quickly.” When asked for a memorable patient, Dr. Barrow recalled a night where things happened very quickly indeed. He was on call and received a call at home that a pregnant woman was rushed to the emergency room while bleeding profusely. She was not one of his regular patients, but it was a life-and-death situation and his hospital was the closest. Dr. Barrow hopped in his car, and sped to the hospital as fast as he could. The woman’s placenta had completely separated from her uterus. But thankfully, Dr. Barrow was able to operate on her just in time and save both the mother and the child. Both are still fine today, and Dr. Barrow also delivered the woman’s next child (in a much more routine birth). Dr. Barrow’s work is not limited to deliveries. He also serves women in many other areas as a gynecologist and sees patients at Ochsner CHRISTUS Health Center in Lake Charles. He also performs hysterectomies, which are the second-most common surgical procedures after cesarean sections. Many exciting advances have occurred in hysterectomies in recent years. Now, Dr. Barrow can perform laparoscopic hysterectomies with
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three one-centimeter incisions. It’s less invasive with less post-operative pain and shorter recovery time. Before Dr. Barrow returned to Lake Charles, he worked as a doctor and teacher at LSU Shreveport. Teaching forced him to improve his communication skill set, especially in front of large groups. “You have to learn how to relate to both patients and students,” Dr. Barrow said.
While he enjoyed his work in Shreveport and earned an MBA with an eye on hospital administration, he said the thought of coming home to Lake Charles appealed to him. He wanted to be closer to his family. For the past four years, Dr. Barrow has been back in Lake Charles with his wife and his 13-year-old daughter (“she doesn’t want to be a doctor!”). His wife is pregnant with another child on the way.
ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY Jibran E Atwi Pediatric Group of Acadiana 401 Youngsville Highway Suite 100 Lafayette (337) 330-0031 Bernard C Fruge Jr Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Center of SWLA 320 Settlers Trace Blvd Lafayette (337) 981-9495 Bina E Joseph Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Center of SWLA 320 Settlers Trace Blvd Lafayette (337) 981-9495 James M Kidd III Kidd Allergy Clinic 8017 Picardy Avenue Baton Rouge (225) 769-4432 Sandhya D Mani Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health 8200 Constantin Boulevard Floor 3 Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500 Powlin V Manuel Manuel Allergy Center 104 Genevieve Drive Lafayette (337) 984-0110 Prem K Menon Asthma, Allergy & Immunology Center 5217 Flanders Drive Baton Rouge (225) 766-6931 Joseph N Redhead Jr The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044
CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY Freddy M Abi-Samra Ochsner Medical Center 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Kenneth C Civello Jr Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard Medical Plaza II, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900
C Andrew Smith Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard Medical Plaza II, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 Wenjie Xu Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard Medical Plaza II, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Bart G Denys Cardiovascular Institute of the South 1320 Martin Luther King Drive Thibodaux (985) 446-2021 N. Joseph Deumite Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard Medical Plaza II, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 Michael Z Dibbs Cardiology Center Of Acadiana 121 Rue Louis XIV Bldg 4 - Ste B Lafayette (337) 984-9355 Daniel T Fontenot Baton Rouge Cardiology Center 5231 Brittany Drive Baton Rouge (225) 769-0933 Robert W Greer Cardiovascular Institute of the South 1320 Martin Luther King Drive Thibodaux (985) 446-2021 Steven T Gremillion Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard Medical Plaza II, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 Babu R Jasti Cardiovascular Institute of the South 6550 Main Street, Suite 1000 Zachary (225) 654-1559 Joseph M Kowalski Cardiology Specialists of Acadiana 315 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 269-9777 AC A DIA NA PROFILE.COM 37
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Nakia A Newsome Baton Rouge Cardiology Center 8888 Summa Avenue Baton Rouge (225) 769-0933 Fernando J Ruiz Cardiovascular Institute of the South 441 Heymann Boulevard Lafayette (337) 289-8429 John M Winterton Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Heart & Vascular Surgery Center 1717 Oak Park Blvd Fl 2 Lake Charles (337) 494-3278 Kenneth Wong Cardiovascular Institute of the South 102 Twin Oaks Drive Raceland (985) 837-4000 Kevin R Young Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Heart & Vascular Surgery Center 1717 Oak Park Blvd Fl 2 Lake Charles (337) 494-3278
CLINICAL GENETICS Duane W Superneau Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 8415 Goodwood Boulevard, Suite 202A Baton Rouge (225) 765-8988
COLON & RECTAL SURGERY Louis R Barfield Baton Rouge Colon Rectal Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 206 Baton Rouge (225) 767-1156
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Richard L Byrd Baton Rouge Colon Rectal Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 206 Baton Rouge (225) 767-1156
DERMATOLOGY Tamela L Charbonnet Grafton Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery 327 Bayou Gardens Boulevard Houma (985) 876-5000 Mary C Dickerson Louisiana Dermatology Associates 10154 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge (225) 927-5663 Lee H Grafton Grafton Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery 327 Bayou Gardens Boulevard Houma (985) 876-5000 Laurie H Harrington Advanced Dermatology 20474 Old Scenic Highway Zachary (225) 654-1124 Scott M Jackson The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044 W. Trent Massengale Atlas Dermatology 163 Burgin Ave Baton Rouge (225) 313-4560 Ashley Coreil Record The Baton Rouge Clinic 4727 West Park Drive, Suite B Zachary (225) 246-9240 Ann C Zedlitz Z Aesthetic Dermatology 5305 Flanders Drive Baton Rouge (225) 778-7540
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ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM
Indira Gautam Comprehensive Family Care 502 Lafayette Street Youngsville (337) 857-3512
Sandra E Dempsey Imperial Health Endocrinology Center 1727 Imperial Blvd Lake Charles (337) 310-3670
Karrie V Kilgore The Family Clinic of Crowley 345 Odd Fellows Road Crowley (337) 783-7004
Gary H Field The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240
Sunshine Little Lourdes Physician Group 3824 Northeast Evangeline Thruway, Suite B Carencro (337) 470-3280
Lane Frey Thibodaux Regional Wellness Center 726 North Acadia Road, Suite 3300 Thibodaux (985) 493-3080 Robin E Kilpatrick Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 5428 O’Donovan Drive Baton Rouge (225) 300-1076 Joel D Silverberg The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044
FAMILY MEDICINE Danielle D Angeron South Louisiana Medical Associates 181 Corporate Drive Houma (985) 262-1639
Elizabeth W McLain Lafayette General Medical Center Family Medicine Department 1211 Coolidge Street, Suite 404 Lafayette (337) 289-8478 Darrin D Menard Scott Family Physicians 202 Westgate Road Lafayette (337) 232-1802 Joseph E Orgeron Orgeron & Pillette Family Medicine 4906 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Building M - Suite 1302 Lafayette (337) 534-8964
Gary J Birdsall 102 W 112th Street Cut Off (985) 632-5222
Cassandra Pillette Orgeron & Pillette Family Medicine 4906 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Building M - Suite 1302 Lafayette (337) 534-8964
Donald V Brignac LPG Concierge Medicine 5428 O’Donovan Drive, Suite B Baton Rouge (225) 330-0480
Paul B Stringfellow The Family Clinic of Crowley 345 Odd Fellows Road Crowley (337) 783-7004
Kelly T Cahill Lourdes Physician Group 3220 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette (337) 470-3370 Andree B Caillet Lourdes Physician Group 3220 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette (337) 470-3370
Irfan R Alam Gastroenterology Center Of LA 4212 West Congress Street, Suite 2400E Lafayette (337) 984-4350 James Carter Balart The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Charles C Berggreen Gastroenterology Associates 9103 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge (225) 927-1190 Richard K Broussard Acadiana Gastroenterology Associates 439 Heymann Blvd Lafayette (337) 269-0963 David C Pellegrin Gastroenterology Center of the South 8120 Main Street, Suite 200 Houma (985) 851-5206 Douglas C Walsh Gastroenterology Associates 9103 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge (225) 927-1190 Nathaniel S Winstead Houma Digestive Health Specialists 1023 Wood St Houma (985) 772-6997
HAND SURGERY John C Hildenbrand IV OrthoLA 726 N Acadia Rd, Suite 1000 Thibodaux (985) 625-2200
GASTROENTEROLOGY
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Stephen G Abshire The Gastro Clinic 1211 Coolidge Boulevard, Suite 303 Lafayette (337) 232-6697
Michael S Alexander Internal Medicine of Acadiana 461 Heymann Blvd Lafayette (337) 289-8717
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Fun Fact Dr. Grafton does not just enjoy talking about fishing with his patients. He also has his own TV show on fishing. "Keep on Castin’" (keeponcastinTV.com) is airsin a three-parish area (Lafourche, Terrebonne and St. Mary’s). However, for those outside of those parishes, Dr. Grafton’s fishing program is available on Roku nationwide. It’s a simple premise. Dr. Grafton goes fishing and he gives some tips to the audience. The show’s website also features mouthwatering recipes for an array of seafood dishes.
Dr. Lee Grafton Skin is the human body’s largest organ, but people often take skin health for granted. At Grafton Dermatology, Dr. Lee Grafton helps his patients with a variety of maladies ranging from psoriasis to skin cancer. The 52-year-old Dr. Grafton, a native of Ruston, decided to enter dermatology because he wanted to be in a medical field where he would interact with patients, perform surgeries and still have time to spend with his family (he has a wife and three children). After 21 years in practice, Dr. Grafton said the patients are what keep the work fun and exciting. He looks forward to his conversations with his patients about all sorts of topics, including hunting and fishing. “A lot of patients are really funny and tell good stories,” Dr. Grafton said. Helping them with their problems is of course a rewarding part of the job. Recently, Dr. Grafton ran into a former patient. She’s now in middle school, but Dr. Grafton treated her as 5-year-old with terrible psoriasis. Her condition was so bad that her parents took her out of school because her classmates made fun of her so much. “She was covered in psoriasis from head to toe,” Dr. Grafton said. However, after treatment, the young girl recovered and her skin remains completely clear today. One of Dr. Grafton’s main practice areas is diagnosing and treating skin cancer. He said he sees more skin cancer patients now than he did at the start of his career. He said everyone needs vitamin D and most people enjoy at least a few outdoor activities, but the trick is being sun-safe and wearing sunscreen and protective hats and clothing. “I don’t tell them to stay out of the sun. I tell them to be smart,” Dr. Grafton said. “A lot of people are very protective of their children, but they forget to be protective of themselves.”
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Thankfully, there are a number of technological advances in the fight against skin cancer. Dr. Grafton uses one called the Derm Tech Smart Sticker. It’s a piece of tape that looks into the skin’s genes to detect melanoma earlier and with a greater degree of accuracy. Traditionally, dermatologists would need to biopsy suspicious moles or growths and send the samples to a lab. Now, the smart sticker allows them to do it in an easier, painless way.
There is also a form of blue-light, photodynamic therapy where the doctor applies medicine to a patient’s face, waits an hour, then puts the patient under the light for 20 minutes. This new treatment can stop skin cancers before they form and is a good preventive treatment for younger people prone to skin cancers.
Leo P Blaize III Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 7000 Baton Rouge (225) 765-8829 Chester G Boudreaux Regional Internal Medicine Associates 142 Rue Marguerite Thibodaux (985) 446-2131 Brian D Clements Memorial Medical Group Internal Medicine Clinic of Lake Charles 4345 Nelson Rd, Suite 201 Lake Charles (337) 494-6800 C. Ray Halliburton Jr Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 7000 Baton Rouge (225) 765-8829 Susan B Ieyoub Memorial Medical Group Internal Medicine Clinic of Lake Charles 4345 Nelson Rd, Ste 201 Lake Charles (337) 494-6800 Mark D LaFuria Memorial Medical Group Internal Medicine Clinic of Lake Charles 2770 3rd Ave Lake Charles (337) 494-6800 Bryan A LeBean Sr LeBean Sleep Center 2930 Moss Street, Suite B Lafayette (337) 261-0559 Bradley L Meek Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Internal Medicine at Picardy 8119 Picardy Avenue Baton Rouge (225) 214-3638 Katherine F Pearce Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Primary Care for Women 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 201 Baton Rouge (225) 374-0220 Karen R Smith 461 Heymann Blvd Lafayette (337) 289-8646
James T Soignet Regional Internal Medicine Associates 142 Rue Marguerite Thibodaux (985) 446-2131
INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY Donna D Adams Baton Rouge Cardiology Center 5231 Brittany Drive Baton Rouge (225) 769-0933 Chad M Dugas Cardiovascular Institute of the South 1320 Martin Luther King Drive Thibodaux (504) 568-4647 Peter S Fail Cardiovascular Institute of the South 225 Dunn Street Houma (985) 876-0300 Pradeep K Nair Cardiovascular Institute of the South 225 Dunn Street Houma (985) 876-0300 Christopher L Paris Cardiovascular Institute of the South 107 Maryland Drive Luling (985) 308-1604 Andrew P Rees Louisiana Cardiology Associates 7777 Hennessy Boulevard Medical Plaza II, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 Christopher S Thompson Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Heart & Vascular Surgery Center 1717 Oak Park Blvd Fl 2 Lake Charles (337) 494-3278 Charisse Ward Cardiovascular Institute of the South 8401 Picardy Avenue Baton Rouge (225) 308-0247 AC A DIA NA PROFILE.COM 41
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MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE Paul K Dibbs Maternal Fetal Medicine of Acadiana 105 Corporate Boulevard Lafayette (337) 593-9099 Robert C Moore Woman’s Maternal Fetal Medicine 100 Woman’s Way Baton Rouge (225) 924-8338
MEDICAL ONCOLOGY Bryan J Bienvenu Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 500 Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311 B.J. Jay Brooks Jr Ochsner Health Center Medical Oncology Dept 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Vince D Cataldo 4950 Essen Lane, Ste 300 Baton Rouge (225) 757-0343 David S Hanson Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 500 Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311 Steven J Saccaro Lafayette General Medical Center Cancer Center of Acadiana 1211 Coolidge Street Lafayette (337) 289-8400 Derrick W Spell Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 500 Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311
Ashish Udhrain Cancer Center of Thibodaux Regional 290 Bowie Road Thibodaux (985) 493-4346
NEPHROLOGY Raynold J Corona Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893 Mitchell J Hebert Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893 Michael W Roppolo Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893 Allen W Vander Kidney Center of South Louisiana 604 N Acadia Rd Thibodaux (985) 446-0871 James E Yegge Renal Associates of Baton Rouge 5131 O’Donovan Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893
NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY Alan Appley 155 Hospital Drive, Suite 100 Lafayette (337) 235-7743 Charles R Bowie The Neuromedical Center Clinic 10101 Park Rowe Avenue, Suite 200 Baton Rouge (225) 769-2200 Jason L Cormier Acadiana Neurosurgery 1200 Camellia Blvd, Suite 400 Lafayette (337) 534-8680
NEUROLOGY Kevin J Callerame Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 5247 Didesse Drive Baton Rouge (225) 215-2193 Gerard R Dynes Jr The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044 Jamie B Huddleston Ochsner Specialty Health Center 141 Twin Oaks Drive Raceland (985) 537-2666
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY James Barrow Ochsner CHRISTUS Health Center-OBGYN 4150 Nelson Road Lake Charles (337) 656-7876 Rebecca Boudreaux Louisiana Women’s Healthcare 500 Rue de la Vie, Ste 100 Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000 Randall L Brown Louisiana Women’s Healthcare 500 Rue de la Vie, Ste 100 Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000 Francis J Cardinale Acadiana Women’s Health Group 4640 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Lafayette (337) 984-1050 Robert V Cazayoux Women’s Health Specialist 852 Belanger St Houma (985) 851-6800 Nicole Chauvin Louisiana Women’s Healthcare 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000
Rachel Chua 4150 Nelson Road, Building C, Suite 9 Lake Charles (337) 419-0900 Richard J Clement Women’s Health Specialist 852 Belanger St Houma (985) 851-6800 David P Darbonne 1890 W Gauthier Rd, Ste 120 Lake Charles (337) 474-3883 Ryan Dickerson Louisiana Women’s Healthcare 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000 Bradley K Forsyth Memorial Medical Group Obstetrics & Gynecology 1890 W Gauthier Rd, Ste 140 Lake Charles (337) 480-5570 J. William Groves Jr 1890 W Gauthier Rd, Ste 130 Lake Charles (337) 480-5530 Ann Marie Lafranca 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 210 Baton Rouge (225) 928-5951 Opal LeBlanc 2807 Kaliste Saloom Road, Suite 101 Lafayette (337) 769-3444 Charles E Padgett 1211 Coolidge Avenue, Suite 405 Lafayette (337) 233-7524 Michael Schexnayder Louisiana Women’s Healthcare 500 Rue de la Vie, Ste 100 Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000 Michelle R Stutes 4630 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Suite 412 Lafayette (337) 769-3489
A Collins Thibodeaux Hamilton Medical Group 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 208 Lafayette (337) 981-6100
OPHTHALMOLOGY Frank J Culotta Jr Acadiana Retina Consultants 1101 South College Road, Suite 304 Lafayette (337) 232-2710 Donald C Falgoust Falgoust Eye Medical & Surgical 1980 Tybee Ln Lake Charles (337) 477-0963 Scott T Gauthreaux Acadiana Retina Consultants 1101 South College Road, Suite 304 Lafayette (337) 232-2710 Thomas J Heigle Eye Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 4000 Baton Rouge (225) 766-7441 Keith E Kellum Southern Eye Institute 446 Corporate Drive Houma (985) 872-5577 Kirk S LeBlanc 1000 West Pinhook Road, Suite 303 Lafayette (337) 234-8533 Jane Olson 8440 Bluebonnet Blvd, Ste B Baton Rouge (225) 766-0005 Allen R Pearce Eye Medical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 4000 Baton Rouge (225) 766-7441 Nano Karen Zeringue Southern Eye Institute 900 Canal Blvd, Suite 3 Thibodaux (985) 448-3353
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Fun Fact When not practicing medicine, Dr. Schmeeckle has a fun, thirst-quenching hobby. She brews her own beer in small batches. Dr. Schmeeckle started beer brewing as a hobby many years ago, but took a pause when her sons were born. However, once COVID-19 limited the number of activities people could engage in out of the house, she returned to her old hobby. When asked what her favorite creations were, Dr. Schmeeckle said she has brewed a blood orange saison, a chocolate stout and a vanilla cream ale. She said the vanilla cream ale was the most popular.
Dr. Ayme Schmeeckle
When choosing a path to follow in her medical studies, Dr. Ayme Schmeeckle of the Baton Rouge Clinic chose urology because it was a specialty that would allow her to operate on patients but still regularly see the same patients through the years. “Urology is one of the few fields in medicine where you have a patient population you might operate on but continue to follow down the road,” Dr. Schmeeckle said. In urology, patients often have survivable issues but will need regular care and checkups after surgery, so it’s easy for the 38-year-old Dr. Schmeeckle to build and foster relationships with patients. One of her most memorable patients was a man she operated on for bladder cancer. The surgery went well and now Dr. Schmeeckle sees the gentleman once a year for a checkup. Every year, she looks forward to talking to him about life, travel, and whatever else comes up. Dr. Schmeeckle has been a urologist for nine years. Even though she has worked at the same place in the same field for that time span, she said the work remains fresh and exciting. As a urologist, Dr. Schmeeckle treats patients for ailments like prostate cancer, incontinence, prolapse, kidney stones and urinary tract infections. She also performs elective surgeries like vasectomies. “Something always surprises me,” Dr. Schmeeckle said. “I see something new every day. I learn something new every day.” When asked for health care tips on the urology front, Dr. Schmeeckle said everyone should stop smoking. While it’s common knowledge that smoking is a major cause of lung cancer, less people know that it’s a major cause of bladder cancer, too. A study from the National Institutes of Health said smokers were four times more likely to get bladder cancer than non-smokers.
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“Smoking cessation is paramount to preventing bladder cancer,” Dr. Schmeeckle said. “Every year you stop smoking, you exponentially decrease your risk of getting bladder cancer.” In technical innovation, Dr. Schmeeckle said urology has recently benefited from robotic surgeries for women suffering from prolapse or incontinence. The new robotic surgeries are more targeted and less inva-
sive. They provide better outcomes, quicker recovery, and less post-op pain for the patients. Dr. Schmeeckle was born in Lutcher. Her family moved to Baton Rouge when she was in middle school. She now makes her home in Baton Rouge with her husband and two sons. ages six and three.
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ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY Rasheed I Ahmad Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Joseph E Broyles Bone & Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge 7301 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 200 Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050 Christopher E Cenac Gulf Coast Orthopaedics 1001 School St Houma (985) 868-1540 David B Clause Opelousas Orthopaedic Clinic 4015 I-49 S Service Rd Opelousas (337) 942-6503 Geoffrey J Collins Collins Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine 1625 Wolf Cir Lake Charles (337) 905-7100 Gabriel L Dersam Lourdes Physician Group Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic 4704 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette (337) 371-3102 Robert W Easton Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Henry L Eiserloh III Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Patrick R Ellender OrthoLA 726 N Acadia Rd, Suite 1000 Thibodaux (985) 625-2200 46
Harold J Granger Hamilton Medical Group 4809 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 200 Lafayette (337) 988-8855
Michael Robichaux Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424
Craig C Greene Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424
Malcolm J Stubbs Lafayette Bone & Joint Clinic 1103 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette (337) 234-5234
R. Bryan Griffith Jr Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424
Meredith Warner Warner Orthopedics and Wellness 9373 Baringer Foreman Road Baton Rouge (225) 754-8888
Michael Alan Hinton Hinton Orthopedics 230 W Sale Rd Lake Charles (337) 477-5252
Matthew D Williams Louisiana Orthopaedic Specialists 108 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 235-8007
Mary A Mayeux Lafayette General Medical Orthopaedics 4212 West Congress Street, Suite 3100 Lafayette (337) 703-3201
OTOLARYNGOLOGY
Thomas J Montgomery Montgomery Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 1301 Camellia Boulevard, Suite 102 Lafayette (337) 235-2264 David S Muldowny Lafayette Bone & Joint Clinic 1103 Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette (337) 234-5234 John W Noble Jr Center For Orthopaedics 1747 Imperial Blvd Lake Charles (337) 721-7236 David M Pope Bone & Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge 7301 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 200 Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050 Catherine J Riche Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 1000 Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424
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John W Alldredge Lafayette Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists 225 Bendel Rd Lafayette (337) 232-2330 Moises A Arriaga Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Hearing & Balance Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 709 Baton Rouge (225) 765-7735 James V Broussard Southern ENT Associates 604 N Acadia Rd, Suite 101 Thibodaux (985) 446-5079 Lisa B David David & Eldredge ENT Specialists 109 Rue Fontaine Lafayette (337) 266-9820 Maria M Doucet Doucet Ear, Nose & Throat 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway A Building - Suite 402 Lafayette (337) 989-4453
ABOUT THE LIST “Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. is a healthcare research and information company founded in 1992 by a former medical college board chairman and president to help guide consumers to America's top doctors and top hospitals. Castle Connolly's established nomination survey, research, screening and selection process, under the direction of an MD, involves many hundreds of thousands of physicians as well as academic medical centers, specialty hospitals and regional and community hospitals all across the nation. 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 nominations process – located at www.castleconnolly.com/nominations - 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. Careful screening of doctors' educational and professional experience is essential before final selection is made among those physicians most highly regarded by their peers. The result - we identify the top doctors in America and provide you, the consumer, with detailed information about their education, training and special expertise in our paperback guides, national and regional magazine “Top Doctors” features and online directories. Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors. Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine's "Top Doctors" feature may also appear as online at www.castleconnolly.com, or in in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and/or in print. Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., is part of Everyday Health Group (EHG), a recognized leader in patient and provider education that reaches an engaged audience of over 57 million health consumers and over 780,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians through its premier health and wellness websites. EHG’s vision is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly personalized healthcare consumer content and effective patient engagement solution. Healthcare professionals and consumers are empowered with trusted content and services through the Everyday Health Group’s flagship brands including Everyday Health®, What to Expect®, MedPage Today®, Health eCareers®, PRIME® Education and our exclusive partnership with MayoClinic.org® and The Mayo Clinic Diet.® ”
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TOP DOCTORS
Jason J Durel Lafayette Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists 225 Bendel Road Lafayette (337) 232-2330 Brytton B Eldredge David & Eldredge ENT Specialists 109 Rue Fontaine Lafayette (337) 266-9820 Phillip E Noel Phillip Noel ENT 100 Phoenix Abbeville (337) 898-3700 Daniel W Nuss Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Head & Neck Center 4950 Essen Lane, Suite 400 Baton Rouge (225) 765-1765 Justin M Tenney Southern ENT Associates 604 N Acadia Rd, Suite 101 Thibodaux (985) 233-2273 Guy P Zeringue III Southern ENT Associates 604 N Acadia Rd, Suite 101 Thibodaux (985) 233-2273
OTOLARYNGOLOGY/ FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY J. Kevin Duplechain 1103 Kaliste Saloom Road, Suite 300 Lafayette (337) 456-3282 Jeffrey J Joseph Acadian ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery Center 1000 West Pinhook Road, Ste 201A Lafayette (337) 237-0650
PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY Theron G McCormick Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Pediatric Specialty Clinic 8200 Constantin Boulevard Floor 3 Baton Rouge (225) 765-6834
PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY Michael S Crapanzano Pediatric Cardiology Associates of LA 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 103 Baton Rouge (225) 767-6700 Rufus L Hixon III Pediatric Cardiology Associates of LA 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 103 Baton Rouge (225) 767-6700 Mudar M Kattash Pediatric Cardiology Of Southwest Louisiana 2005 Southwood Drive Lake Charles (337) 562-2293
PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGYONCOLOGY Ammar B Morad Kids Specialty Center 4704 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Lafayette (337) 474-5920
PEDIATRIC SURGERY PAIN MEDICINE Jimmy N Ponder Jr Headache & Pain Center 123 Frontage Road-A Gray (985) 580-1200
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Deiadra J Garrett Lourdes Physician Group Pediatric General Surgery Clinic 4704 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette (337) 470-5920
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PEDIATRICS Anne Marie H Ardoin Preferred Pediatrics 142B Rue Marguerite Thibodaux (985) 449-7529 Brian D Bailey Lafayette Children’s Clinic 5000 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Bldg 12 Lafayette (337) 989-5061 Anne T Boudreaux Preferred Pediatrics 142B Rue Marguerite Thibodaux (985) 449-7529 Jennifer A Boustany Lafayette Pediatrics 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 102 Lafayette (337) 989-2322 Danielle M Calix Ochsner for Children 13100 River Road Destrehan (985) 764-6036 Robert E Drumm The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044 Bernard F Ferrer Bayou Pediatric Associates 569 Enterprise Drive Houma (985) 872-6405 Jennifer V Hogan Ochsner Health Center Pediatrics Dept 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Michael K Judice Lafayette Pediatrics 4630 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 102 Lafayette (337) 989-2322 Jamar A Melton The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 246-6000
Henry M Peltier Center for Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 604 N Acadia Rd, Suite 200 Thibodaux (985) 448-3700 Edward D Sledge Jr Ochsner Health Center Pediatrics Dept 10310 The Grove Boulevard Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Jenny M Thomas The Pediatric Center of Southwest Louisiana 600 Cypress St Sulphur (337) 527-6371 Mark J Waggenspack The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044
PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION Craig G Morton Center for Orthopaedics 1747 Imperial Blvd Lake Charles (337) 721-7236
PLASTIC SURGERY Stephen J Delatte Jr Delatte Plastic Surgery & Skin Care Specialists 100 Drury Ln Lafayette (337) 269-4949 Michael S Hanemann Jr Hanemann Plastic Surgery 5233 Dijon Drive Baton Rouge (225) 766-2166 Kenneth L Odinet Jr 200 Beaullieu Drive, Ste 6 Lafayette (337) 234-8648 Ernest Clyde Smoot III Lake Charles Plastic Surgery 4150 Nelson Rd A-2 Bldg Lake Charles (337) 478-5577
Taylor B Theunissen Theunissen Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of Baton Rouge 5233 Dijon Drive Baton Rouge (225) 412-2165
PSYCHIATRY Renee M Bruno 7470 Highland Road Baton Rouge (225) 615-8102
PULMONARY DISEASE Glenn M Gomes Ochsner Health Center Pulmonary Disease Dept 9001 Summa Avenue Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 G. Gary Guidry Lafayette Pulmonary Clinic 155 Hospital Drive, Ste 101 Lafayette (337) 234-3204 Mark K Hodges The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 769-4044 Gary J Kohler Memorial Medical Group Pulmonary Associates 2770 3rd Ave, Ste 350 Lake Charles (337) 494-2750 Michael P McCarthy The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Kevin D Reed 8585 Picardy Avenue, Suite 313 Raton Rouge (225) 381-2755
RADIATION ONCOLOGY Julian J Krawczyk OncoLogics Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center 4809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 100 Lafayette (337) 769-8660
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TOP DOCTORS
Andrew D Lauve Radiation Oncology Center 6180 Main Street, Suite B Zachary (225) 570-1212 James G Maze Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Radiation Oncology 1701 Oak Park Blvd Lake Charles (337) 494-2121 Perri B Prellop OncoLogics Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center 4809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 100 Lafayette (337) 769-8660 Stephen R Wilt OncoLogics Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center 4809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste 100 Lafayette (337) 769-8660 Charles G Wood Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center 4950 Essen Lane Baton Rouge (225) 271-5269
REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY Susan C Conway Fertility Answers 206 East Farrel Road Lafayette (337) 989-8795 John M Storment Fertility Answers 206 East Farrel Road Lafayette (337) 989-8795
RHEUMATOLOGY Ronald P Ceruti Jr The Baton Rouge Clinic Osteoporosis Center 7373 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240
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James M Lipstate Lafayette Arthritis & Endocrine Clinic 4212 West Congress Street, Suite 2300A Lafayette (337) 237-7801 Jennifer K Malin Lafayette Arthritis & Endocrine Clinic 4212 West Congress Street, Suite 2300A Lafayette (337) 237-7801 Sean E Shannon Our Lady of the Lake Rheumatology 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 501 Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505
SLEEP MEDICINE Matthew M Abraham Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Sleep Medicine 1701 Oak Park Blvd Lake Charles (337) 494-2393
SURGERY Jason A Breaux Southern Surgical & Medical Specialists 457 Heymann Blvd Lafayette (337) 237-5774 Keith C Chung Comprehensive Surgery Clinic 4150 Nelson Rd B Bldg - Ste 6 Lake Charles (337) 433-1303 Michael W Hailey Breast Specialty of Baton Rouge 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 201 Baton Rouge (225) 751-2778 Mark Hausmann Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 612 Baton Rouge (225) 769-5656
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Mark F Hebert Thibodaux Surgical Specialists 604 N Acadia Rd, Suite 207 Thibodaux (985) 446-1763 Henry J Kaufman IV Southern Surgical & Medical Specialists 457 Heymann Blvd Lafayette (337) 237-5774 William C Moss Ochsner CHRISTUS Clinic General Surgery 4150 Nelson Road G Building - Suite 3 Lake Charles (337) 656-7873 Philip R Schauer Bariatric & Metabolic Institute 6400 Perkins Road, Building D Baton Rouge (225) 330-0497 Richard T Shimer Memorial Medical Group Surgical Associates 2770 3rd Ave, Ste 120 Lake Charles (337) 494-4868 Jonathan P Taylor The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240
THORACIC & CARDIAC SURGERY Amit N Patel Cardiovascular Institute of the South 8401 Picardy Ave Baton Rouge (225) 308-0247 C. Swayze Rigby Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Cardiothoracic Surgery 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 8001 Baton Rouge (225) 490-7224
UROGYNECOLOGY/ FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY Phillip A Barksdale 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 511 Baton Rouge (225) 752-3000 William S Kubricht III Louisiana Urology 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 3000 Baton Rouge (225) 766-8100
UROLOGY Angelo Annaloro Jr Baton Rouge Urology 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 2004 Baton Rouge (225) 769-2500 Kenneth M Blue III Louisiana Urology 8080 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite 3000 Baton Rouge (225) 766-8100
Ayme V Schmeeckle The Baton Rouge Clinic 7373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Farjaad M Siddiq Advanced Urology 1715 Wolf Circle Lake Charles (337) 480-7499 Walter J Simoneaux Jr Thibodaux Urology Specialists 504 N Acadia Rd Thibodaux (985) 447-5667 Jeremy S Speeg Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 233-6665
VASCULAR SURGERY Michael S Conners III CVT Surgical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 1008 Baton Rouge (225) 766-0416 P. Michael Davis Jr CVT Surgical Center 7777 Hennessy Boulevard, Suite 1008 Baton Rouge (225) 766-0416
Thad A Bourque Southern Surgical & Medical Specialists Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 988-1803
Racheed J Ghanami Southern Vascular Clinic 5000 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Bldg 1, Ste 100 Lafayette (337) 534-4444
Christopher P Fontenot Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 233-6665
Christopher E LaGraize Acadiana Vascular Clinic 129 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 305-7134
James J Jancuska Lake Area Physicians Urology Center of SWLA 234 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive Lake Charles (337) 439-8857 Scott M Neusetzer Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 233-6665 William B Roth Southern Urology 120 Rue Louis XIV Building 2 Lafayette (337) 233-6665
John B Luke III Acadiana Vascular Clinic 129 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette (337) 305-7134 Andrew J Olinde Baton Rouge Vascular Specialty Center 8888 Summa Avenue Floor 3 Baton Rouge (225) 769-4493
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LET T R ES D'AMO UR
Common Bond Food is the tie that binds this newspaper reporter turned policy developer to the region By Eric Cormier Illustration by Christina Brown
H a v ing been born from th e union of a
Cormier and a Prudhomme there is no question about the legitimacy of my Louisiana nature. Still, a sense of soulful belonging tended to evade me as a child and teenager. In south Louisiana, matters of culture and race, in the latter part of the 20th century, could be difficult to process and maneuver through, even for a person with African, European and Native American blood coursing through their veins. The safe zone was food. Nothing can be wrong while Lake Charles native Eric Cormier transitioned indulging in rice and gravy, from food journalism to boudin, sauce piquant, seafood economic development and governmental gumbo, po-boys, red beans and affairs. Thoughts rice and boiled crawfish. of spicy boudin are As a child, I spent a lot of on his mind, even nights with my father who while working on a policy or recruiting moonlighted at an Italian resa retail developer. taurant. There, he prepared spaghetti sauce, pizzas and other Sicilian wonders. At home, my mother cooked delicious and nourishing meals inspired by our family's Creole and African heritage. Her crawfish etouffee and smothered beef or chicken is what I judge others' kitchen aptitude by. My palate was also educated by down-home kitchen creations from my dad's mother who was born in Cloutierville and my mother's father who was born in Lawtell. Add to that recent years did I understand their cautious a long litany of community cooks who made tone about entering the food industry was sure our home had an endless supply of based on unspoken indignities each expericooked greens, cornbread, sweet dough pies, enced at a time in American when places like pound cakes, fried chicken — you get the drift. the South and Louisiana could be unimaginAs a teenager, I dreamed of becoming ably unkind. Belonging was a problem for a chef because the call of the kitchen was them too. strong in me. Both my father and his mother In 1993, I graduated from McNeese State encouraged me to consider other career aspiUniversity in Lake Charles with a degree rations. Why? in Mass Communications. My goal was to "The work is hard, days long and the pay become a newspaper reporter. Ironically, the isn't good," was their exact stock answer. work was hard, long and the pay wasn't good. Each spoke from experience. My father's After a stint as a radio news broadcaster, I parents worked in cafeterias when they were started working as a freelance journalist with young adults in the early 1900s. All three of bylines appearing in newspapers, magazines, them lived during times when cooking in a and other journals. In 1998, my 15-year career kitchen or home was one of the few jobs a at the American Press newspaper in Lake Black or Creole could get. Charles started. There I wrote about crime, They succeeded in establishing the necesgovernment, the environment, and an assortsity of and dignity found in work. Only in ment of other subject matters. Then one day,
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the food world beckoned. Instead of working in the kitchen, my passion would be lived writing about food. My very first column at the newspaper was about a barbecue contest. The event's winner did not garner any prose. No, the competitor, who combined Tim "The Toolman" Taylor ingenuity with Fred Sanford junk, was the subject matter. The guy made a grilling monster out of two 18-wheeler brake drums. From then on, I have been on a search for flavor and individual creativity. Along the way, it became apparent that regardless of anyone's background, food is the grand common denominator that enhances the human experience. Today, as a result of life experience and a pleasantly filled belly, I know I belong and live to share the love, spice and flavor of our region on paper and in person. ■
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PLUS Ç A C HA NG E
The Sacred and the Profane Chauvin Sculpture Garden depicts the human experience in one of the state's best examples of folk art by David Cheramie photo by Romero & Romero
On the 15 -mile drive south from Houma to Chauvin, if we weren’t paying attention, we might have missed the plot of land on our right as we rode along the appropriately named Bayouside Drive. We noticed an incongruous-looking lighthouse on the banks of Bayou Petit Caillou, surrounded by an odd array of colorful statues. We stopped the car and got down, as we say in bayou land. As if on cue, emerging behind the Chauvin
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Sculpture Garden, a sleek blue shrimp boat christened the “Salty Dog” sails up the bayou, blasting the Beatles’ “Lady Madonna.” It was an appropriate foreshadowing of what we were to discover. Ten years in the making, Kenny Hill’s sculpture garden began after spending time in a tent and then a small cabin he built with his own hands on rented land. A skilled bricklayer, he created over 100 concrete sculptures throughout the '90s. Sword wielding guardian angels and the Banished from Heaven, cowboys and Indians, the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, biplanes and eagles, Christ bearing his cross and even the artist himself again and again. Two scantily dressed women behind the lighthouse, originally nude, that Hill only covered up, barely, upon the insistence of the landlady, turn their backside to the water. The sacred and the profane, heaven and earth, damnation and salvation; they are all depicted and more on a tenth of an acre inches above the waterline. An eerie microcosm of the human experience. In the small blue building across the street are housed various objects salvaged from Hill’s home before it was torn down. There one can find pictures of him working on the sculptures or posing with his landlady who finally had
him evicted when didn’t keep up with his rent. An impressive but short totem pole is also to be found, along with knick-knacks and other memorabilia from the house. Contrary to popular belief, Hill didn’t just disappear, never to be heard from again. Nor was he some wildeyed eccentric battling personal demons, as his artwork might seem to suggest. As you can read in a note left by his ex-wife when she came to visit in 2007, he was a husband and a father to their three children whom she names. “Their Daddy is not a hermit; he was only a lonely man,” she writes. Our knowledgeable guides, volunteer caretakers associated with Nicholls State University who just happened to arrive shortly after us, assured us that he is alive and well somewhere up north but wants nothing to do with his wonderous creation, within which he nevertheless inserted himself repeatedly. Despite his reluctance to be associated with his work, he rightfully deserves to be recognized for this important contribution to Louisiana folk art in the same vein as Clementine Hunter or David Butler. “Lady Madonna, children at your feet Wonder how you manage to make ends meet Who finds the money when you pay the rent? Did you think that money was heaven sent?” ■
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EN F RA NÇ A I S, S ’IL VO US P L A Î T
La Grande Île, mon amour Du sable, du sel, du soleil, des souvenirs par David Cheramie
les souvenirs d’enfance indélébiles se sont forgés : des parties de cartes interminables, des châteaux de sable, la pêche aux crabes, des coups de soleil apaisés à coups de Noxzema, la crème glacée faite maison, les tasses d’eau salée avalées par accident en nageant et les coups de tuyaux d’arrosage pour se laver du sel et du sable collés à la peau. Ce mince bout de monde au bout du monde demeure un lieu sacré dans la mémoire collective. Malgré la menace annuelle de destruction, la construction de palais dépassant de
loin tout ce que les bourgeois néo-orléanais d’autrefois auraient pu imaginer comme maison secondaire qu’on appelle aussi sans ironie des camps continuent bon train. À chaque passage d’ouragan, l’avenir de la Grande-Île devient un peu moins sure, un peu plus précaire. Quelle est cette attraction fatale qui attire les visiteurs vers cette Atlantide en sursis? La Grande-Île, comme un phénix aquatique qui renaît de ses ressacs, vit de multiples réincarnations. Mais pour combien de temps encore? ■
L A 1 traverse la Louisiane en diagonale,
depuis les confins de sa frontière avec le Texas et l’Arkansas, jusqu’à l’autre extrême, où elle se termine dans un cul-de-sac entouré d’un motel, d’un restaurant et d’un petit port accueillant des bateaux de plaisance ou de pêche, à quelques encâblures du Golfe du Mexique. Les sept derniers miles de ce grand trajet amènent le voyageur le long d’une fine raie tracée entre deux eaux, un grand banc de sable en quelque sorte. Diminuée aujourd’hui par l’érosion, sa stature était telle qu’on l’a nommée la Grande Île, station balnéaire pour les gens fortunés cherchant une brise fraîche et les fruits de mer à portée de main. Les gens de moyens plus modestes appréciaient aussi les mêmes plaisirs qu’un séjour au bord de la mer pouvait apporter. Puis, les résidents mêmes, ceux qui restaient là pendant les mois plus froids et moins ensoleillés, souvent descendants des pirates qui ont vogué avec Jean Lafitte, connus localement comme les « Bleus » à cause de leur teint soi-disant plus foncé et parlant un français rocailleux et « gras » à cause de la prononciation gutturale des « r ». Tout ce monde, et bien plus, était certainement amoureux comme moi de cette île barrière entre le golfe et la Baie Baratarie. Les plages de la Grande Île, immortalisées par « Le Réveil » de Kate Chopin et les photos de Fonville Winans, autrefois tellement étendues qu’un petit train transportait les vacanciers jusqu’au bord de l’eau, se sont rétrécies à tel point que les lames du golfe ne sont plus qu’à quelques pieds de For an english la route par endroits. En translation plus du train, on condui- visit acadianasait des bus et des voitures profile.com jusqu’à la plage, la « playe » comme on dit chez nous; aujourd’hui ils ont cédé la place aux voiturettes de golf roulant parallèle aux vagues. Les maisonnettes surélevées qu’on appelle des « camps » comprenaient la majorité des bâtiments. C’est dans ces structures rustiques, souvent avec un mobilier rudimentaire, que
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PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN MESSINA FOR SERIES: DOCUMERICA: THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S PROGRAM TO PHOTOGRAPHICALLY DOCUMENT SUBJECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN, COMPILED 1972 - 1977
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