Acadiana Profile October-November 2015

Tops of acadiana Readers' Survey Results

P. 51

travel to new orleans A Weekend Itinerary P. 59

4 Regional page 40

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contents A little extra Editor’s note Nouvelles de villes Newsbriefs Le visiter Calendar lagniappe

NOTE DE L’EDITEUR

home+style 15 Purses pour la maison Wine Accessories la maison Historic New Iberia Home À la mode

food+drink 29 Small Plate Selections de la cuisine Turkey Alternatives recettes de cocktails Spiked Cider sur le menu

Over at Pop’s Poboys, Chef Collin Cormier serves creative new twists on the classic sandwich, including a “Bahn Bahn Shrimp Poboy” with grilled marinated shrimp, chili garlic mayonnaise, pickled carrots, fresh cucumbers and cilantro.

culture 73 personnes Nick Saltaformaggio la musique The Necessary Gentlemen les artiste Edward Cappel en francais

Le Drapeau d’Acadiana

features best chefs 40 4 notable chefs by cheré coen

tops of acadiana 51 Check out this year’s winners by will kalec

a new orleans weekend 59 Places to go & things to do by sarah ravits

state of business 67 A look at the local economy by amanda orr

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

lagniappe

learn french

What will your halloween costume be?

bonbon [bon · bon] n. candy example: Une farce ou une gâterie - aller de maison en maison à la recherche de bonbons et autres surprises - est une tradition populaire d’Halloween.

october/november 2015 vol. 34 | № 5

Editor in Chief

Managing Editor

Associate Editor

Art Director

Lead Photographer

Errol Laborde

did you know?

Sarah Ravits Melanie Warner Spencer Sarah George Danley Romero

Someone from Wet Hot American Summer.

I usually spend way Web Editor Kelly Massicot too much money making my own costume. This year I to be thrifty Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor am going and just purchase a

(337) 298-4424 nose prosthetic and (337) 235-7919 Ext. 230 dress as a Bajoran (an alien species on Rebecca@acadianaprofile.com Star Trek).

Sales Intern

Madeline Piller

Traffic Coordinator

Jessica DeBold

Distribution Manager

John Holzer

Director of Marketing & Events Cheryl Lemoine

Administrative Assistant

Subscriptions

Production/Web Manager

Production Designers

Denise Dean Sara Kelemencky Staci McCarty Ali Sullivan

Monique DiPietro

Chief Executive Officer

President

Alan Campell

Vice President

Errol Laborde

Vice President of Sales

Just like a white-winged dove sings a song, I will be Stevie Nicks!

Todd Matherne

Colleen Monaghan

On Nov. 20, 1980, a Texaco oil rig drilling in Lake Peigneur accidentally punctured the Diamond Crystal Salt Company salt mine. A whirlpool resulted, sucking down the lake water, the drilling platform, 11 barges and 65 acres of the surrounding terrain. The flow of the Delcambre Canal, which usually empties the lake into Vermilion Bay, was reversed. For a few days, this backflow created the tallest waterfall ever in the state of Louisiana (164 feet) as the lake refilled with salt water from the Delcambre Canal and Vermilion Bay. There were no injuries or lives lost.

Days after the disaster, once the water pressure equalized, nine of the 11 sunken barges popped out of the whirlpool and refloated on the lake’s surface.

behind the scenes

Like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/AcadianaProfile) and follow us on Twitter (@acadianaprofile) for daily updates, happenings in the area and other news!

We want to hear from you, and we’ll post a question every week – post your answers and you could be published in the magazine!

Please consider our planet and recycle this (and every) magazine.

Renaissance Publishing LLC • 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 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 2015 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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acadiana profile october/november 2015

Voted by readers as the Top Radio Personalities (two years in a row!), CJ and Debbie ham it up in photographer Travis Gauthier’s studio in Lafayette. Check out the rest of the winners on pg. 56.

note de l’editeur

what’s cooking This issue highlights the best chefs and other winners in the region. we love interacting with our readers.

A gift they won’t forget

No one wants to burden loved ones with funeral expenses. Find out how a Shelter Life policy can make a big difference during a tough time.

A small investment today will give you peace of mind.

Shelter Life Insurance Company Columbia, MO ShelterInsurance.com

Richard Leleux, LUTCF 512 Johnston Street (Near Downtown) Lafayette, LA 337-234-5286

We want to share your stories and write about the people and places you want to read about. A few months ago, we asked you to choose your favorite things in Acadiana, and the results are in! You can check out the winners on pg. 51. We’re also hosting a party Oct. 20 in Lafayette at the Grouse Room, and we hope you can join us as we honor the winners with an evening of live music, food and drinks. For information and to purchase tickets, visit acadianaprofile.com or tops ofacadiana.com.

Speaking of food, every year we highlight the best chefs in the region, and this year, we have four who shared their inspirational stories about their hard work and passion for what they do on pg. 40. Some were born to do it – taught by older generations; others discovered cooking as a creative outlet and went with the flow. We also have a story about tapas places to eat in the area, as small plates have become a popular trend across the country. If you want bigger portions, though, you can check out Marcelle Bienvenue’s hearty and creative Thanksgiving dishes.

Our music columnist, Michael Patrick Welch, has discovered a band with Acadian roots, The Necessary Gentlemen, on pg. 78. Though they are based out of New Orleans, we hope you’ll check them out next time they are in the area, or that you’ll drive to the Big Easy after reading our travel guide on pg. 59, which shares hot spots and things to do if you’re in need of a weekend getaway.

Sarah Ravits Managing Editor

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nouvelles de villes

by lisa leblanc-berry

McNeese Happenings lake charles

Detective Dave Fans Unite New iberia

Got Gumbo?

Some Like it Hot

Sweet Crude, the high-energy septet fusing indie pop with Cajun lyrics, joins the traditional musical lineup of Cajun and zydeco bands during Lafayette’s Festivals Acadiens et Créole Oct. 9-11, which draws foodies for the annual Bayou Food Fest (check out the crawfish stuffed potatoes, wild game jambalaya and gumbo) and for the chef demos during Culture Sur la Table, featuring Chef Manny Augello of Bread and Circus and Chef Holly Goetting of Charley G’s, among others. It’s held the same weekend as New Iberia’s World Championship Gumbo Cook-Off and the Louisiana Gumbo Festival of Chackbay.

The Blackpot Festival and Cook-Off, held Oct. 30-31, moves to Vermilionville from the Lafayette Airport this year. November brings 5,000 eggs cracked in a giant skillet in front of the A. Hays Town Abbeville Courthouse during the Nov. 7-8 Giant Omelette Festival, and the Nov. 14 Bayou Beer Festival held at historic Southdown Plantation in Houma featuring over 200 craft beers, local food and live music.

The eagerly anticipated new 1868 Restaurant, named for the date that Tabasco hot sauce was established at Avery Island, is rapidly winning the approval of local foodies for its zesty cuisine and charming wrap-around porch with al fresco dining.

After sampling Chef Lionel Robin’s zesty boudin pepper jelly biscuits, scintillating pepper barrel crawfish etouffée and macque choux accented with a smooth garlic sauce during our first cool spell, go visit the lush 170-acre Jungle Gardens.

Casual ambience; very reasonably priced; international specials. The expansions underway include an improved visitor center and a new museum filled with family artifacts and other historic treasures illuminating this amazing company’s extensive global reach (Tabasco.com).

around acadiana

avery island

Here Comes the Split hunting

Dates for the 2015-16 duck hunting season were changed in a split LWFC vote (from the normal second Saturday of November) for our Coastal Zone to an earlier Nov. 7 date. This will cost duck hunters a week at the end of January. The full split season in the Coastal Zone is Nov. 7—Dec. 6 and Dec. 19-Jan. 17 (two weeks earlier than is allowed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). The entire state will be closed to duck hunting Dec. 7-18.

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

Keeping it Fresh Lafourche

A $3.4 million construction contract with Cayo LLC of Fort Worth has been awarded for construction on a new saltwater control structure along Bayou Lafourche. Slated for completion next summer, it is designed to block saltwater from creeping up the bayou, where it threatens the local drinking water supply.

photo credit: festivals Acadians et créole photo by david simpson;

New Iberia author James Lee Burke’s most popular Cajun literary character will be heralded with an eponymous first-annual festival.

The Dave Robicheaux’s Hometown Literary Festival: Celebrating Storytellers from Iberia and Beyond will be held April 8-10, 2016 in the historic downtown district and throughout Iberia Parish. Authors who would like to hold readings and have their published works for sale should contact Howard Kingston (337-367-7621) at Books Along the Teche (a hip little store featuring new, old, autographed, rare early edition and out-of-print books).

Workshops, theatrical vignettes, live music, local cuisine, bourrée lessons, various tournaments, a website and Dave Robicheaux tours are currently in the works.

Rouge et Blanc, the premiere wine and food event in Lake Charles held Oct. 27 at the McNeese University Campus (as a fundraiser, rougeetblanc.us), follows a week of elegant wine dinners and seminars.

Last year, we enjoyed the spirited sounds of Jeremy Davis and his jazz orchestra, as 29 restaurants and 26 wineries dazzled guests (best bets: the luscious lamb lollipops from Embers Grille at L’Auberge, and Harlequin Steaks’ mouth-watering filets).

In other McNeese news, the university received a $102,590 grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce to stimulate economic development in the region. Additionally, McNeese is one of the first universities in the U.S. to roll out a program featuring the use of Google Glass, the lightweight wearable technology (mcneese.edu).

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

calendar

by judi russell

around acadiana Gatherings and activities around Acadiana.

october 1-4. Tour du Teche Canoe Race. Along Bayou Teche, New Iberia. (337) 394-6232.

3-4. SugaSheaux. 713 NW

Bypass (Hwy. 3212), New Iberia. (337) 365-7539.

6. “The Young Irelanders.�

Schreier Theater of the Municipal Auditorium, Morgan City.

(985) 385-2307.

8. 3rd Annual Run With

The Fuzz 5K Fun Run/ Walk. Morgan City High School. facebook.com/ RunWithTheFuzz5KFunRunWalk.

9-11. Festivals Acadiens

et Creoles. 500 Girard Parkway, Lafayette. festivalsacadiens.com 9-11. Louisiana Gumbo

Festival of Chackbay.

Chackbay-Choupic Fair Grounds, Thibodaux.

(985) 633-2828.

11. U.S. Kids Tour Golf

Tournament. Atchafalaya Golf Course, Patterson.

(985) 395-4653.

14-18. Cal-Cam Fair. West

Calcasieu Arena, Sulphur.

(337) 527-9371.

15-18. International Rice Festival. Downtown Crowley. (337) 783-3067.

16-18. Andouille Festival.

2900 Hwy. 51, LaPlace.

(985) 652-9569.

17. Trivia Night by Autism Society Bayou. Municipal Auditorium, Morgan City.

(985) 397-3812.

17-18. Experience Louisi-

ana Festival. LSU-Eunice.

(337) 580-3363.

11. Veterans Day Memorial Ceremony. Bouligny Plaza, New Iberia. (337) 365-1428.

23-25. French Food Festival. Larose Regional Park & Civic Center, Larose.

(985) 693-7355.

12-15. 29th Annual Port Barre Cracklin Festival.

Veterans Park, Port Barre.

(337) 585-6673.

24. Sweet Dough Pie

13-15. El Festival Espanol

Festival. St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Grand Coteau. (337) 6623058.

de Nueva Iberia. Bouligny Plaza, New Iberia.

(337) 369-2330.

30-31. Blackpot Festival

& Cookoff. Vermilionville, Lafayette.

Blackpotfestival.com 31. Adeline Guienze Breast

Cancer Memorial Fund 5K Run/Walk. St. Mary Parish Courthouse Square, Franklin. (337) 828-2550, Ext. 2181.

31. 16th Annual Franklin

Merchants Association Harvest Moon Festival.

Main Street, Downtown Franklin. (337) 828-6326.

november 6-8. 21st Annual Holy Ghost Creole Bazaar. 788 N. Union St., Opelousas.

(337) 942-2732.

14. Thibodauxville Fall

Festival. 318 E. Bayou Road, Thibodaux.

(985) 446-1187.

14. Southern Soul Food

Showdown. 7304 E. Hwy. 90, Jeanerette.

(337) 365-8185.

14-15. National Barrel Race Association. 713 NW Bypass, New Iberia.

(337) 365-7539.

21-22. Louisiana Indian Heritage Association Annual Fall Pow-Wow. Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, Gonzales. lamar-dixonexpocenter.com 29-Dec. 23. Noel Acadien

au Village. 200 Greenleaf Drive, Lafayette.

(337) 981-2364.

6-8. Louisiana Swine Festival. 2000 Stage Ave., Basile. (337) 432-5027.

7. Great Chili Challenge.

New Iberia City Park.

(337) 365-9303.

7. Annual St. Mary Red

Ribbon Committee Fall Arts & Crafts Show Bazaar Fundraiser.

Patterson Area Civic Center.

(337) 836-6029.

7-8. Giant Omelette

Celebration. Magdalen Square, Abbeville. giantomelette.org

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

Charlie and Kay Sanders’ circa 1910 residence exemplifies the beauty of New Iberia’s historic homes. It was built by Edward Weeks on the original tract of land where his grandparents, David and Mary Weeks, built the celebrated Shadows-on-the-Teche next door.

style+home à la mode 16 Purses

by claire salinas

pour la maison 18 Wine accessories by sarah ravits

la maison 20

Historic New Iberia house next to the Shadows-on-the-Teche recalls the past grandeur of the Old South, and the legacies of storied old souls along the bayou. by lisa leblanc-berry

style+home À DEla LAmode CUISINE

carrying on 4 purses for autumn by claire salinas | photo romero & Romero

This cream handbag from Kiki is handmade in Italy and available in more than 40 colors and skins with customizable hardware.

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3

2

4

1. Structured Satchel Purse

made from faux leather, from The Limited. Acadiana Mall, 5725 Johnston St., Suite 176, Lafayette.

(337) 981-9016. thelimited.com

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2. The Michelle Tote by The Frye Company features classic cognac leather, from Shoe La La, 201 Settlers Trace Blvd. #3010, Lafayette, (337) 984-8618, shoulalaboutique.com

acadiana profile october/november 2015

3. 35-centimeter Caty bag by

Buti, from Kiki, 1910 Kaliste Saloom Rd, Lafayette, (337) 406-0904, shopkikionline.com

4. Magazine Street crossbody

purse in “whiskey” color, from Mignon Faget 1921 Kaliste Saloom Rd, Suite 124, Lafayette.

(800) 375-7557 (337) 534-8753. mignonfaget.com.

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style+home pour DE LA la CUISINE maison

wine accessories Handy gadgets and tips by sarah ravits | photo romero & romero

It takes years of

tasting, training and probably a lot of natural talent to be a true wine connoisseur, but the rest of us can appreciate the art of imbibing. regardless of expertise.

Here are some helpful tips – and handy devices – that you can use while hosting your next wine-and-cheese gathering. Cheers!

1. This Original

Rabbit Corkscrew is a classic favored by the professionals. It can pull a cork in three seconds and then automatically release it. Its ergonomic design allows it to open any size wine bottle, and it comes with a 10-year warranty.

Available at Bed, Bath & Beyond, 3617 Ambassador Caffrey Pkwy., Lafayette, (337) 988-5423.

2. A slate cheese tray is attractive and easy to clean, from World Market, worldmarket.com.

3. A decanter is used for serving wine, especially if it contains sediments.

Its long slender neck opens to a wide body, increasing the exposed surface area of the wine, allowing it to react with air and “open up.”

4. A decorative bottle stopper with a tight seal preserves age and freshness of leftover wine.

5. If you don’t finish the bottle and plan on re-corking it, look into purchasing a Rabbit pump with two stoppers. It removes air from opened bottles of wine, preserving the taste until the bottle is reopened. From metrokane.com

6. Rabbit Aerating Pourer improves the flavor and bouquet of the wine. From metrokane.com

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Avoid cleaning your decanter with soap. The decanter’s shape makes it difficult to get the residue out. Instead, try using a mixture of crushed ice and coarse salt — ­ they’ll remove any residual wine without leaving behind their own aroma.

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5

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style+home la DE LA maison CUISINE

landmark revived Fine antiques were acquired for the rear screen porch during the homeowners’ annual expeditions.

A historic New Iberia house next to Shadows-onthe-Teche recalls grandeur of the Old South and legacies of old souls along the bayou. by lisa leblanc-berry | photos by chad chenier

On the banks of

the Bayou Teche, as the waves ripple around Charlie and Kay Sanders’ massive cypress tree on breezy autumn mornings, the New Iberia couple watches the yachts and party vessels passing their rear porch during

boat parades. Some say theirs is the biggest cypress in the parish.

The historic Weeks House that the Sanderses purchased and renovated in 2003, after 24 years of marriage, is situated on high ground that slopes down to the bayou. Their lush

lawn is punctuated with commanding oaks with Spanish moss, where songbirds build their nests. Four of the grandest are registered with the Live Oaks Society.

The proprietor of S & S Renovators, Charlie won a national Chrysalis Award for

Remodeling Excellence after beautifully updating the legendary Weeks House (listed on the National Register for Historic Places), which included resurrecting the original stairway that was found in hundreds of pieces in the attic. He restored

top left A religious statue flanking a massive oak enhances the serene setting. top right A stained-glass window was discovered in the attic and reassembled. bottom left Living room shelving displays Kay’s plates and vintage tea pots. bottom right A plaque symbolizes the home’s historic prominence.

the entire residence to its original splendor, adding modern amenities, a gazebo and a deck on the bayou.

The Sanders’ antiques and objects d’art were collected during six years of road trips.

In 1952, former owner Elise Weeks bought out her co-heirs for $35,000 following her parents’ death, and set about remodeling the circa 1910 Weeks House to include apartments on the second floor.

She never married.

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

The grand staircase in the center hall was consequently removed, along with a large stained-glass window on the landing. Both were stored in the attic, collecting dust for the next 50 years.

Elise’s sister, Mildred Dauterive, lived in the house for 25 years until her death; her son, Hank, became executor of the estate.

“He gave us all the original architectural drawings including all the receipts!” Charlie

top The two-and-a-half story residence, with five mature front lawn oaks, is solid cypress. It’s embellished with a distinguished Greek revival portico and six fluted Ionic columns, secondfloor balconies and an attic rising to a 20-foot apex. Its sizeable basement was a rarity for New Iberia in 1910. bottom The original dining room was converted into a casual living room, offering a splendid bayou view. The more formal front parlor, graced with a grand piano, was originally the library.

says. “We got rid of the two duplex kitchens on the second floor and brought back the stairway and stained-glass window found in pieces in the attic. It was like finding hidden treasure.”

The stately Greek Revival residence facing New Iberia’s Main Street is located next door to its larger counterpart, Shadows-on-the-Teche.

Both homes are situated on the original tract of land that David and Mary Weeks purchased in 1825. The white-columned, 16-room Shadows, built by their

slaves with handmade bricks and completed in 1834, was the third brick home in town.

Twenty-nine years after the Shadows’ completion, Federal troops would occupy the house and use it as their headquarters during the Civil War. Mary refused to leave the house, and remained with three house servants and her sister-in-law until she died in 1863 during the occupation. It is believed that her presence contributed to the property’s survival.

William Weeks Hall, the last family owner of the Shadows, was born on Halloween in 1894. His residency from 1922-1958 is heralded each year once October arrives, with activities building like a crescendo until Christmas.

The Sanderses see school children gathering next door for ghost stories during Terror-on-the-Têche, as the legends of old souls are recounted under the harvest moon. Standing on their front porch in October and November, Charlie and Kay can take in the aromas and hear the live bands performing down Main Street for the festivals. Thousands gather

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during the annual World Championship Gumbo Cook-off the second week of October, when more than 90 teams compete.

“We have many visitors this time of the year,” says Charlie.

“In November, we can hear the cannons going

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off next door.” The Shadows’ Nov. 7-8, 2015 Civil War Encampment marks the town’s final re-enactment of the Sesquicentennial Celebrations commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. “They have skirmishes representing

acadiana profile october/november 2015

both the Yankees and Rebs,” Charlie says.

Edward T. Weeks, David and Mary’s grandson, began construction of the sturdy white-columned Weeks House in 1908.

With a Boston architect, he hired a local contractor, Thomas Monk, for

a final cost of $12,000 total. As the house was being built, resilient New Iberia was rapidly changing. The first few automobiles were cruising in front of Edward’s house on unpaved Main Street, which was still bustling with buggies and carts, while a new 12-mile trolley line to Jeanerette was gathering steam. Sunday afternoons brought Wild West shows, new silent movies at the local opera house, and brass band concerts at the courthouse, which is the present-day Bouligny Plaza (where the annual Gumbo Cook-Off is now held).

“I always wanted to live in a large, historic house after seeing Gone with the Wind as a child.

But I never dreamed I’d be lucky enough to find

top left The property measures 398-feet deep, sloping down to Bayou Teche. Since New Iberia had no architects in the early 1900s, Edward Weeks hired a Boston architect, a Mr. Crosby, who came with his family to stay during the home’s five-month construction; he remained here permanently since he liked the town so much.

When Elise Weeks assumed the house in 1952, she hired Baton Rouge architect Perry Brown, originally from New Iberia, for a renovation, which included removing the main stairway (stored in the attic) so as to convert the second floor into two apartments. bottom left The breakfast room was converted into a master bedroom. Three of the four upstairs bedrooms feature fireplaces; one has been converted into a study.

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la maison

something as grand as this, and directly on the bayou,” Charlie reflects. “We are always hearing new stories.

When people visited our house during the Christmas Parade of Homes a few years ago, we heard tales of refugees who stayed here for the big flood,” he says.

In 1927, the Weeks House was used for displaced survivors during the Great Flood, when 20 parishes went underwater and South Louisiana became a 200-mile lake.

“It was kind of eerie, when the choir stated to sing in the house,” he recalls. “Some of the older people told us stories about when they used to play here as children.”

It is easy to recount bygone days in this splendid old house and

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

imagine the Weeks children running across the lawn before the war, and young William, fresh from Paris, hosting his famous celebrity soirées. Edward’s father, Conrad Weeks, once jumped over the banisters of the second floor as a child, and some say he defeated an opponent in an 1833 duel. From wars to weddings, feasts, floods and famine, New Iberia’s Old South legends live on due to preservationists such as the Sanderses, who lovingly brought this time-honored treasure back to life.

The graceful center hall opens onto four large 18-by-18-foot rooms, two on each side.

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

This pear, greens and blue cheese salad is a perfect dish for your Thanksgiving dinner.

(Recipe, pg. 32)

food+drinks sur le menu 30

Normally known to serve large portions, Acadiana has embraced the small-plate trend. by jyl benson

de la cuisine 32

Turkey alternatives: Something to be thankful for by marcelle bienvenu

recettes de cocktail 38 Spiked apple cider by sal agnello

FOOD+DRINK

sur le menu

Bread & Circus’ Chef Manny Augello’s Roasted Tuna Collar

tapas & treats Normally known to serve large portions, Acadiana has embraced the small-plate trend. by jyl benson | photos romero & romero

Small is a big deal.

While the wave of restaurants serving small plates has much to do with the historical popularity of Spain’s tapas or China’s dim sum traditions, the 2007 downturn in the global economy also contributed to the revolution.

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Diners not comfortable parting with $30 for a single entrée perceived spending the same amount for a variety of smaller dishes as a value. At the same time, the increasingly informal approach to dining coupled with heightened diner

acadiana profile october/november 2015

sophistication and the return of cocktail culture led to an adventurous gastronomic spirit. With these factors at play the small plate trend is sticking around.

With a heritage that embraces charcuterie and its attendant array of condiments it seems

destined that Acadiana diners would embrace a dining style that allows them to mix and match.

With its sexy, atmospheric bar and craft cocktail selection, Pamplona has long been a popular destination for tapas in Lafayette. Sure bets from the kitchen

include Chicken Sofrito ( $9), and bacon-wrapped dates ($5) stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese and served with an almond puree. The MorcillaQuail Egg ($7) tops a black boudin patty with a fried quail egg; fried goat cheese croquettes ($5) are laced with a Balsamic

reduction, honey, and toasted almonds; and duck fat fries ($6) need no further explanation.

Every days is a fun day at Bread & Circus Provisions.

Chef Manny Augello makes all of his “seriously playful food” in house, selling his smoked meats, pickles and condiments with influences that span Cajun, Italian and Japanese cuisines in a bright, decidedly hip atmosphere.

His small plate offerings include a screamingly fresh nightly farmer’s market vegetable preparation served on the cheap for $4; sugar cane shrimp ($12) with fried bread, pickled pig ear and a Worcestershire-cane syrup glaze; the woodroasted tuna collar, sadly an underutilized fish part, served up with a bourbon and ginger glaze, egg yolk, shaved vegetables and rice for $10. If you go for Augello’s hen-based gumbo or The Ramsey, a vaguely obscene sandwich special he cobbles together from pimento cheese, crisp-fried chicken skins, and tasso on white bread, plan to eat it yourself. Some things are simply too good to share.

Social Southern Table and Bar has packed in the beautiful people since it opened with an extensive menu of fun foods meant for sharing and beer and cocktail programs to match. Charlie Goodson, the well-regarded Beausoleil Bocage Village Shopping Center, 7731 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, (225) 926-1172, Baton Rouge, beausoleilrestaurantandbar.com Bread & Circus Provisions 258 Bendel Rd, Lafayette, 337.08-3930; bandcprovisions.com La Pamplona 631 Jefferson St., Lafayette, (337) 2320070, pamplonatapas.com Social Southern Table and Bar 3901 Johnston St., (337) 456-3274, socialsouthern.com

bonus bite Check the website—it’s either just opened or just about to open but Chef Chris Wadsworth’s new place, Goûter, is on our radar. The chef at Triumph Kitchen and formerly of Restaurant IPO, Wadsworth has teamed up with his wife Sommer, an avid hunter and outdoor devotee like himself, to create a restaurant with a focus on “all things Louisiana.” Their Facebook page drops a hint of things to come: Rabbit back strap with pan gravy. Yum. gouterrestaurant.com

restaurateur behind Charley G’s Steakhouse, successfully stepped out of his comfort zone when he made the move to overhaul a tired old Chinese eatery into a chic and expansive, yet weirdly cozy, gastro-pub. The food here is as daring as Charlie.

Check out chicken-fried green tomatoes with creamy jalapeno ranch dipping sauce($9); crab nachos with crispy wonton chips, spicy mayo, yuzu guacamole, and tobiko ($9); grilled pink shrimp with shaved summer squash salad, sweet corn and buttermilk dressing ($14). Leave room to polish it off with a slice of the orange Dreamsicle cake ($8) or the S ‘mores Cobbler ($8).

Georgia native Nathan Gresham has proven his lasting power, filling the tables in his ochre-hued Baton Rouge bistro with diners sharing small plates of steamed mussels with salmon belly, fennel, tomatoes in a white wine broth ($11), potato gnocchi, butter poached lobster, cipollini onions and bacon lardon in a lemon cream sauce ($13), “General Tso’s” pork cheeks with green onions and sesame ($12), and “Pho” Lamb meatballs with stone ground grits ($12). acadianaprofile.com

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FOOD+DRINK

DE LA CUISINE

turkey alternatives Something to be thankful for

Rather than the same old, same old tossed green salad, I suggest this one of pears (you can substitute apples if you wish), baby greens, blue cheese, and walnuts. The recipe can be easily doubled if you need to serve more.

by marcelle bienvenu | photo eugenia uhl

For many years our

family’s Thanksgiving dinner has been somewhat of a moveable feast. The reason being is that the men in our family were such avid sportsmen that duck-hunting season

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ruled the day and time that we sat down to give thanks.

Many times we gathered on the Wednesday night before Turkey Day since Papa and my brothers headed out in the wee hours the

acadiana profile october/november 2015

next morning to get to the blinds before the sun came up. The feast sometimes was baked turkey with all the trimmings, but it was also at times a simple, but delicious, gumbo of chicken, sausage

and oysters followed by pecan pie.

Then there were occasions that, if the ducks were flying, Papa and the boys didn’t return until Friday or Saturday when another feast, if they had a good

hunt, was celebrated with another repast, this one of baked duck, preceded by a course of freshly shucked oysters that they picked up in Abbeville on their way home from Pecan Island.

One year when the men were absent from the table on Thanksgiving Day, Mama emptied the freezer and we girls dined on baked redfish stuffed with a goodly amount of crabmeat and shrimp accompanied by one of our favorites, potatoes au gratin, and finished off the meal with a rich lemon icebox pie made with condensed milk. Divine!

Not being a great lover of turkey, I was rarely disappointed that the old bird did not grace our holiday table. In fact, as we grew older Mama made it a point not to have Tom Turkey for Turkey Day. For three years running, she baked Cornish hens covered in a citrus glaze. Then there was a period that she forsook all choice of birds, which my aunts said was almost blasphemous, and prepared things like grilled steaks, hamburgers, and yes, even shrimp poorboys!

None of us felt cheated or like the poor cousins because we didn’t gorge ourselves on rice dressing, baked sweet potatoes swathed in syrup and topped with marshmallows, and pies of pumpkin or mincemeat. There was always the inevitable Christmas feast to look forward to when we would have more than enough to fill our tummies---roast pork, baked ham, a turkey, roasted ducks, oyster patties, several vegetable dishes and of course,

desserts of all kinds, pralines and fudge.

The reason for all this narrative is merely to prove my point that Thanksgiving can just as well be celebrated and enjoyed without turkey. But hey, if you like baked turkey, go ahead and have him for dinner. (My sister Edna loves baked turkey so much she cooks one at least once a week.

At Thanksgiving, she takes a break and has seafood gumbo!)

Come on, try something different. I promise nothing bad will happen except you won’t have that turkey carcass with which to make a gumbo the following day.

Here are some ideas.

Of course, it may not be

for everyone. Certainly, I encourage families to gather together for a day of thanks, but if you can’t make it home this year, you might want to invite some friends who are in the same situation to share a meal together. Or, if you’re parents who are experiencing the empty-nest syndrome and the children aren’t coming home for dinner, take the opportunity to enjoy some time with your spouse and a few close friends rather than spending hours, even days, preparing a five-course for a cast of thousands.

For starters, why not boil a couple of pounds of shrimp, peel them, then serve them with Uncle Nick’s curry dip.

Pear, Greens & Blue Cheese Salad Toss the pears with two teaspoons of the lemon juice and set aside.

In a small clean jar, combine the remaining two tablespoons lemon juice, the oil, the mustard, and the shallots. Fit the jar with a lid and shake to blend.

Season with salt and pepper. Shake again and set aside.

When ready to serve, put the salad greens in a large bowl, add the pears, the cheese and the walnuts. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 ripe Bosc or Red Angou pears, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup walnut oil or olive oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon chopped shallots Salt and freshly ground black pepper 5 cups baby salad greens 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

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Uncle Nick’s Curry Dip Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon minced onions 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon tarragon vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Beef Tenderloin with Peppercorns Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut tenderloin lengthwise to within ½ inch of one long edge, leaving edge intact. Open the tenderloin out flat. Place a large piece of heavy-duty plastic wrap over tenderloin and pound to flatten slightly.

Remove wrap. Spread mustard evenly over the meat. Sprinkle evenly with half of the black and white peppercorns. Fold one side of the tenderloin back over and tie securely with kitchen twine at three-inch intervals. Rub with oil and remaining peppercorns.

Place tenderloin on a rack in a roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part.

TIP Trimming beef tenderloin

Carefully use a thin, flexible knife to cut and remove the skin off the beef tenderloin, which is a thick layer of white or silverish connective tissue along the surface.

This tough tissue never tenderizes and doesn’t taste good if left on the meat.

Roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until the thermometer registers 135 to 140 degrees for medium-rare; 45 to 50 minutes or until the thermometer registers 145 to 150 degrees for medium.

Remove from oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Makes about 10 servings

Ingredients

1 (5 to 6 pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 ½ tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground 1 ½ tablespoons white peppercorns, coarsely ground 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt to taste

Pork Loin with Apples, Cider & Calvados Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Tie pork loin at two-inch intervals with kitchen twine to hold its shape. In a small bowl, combine flour, cayenne, salt and pepper and rosemary. Rub this mixture evenly all over the loin.

Heat two tablespoons of butter in a large heavy skillet and sear the meat over high heat, turning often until evenly browned.

Transfer the loin, with pan juices to a large baking pan. Scatter onions and garlic around the roast.

Cut up the remaining butter and distribute evenly over vegetables.

Cover with foil and place in the oven.

acadiana profile october/november 2015

1 (4 ½ to 5 pound) pork loin, trimmed 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ⅛ teaspoon cayenne Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary 4 tablespoons butter 3 medium yellow onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 5 firm apples, cored and quartered ½ cup hard cider ¼ cup Calvados (apple brandy)

Cook for 45 minutes, then add apples and cider to the pan. Baste everything with pan juices. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees and remove foil. Baste and cook for another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and transfer the loin to a cutting board. Carefully remove twine and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, transfer onions and apples to a platter. On top of the stove, reduce the pan juices by half. Warm the Calvados and carefully pour into the pan. It should flame, then die down. Keep a pan lid nearby in case the Calvados flares up.

Simmer sauce while you slice the pork loin.

Arrange the meat over apples and onions and serve with sauce.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

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Ingredients

Visit us online at acadianaprofile.com for a delicious dessert recipe: Praline Parfait!

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DE LA CUISINE

Scalloped Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine ½ cup of cheese, salt, garlic powder, nutmeg, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

Layer one-third of the potatoes in a lightly greased 12-by-8-by-2-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle half of the seasoning mixture over potatoes.

Repeat layers with potatoes and seasoning mix, ending with potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining two tablespoons cheese.

Combine cream and water and pour over potatoes.

Cover with foil and bake for about one hour, or until the potatoes are tender. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

Ingredients

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 4 large baking potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced 2 cups heavy cream ½ cup water 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Remove and cool a few minutes before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Dilled Green Beans Put water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add salt. Bring to a boil, add beans, reduce the heat to medium. Cook for about eight minutes, or just until beans are slightly tender. Drain, then plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain again.

Heat oil in a large skillet, add garlic and beans and toss to coat. Cook for one to two minute just to heat through. Add dill and season with salt and pepper.

Toss again and serve.

Makes about 10 servings

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

Ingredients

3 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and rinsed in cool water 3 cups water Salt to taste 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon dried dill Freshly ground black pepper to taste

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FOOD+DRINK

recettes de cocktails DE LA CUISINE

spiked cider A taste of fall recipe by sal agnello | photo eugenia uhl

Ingredients

directions

1 ½ cup LA 1 Whiskey 1 quart unfiltered apple cider Cinnamon stick Pinch ground all-spice 1 Granny Smith apple

Thinly slice Granny Smith apple and coat the slices with ground cinnamon and all-spice. Add the apple slices to a hot pot and sear. After about 2 minutes pour the whiskey over the apples and lower

the heat. Top with apple cider and some more ground cinnamon and leave to simmer. Serve in mugs.

Makes about eight 5-ounce servings

The crisp taste of apples complement whiskey in this well-rounded warm drink.

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

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4 notable chefs bring innovative In Acadiana, a good meal is a family affair that's taken seriously,

despite its celebratory nature. So it’s only natural that area chefs hail from impressive culinary backgrounds – some of which span generations. Lyle Broussard of L’Auberge was raised in a restaurant family, cooking up South Louisiana favorites that won Al Roker over when he visited for a TODAY Show special. Brian Blanchard, who owns multiple restaurants in Acadiana, learned on the job, but his Italian grandfather made his business dreams come true. Richard Hurst and his wife, Lori, continue their family legacy that spans almost a century with Poor Boys Riverside and Little River Inn. And you’ll taste flavors that hark back to Chef Collin Cormier’s family farm when you visit his restaurant or drink his innovative Swamp Pop sodas.

BY CHERÉ COEN PHOTOS BY ROMERO & ROMERO

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acadiana profile june/July 2015

cuisine to Acadiana.

Special thanks to Jay's Solid Surface Countertops & More (337-526-3077) for providing a background for the food shots in this feature. acadianaprofile.com

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”

The only job I've had was working in the kitchen. I just dove into it, head-first.

“

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acadiana profile june/July 2015

It’s not every day

that Al Roker and The TODAY Show come to visit, but when the team showed up at the Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill at L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Chef Lyle Broussard was ready for it all.

“We did the whole Louisiana thing for him,” Broussard recalls. “Everything you can get down here, we did for him.”

Broussard served shrimp and grits, housemade boudin, boiled crabs and crawfish, whole redfish and étouffée – and more. But that’s a regular day for Broussard.

The Broussard native has served his “Big Ass Burger” on The History Channel’s All You Can Eat show; participated in the 2014 Hoffman Media Restaurant Take-

Sweet & Spicy Jalapeño Citrus Relish

of America and was featured in Thrive Magazine of Lake Charles as one of “13 Thriving 30 Somethings” in 2014.

Chef Lyle Broussard Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill // L’Auberge Casino Resort, Lake Charles // llakecharles.coM Over in Birmingham, Alabama, promoting Louisiana cuisine (he’ll do it again in October in Austin); and his pan-roasted Gulf grouper took second place in this year’s Louisiana Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans. This fall he’s scheduled to be on Chef Jeff Henderson’s show, “Flip My Food.”

He began as sous chef at L’Auberge in 2005, promoted up the ranks to now overseeing the Cajun and Creole cuisine — in addition to oversized burgers — at Jack Daniel’s.

He’s since earned his Certified Chef de Cuisine through the Culinary Institute

Although Jack Daniel’s serves up barbecue and grill specialties, Broussard considers himself “a seafood person.”

He creates crawfish cakes every Saturday, topped with a housemade charred sweet pepper relish.

Another favorite is the “cracklin’ dust” used to coat seafood, a combination of crushed cracklins and other items such as Parmesan

cheese and pecans that top everything from catfish to grilled oysters.

In his spare time, Broussard trains Tennessee Walking Horses and enjoys trail rides throughout southwestern Louisiana with family and friends.

“It’s just relaxing,” he says of the rides. “And when we’re there, we end up cooking. That’s when the black pots come out.”

Broussard began his career like many in South Louisiana, watching family members cook up culinary dreams.

His parents owned a restaurant in Lake Charles for years.

“That’s all we did, five days out of the week,” Broussard says of working the family business. “The only job I’ve had was working in the kitchen. I just dove into it, head-first.”

Crispy-Skin Gulf Snapper

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”

... There is nothing you can't accomplish if you put your mind to it.

“

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acadiana profile june/July 2015

Morgan City native

Brian Blanchard intended to be an engineer, enrolling at USL (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) while supporting himself washing dishes at iMonelli’s restaurant.

By the time he graduated he had worked up to maître’d, waiter and chef when the owner offered to sell him the restaurant.

“My mama always told me as a young man that’s there is nothing you can’t accomplish if you put your mind to it,” Blanchard says.

He was 23, and his bank’s loan officer wouldn’t let him sit down, let alone loan him the money. But his Italian grandfather Joseph Sefalu gave him an advance, and Blanchard became owner of iMonelli’s, working nonstop for years learning the business.

iMonelli Garden Salad with sweet creole vinegarette

Chef and Owner Brian Blanchard Café JoJo’s of Morgan City // iMonelli’s of Lafayette // imonelli.com Today, in addition to the long-standing iMonelli’s, Blanchard owns Café JoJo’s in downtown Morgan City and River Oaks Catering and Event Center in Lafayette. He recently purchased a building in Morgan City for his NicoBella catering service — named for his twins Nicholas and Isabella — and took over the property next to Café JoJo’s for the

casual Bay City Bistro, named for the Bay City Saloon and Oyster Bar that once occupied Café JoJo’s building.

Turns out Blanchard wasn’t a bad loan risk, after all.

“I have carpenters who work for me full-time,” he says. “They move around constantly.”

Blanchard serves Italian, Creole and Cajun cuisine, sometimes a combination of all three.

Sauces are his specialty, and he constantly experiments to offer new and innovative dishes.

His pesto vinaigrette, for instance, was created for his caprese salad, a more delicate topping that covers the mozzarella cheese and tomatoes without the cumbersome

Grilled WildCaught Arctic Sea Bass leaves of basil. The result is delicious and understated and doubles as a great marinade for beef. His beef tenderloin swims in a cognac peppercorn cream sauce and the fabulous seafood crepes appetizer is topped with a roasted pepper cheddar cheese cream sauce.

“We’re famous for our sauces,” Blanchard explains. “You’ll be hard pressed to find two dishes with the same sauce. I’ll bet there are 20 to 25 different sauces we do. I have fun with them. Sauces are my thing.”

Blanchard has no qualms about hiring young people, eager to give those with talent a chance. In his 26 years of owning restaurants, he notes how much the culinary atmosphere has changed, thanks to those in the younger generations.

“They grew up in The Food Network era,” the 50-year-old says. “They know what it’s all about.

They put so much life into iMonelli’s, River Oaks — all of them.

“I remember that very well,” he adds. “I relish that underdog role.”

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”

We opened in December, and there were people lined up outside.

“

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acadiana profile june/July 2015

The restaurants

of Richard and Lori Hurst are a true family affair, dating back decades. The business began with baker Hulo “Poor Boy” Landry in 1932 who hand-pushed a snowball wagon throughout Lafayette in an effort to make money during the Depression. He sold sandwiches on the side, and when the business took off, Landry moved to the banks of the Vermilion River into an expansive restaurant

that included live music. The flood of 1940 forced them to higher ground, but it was the expansion of Pinhook Road that drove the business to the country in Broussard, where Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn has been since 1977.

“That was the end of town for a long, long time,” says Richard Hurst, Landry’s grandson. “We moved out here to the middle of nowhere. There was no one around then.”

Frozen Cosmopolitan & Marinated Crab fingers

Chef Richard Hurst POOR BOY’S RIVERSIDE INN OF BROUSSARD // LITTLE RIVER INN OF NEW IBERIA // POORBOYSRIVERSIDEINN.COM At the time, the restaurant was run by Landry’s son-in-law and Richard’s father, Larry Hurst, who managed the establishment with his wife, Kathlyn. The plan was for Larry Hurst to retire to the country, so the new restaurant only offered 125 seats to the 580 seats once included in the Lafayette restaurant, Richard Hurst says.

“We opened in December, and there were people lined up outside,” Hurst says.“We had a fireplace going. We had people standing in the dining room waiting for a table.”

Today, the restaurant and catering arm are run by Richard Hurst and his wife, Lori, and Kathlyn Hurst still contributes in the kitchen. The family also owns and operates Little River Inn in the old Trappey’s building in New Iberia.

Family touches are all over the menus here.

The crabmeat Imperial, a combination of lump crabmeat, mushrooms and pimientos cooked in a rich cream sauce, was

Hurst’s grandmother’s recipe. Lori Hurst spent months working up a crab cake dish, jumbo lump crabmeat in a creamy cheese filling that’s fried and served with a Creole honey-mustard glaze.

Richard recently took that crab cake filling and topped it on French bread with extra butter and cheese and baked it for their new offering, “crabbies,” a crabmeat bruschetta, if you will.

“When I want something to eat, I do it, and it becomes a menu item,” he says.

Seafood reigns here, something Larry Hurst instituted when he ran

the show. Larry Hurst was a trendsetter, Richard Hurst insists, serving up seafood dishes that were not popular at the time, such as étouffée and boiled crabs and crawfish.

“When my dad started the redfish in the mid1960s no one ate it,” Richard says. “And then it just took off."

“He was the first to top the fish,” Lori adds.“He had chefs coming over here and looking at what he was doing.”

Grilled Flounder

Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn quickly expanded to offer a waiting and lounge area free from the elements.

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”

Our Louisiana flavors are based on growing up on the farm.

“

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acadiana profile june/July 2015

When Chef Collin

Cormier of Lafayette was studying law at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a friend suggested he work in the field to make sure his career choice was the right one. He did, and quickly realized that law was not for him.

“The men in my family were all the good cooks — my dad, my grandfather,” Cormier explains, but he initially never thought of cooking as a profession.

Hush Puppies & Cane Butter Spread

Chef Collin Cormier

POP’S POBOYS // LAFAYETTE // POPSPOBOYS.COM He decided to try out the Louisiana Culinary Institute and, remembering his friend’s advice, got a job in the field.

The new shoes fit.

He cut his teeth at Tsunami, then worked in the Caribbean and as executive chef at Blue Dog Café in Lafayette. Four years ago, Cormier moved out on his own, opening Viva La Waffle gourmet food truck that created innovative sandwiches with a waffle canvas and started a popular trend in Lafayette.

This spring, Cormier moved into a downtown Lafayette space for his latest adventure, Pop’s Poboys.

“It (the space) felt like it needed to be a little more classy,” Cormier says. “We thought it was a good vessel to experiment and push the envelope where people think about poor boys.”

Cormier toasts parbaked Langenstein’s French bread to give it a crispy quality, then adds ingredients that push the boundaries of traditional poor boy sandwiches. His "Bahn Bahn Shrimp Poboy" for example, marries grilled marinated shrimp with a chili garlic mayonnaise, pickled carrots and fresh cucumbers and cilantro. The “Boudreaux” features buttermilk fried

catfish, pickled okra, tartar sauce and blue cheese coleslaw.

The restaurant is named after Cormier’s great grandfather, Jacques “Jack” Guilbeau, who’s also the great grandfather of Cormier’s first cousin, John Petersen.

Cormier and Petersen created Swamp Pop sodas, sweetened with Louisiana sugarcane and flavors such as Ponchatoula strawberries and South Louisiana satsumas. The ideas for the flavors for the nationally distributed sodas came from Guilbeau’s farm in Scott, Cormier says.

“Our Louisiana flavors are based on our growing up on the farm,” he says.

Diners will get a glimpse of Guilbeau in the restaurant’s logo, plus spot a nod to family members — Cormier’s father is named Jack, as is Cormier’s son — as menu items such as the "Jack Special Poboy" consisting of turkey, ham, smoked gouda and a roast beef debris.

Banh Banh Shrimp Poboy

Pop’s Poboys is open for lunch Monday through Saturday and for cocktails and small plates as the “Guerilla Bar” on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition, the restaurant hosts special events.

“We always looked for a brick and mortar for Viva La Waffle,” Cormier says.

Once they acquired the 1930s building, Cormier envisioned a different style of restaurant.

Like Viva La Waffle, which took a classical item and served it up in unique ways, Pop’s Poboys offers different takes on the classic sandwich.

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acadiana profile june/July 2015

YOU VOTED. WE LISTENED. In our June/July issue and on our website, we included a ballot for you, to cast your votes for your favorite people, public figures, places, activities and shops in Acadiana. We tallied up the votes and can now present you the winners.

BY WILL KALEC • PHOTOS BY TRAVIS GAUTHIER

FAVORITE LOCAL STATION KATC

Starring the aforementioned Favorite News Anchor, Favorite Sports Reporter and Favorite Meteorologist, it’s not a huge shock that KATC is our readers’ Favorite Local Station. The area’s ABC affiliate covers the spectacle that is Lafayette and its surrounding towns better anyone. It begins with the popular, “Good Morning Acadiana,” – a sometimes serious, sometimes silly kickstart to the day hosted

by Tracy Wirtz. From there, Marcelle Fontenot and Jim Hummel anchor the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. broadcasts. katc.com

FAVORITE METEOROLOGIST

ROB PERILLO, KATC Sure, you could go to the window, pull back the curtain and look outside. OR, you could stay on the couch and watch Acadiana’s favorite transplanted son, Rob Perillo, cheerfully entertain you with the day’s forecast.

Arguably the most trusted, beloved and recognizable Lafayette media personality, Perillo has tracked hundreds of storms and hurricanes during his colorful tenure, including big boys (and girls) Ike, Gustav, Katrina and Rita.

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FAVORITE NEWS ANCHOR

MARCEL FONTENOT, KATC Trustworthy.

Accurate. Fair.

Informative.

Consistent. Talented.

Likable. Giving.

Charitable. There are a dozen more superlatives worthy of describing KATC’s Marcelle Fontenot, but only so much space, so we’ll stop.

On the scene and screen since 2004, Fontenot’s familiar face can be seen on the 5,6, and 10 o’clock newscasts. She’s been the local voice of authority for a handful of hurricanes and other events that have gripped the area. Fontenot is also fully entrenched in community betterment, volunteering with groups like the American Cancer Society and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

acadiana profile june/July 2015

FAVORITE LOCAL SPORTS REPORTER

TRAVIS WEBB, KATC For all things round and bouncy, hit up KATC’s Travis Webb.

He’s so much more than just scores. A native of Crowley and product of sports journalism factory Syracuse University, Webb is a multi-time winner of The Associated Press’s “Best Local Sportscast Award” and has been present at every sports moment worthy of hanging on a bar room wall – from UL’s New Orleans Bowl dynasty to the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl triumph in 2010.

meteorologist rob perillo

newS anchor marcelLE fontenot

Favorite Golf Course LeTriomphe

Golf – the sport of masochists and once referred to as “A Good Walk Spoiled” – becomes a lot more tolerable when played at LeTriomphe Country Club in Broussard. Home to a PGA Tour event, the Robert Trent Jones Jr., designed course features 12 holes in which water comes into play, fairways lined with rolling hills and large greens that play to a Par 72. Both Golf Digest and Golf Week named LeTriomphe as one of the Top 5 courses in Louisiana. letriomphe.com

Favorite Spa: Spa Mizan

sports reporter travis webb

There’s a very specific place to go when you’re looking to get away from it all – Spa Mizan on Kaliste Saloom Road in Lafayette. With an expansive 8,500 square-foot set up, Spa Mizan offers plenty of room and plenty of ways to treat yourself.

On the services menu are more than a dozen massage and body wrap options, including the spa’s trademarked Stress-Fix procedure that incorporates the essences of Lavender, Lavandin, Clary Sage, Frankincense and Vetiver into a Swedish deeptissue massage. There’s also a hair salon, nail care and waxing specialists on site. spamizan.com acadianaprofile.com

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Favorite Steakhouse Ruth’s Chris

Carnivores love to congregate at the national chain with Louisiana roots – Ruth’s Chris on West Pinhook. All signature steaks – filet, T-bone, ribeye, New York strip and porterhouse – are served on 500-degree plates that signal their arrival with a sizzle.

Then, there are the drool-inducing sides: asparagus, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, broiled tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms. ruthschris.com

Favorite Coffee Shop The Lab

Favorite Seafood Restaurant Don’s Seafood Hut

As far as track records and reputations are considered, good luck finding anything rivaling Don’s Seafood in Lafayette. The place has been packed since 1934, and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down four generations later. The interior is comfortable, matching the décor of the region, but most eyes are focused on the intricate plates and liberal portions. Anything that swims is fried to perfection. For those incapable of making decisions, order the Don’s Seafood Platter – it’s got crab, shrimp and oysters prepared a couple different ways. donsseafoodonline.com

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acadiana profile june/July 2015

don's catch of the day

When your co-worker says, “Don’t talk to me until my first cup of coffee,” tell them to get out of here with that attitude.

Then, tell them to go to The Lab in River Ranch. They take coffee seriously. The Lab – as you might suspect with their name – is always tinkering with blends and temperatures to create the perfect cup of Joe. thelabexperience.com

Favorite Spot To Get Boudin Billy's

Because we love picking a fight, this category was included for a second straight year. And, because opinions on this topic are more heated and spicier than the first bite of these delectable links, we (not surprisingly) have a new winner: Billy’s in Scott. According to boudinlink.com – the unofficial boudin bible – Billy’s scored a perfect A+ grade thanks to its aroma, flavor and equal meat-to-rice ratio.

Oh, it’s also got a boudin drive-thru at the store, meaning there’s no reason to leave your Lexus for a link, anymore.

shrimp poor boy

Favorite Sandwich shop

Favorite Italian Restaurant

People are particular about their poor boys – from the bread, the meat, how it’s dressed, heck, even how it’s spelled and pronounced.

With that established, many locals and tourists agree the folks at Olde Tyme Grocery do a lot of things right, and have been doing it for more than 30 years. The quaint corner store on W. St. Mary features a menu with the usual suspects: roast beef, shrimp, oyster and ham. For those seeking a variety of tastes per bite, try the Olde Tyme Special: ham, turkey, roast beef and Swiss. oldetymegrocery.com

For those seeking quality Italian cuisine, skip the trip to Sicily (and the hurt on your wallet) and travel to South Lafayette, instead.

That’s where you’ll find Marcello’s Wine Market Café, a shop-and-sit experience where you can pick out a bottle of wine from the retail section and enjoy it along with an order of pollo arrostito in the restaurant section. As far as recommendations, be sure to start with the mussels and follow that with the lamb ragu. You’ll thank us. marcelloscafe.com

Old Tyme Grocery

Favorite B&B

T-Frere’s House

Favorite Museum

Children’s Museum of Acadiana

Marcello’s

pepper crusted tuna

Southern elegance, beautiful décor, lush grounds to walk upon and decompress from the everyday grind. Oh, and fried eggs! What more could a person want?!?!?! It’s all at T-Frere’s, a historical bed and breakfast that dates back to the 19th century. Equipped to accommodate 20 guests, T-Frere’s features six bedrooms in the main house and two more guest rooms in the garconniere. Rumor has it, the place is haunted. tfrereshouse.com

Forget touchscreens, kids. This place is touch everything! The Children’s Museum of Acadiana – located in the soul of downtown Lafayette – is the ultimate handson edutainment experience for

both young and old. Be sure to check out exhibits like “Ami – The Acadian Ambulance,” a full-sized ambulance complete with loud sirens and bright lights. Also, take a stroll down Architecture Alley,

which consists of enough building blocks to construct anything imaginable, and don’t miss out on Le TV des Enfants, a kids-only newsroom sponsored by KLFY. childrensmuseumofacadiana.com

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Favorite Radio Personality CJ & Debbie

The show is like Red Bull for your ears – an amazing jolt in the morning. Residents have been waking up with CJ & Debbie Ray of 99.9 FM KTDY for two decades. Always equipped with a surplus of spunk despite the early mornings, the dynamic duo really ramps things up at the end of the week, hosting the Polyester Power Hour – a '70s and '80s retro request format that contrary to its name lasts for 3.5 hours. Research shows the streaming version of the Power Hour is heard in 30 countries, as Friday’s ratings come close to tripling the Monday-Thursday audience.

Favorite Place for Live Music

Downtown Alive!

A Friday-night, newage Cajun tradition, Downtown Alive! Isn’t as much a “place” for live music, but rather a “state of mind” for live music.

Split between Parc San Souci and Parc International depending on the date, Downtown Alive! features family-friendly bands that still pack a bit of a punch on stage.

That energy usually spills over onto a crowd of hundreds and sometimes thousands. The 2015 fall lineup is punctuated by Zydeco/Cajun music heavyweights The Pine Leaf Boys on Nov. 25.

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Debbie

acadiana profile june/July 2015

CJ

Favorite Jeweler Paul’s

At this Oil Center landmark, all that glitters is gold… or silver, or platinum, or is busting with diamonds, or perhaps enough birthstones to cover the calendar. Point is, Paul’s inventory is more blinding than the surface of the sun. Selling shiny things since 1954, Paul’s familyrun operation is a full-service jewelry store capable of outfitting customers for a night-on-the-town or for the ring to symbolize happily-ever-after.

chef holly goetting

Favorite Chef

Holly Goetting at Charley G’s Holly Goetting is proof childhood dreams do come true. As a kid, all she ever wanted to do was cook. And that’s what she now does for a living. For more than 10 years, Goetting has served as the executive chef at Charley G’s in Lafayette.

A graduate of the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, has pushed the boundaries of the menu, exploring and experimenting to keep Charley G’s a must-visit dining destination.

Favorite Bank Iberia Bank

With a litany of locations throughout Acadiana, Iberia Bank is the perfect place to handle all of your financial needs.

Whether you need a roll of quarters for laundry or a home equity loan, Iberia Bank has plenty of educated, smiling faces to take care of you.

Favorite charitable event Camellia Crossing

Camellia Crossing’s “Gleaux Run" is a run/walk that benefits families across Acadiana who are fighting cancer. A $25 donation helps purchase wigs, nutritional supplements and more, which the Miles Perret Cancer Services provides to families at no charge.

It takes place on the evening before Thanksgiving. milesperret.org/camelliacrossing

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Frenchmen Street Art Market

TR AV E L

New Orleans

WEEKEND ITINERARY FOR EXPLORING LIKE THE LOCALS

BY SARAH RAVITS // PHOTOS

BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

People travel to New Orleans from all over the globe; fortunately for residents of Acadiana, it’s a relatively quick (and picturesque) road trip. What follows is a tentative itinerary for a weekend jaunt to the Crescent City. Readers, be aware that part of the excitement of New Orleans comes from its spontaneity.

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Above, left: With a spacious wooden bar, exposed brick and comfortable seating, Tonique on Rampart Street is a great place to stop in for a creative cocktail on the outskirts of the French Quarter. Above, right: Located on Frenchmen Street, DBA hosts live music nightly with a huge beer and wine selection. Below, left: The Delachaise is primarily a wine bar, but its food, intimate atmosphere and location along the historic St. Charles Avenue make it a prime destination for visitors. Below, right: Washboard Chaz, pictured here at Spotted Cat, is one of the city's well-known local musicians.

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FRIDAY Sights to See After dinner, stroll through the nearby French Quarter, the oldest neighborhood in the city and home to hundreds of bars and tourist attractions. Whether you choose to party on Bourbon Street at night or meander through the quieter, more residential Lower French Quarter, it’s a must-see for all visitors. Most of the buildings were built in the late 1700s, and you’ll feel transplanted to a bygone era while walking around and soaking it in. Beyond the French Quarter is the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, where you’ll find Frenchmen Street, lined music clubs and eateries. With a more bohemian flair than that touristpacked Bourbon Street, Frenchmen Street is a favorite hangout among locals and visitors alike.

ENTERTA INM ENT

Sophisticated yet unpretentious, The Delachaise is a dimly lit, cozy wine bar with a romantic ambience. With an extensive wine list and other libations, it also serves elevated bar fare, including goose-fat french fries, a huge selection of cheeses, seasonal snacks, entrees and dessert. Sit outside on a balmy evening as the iconic streetcars rumble past you on St. Charles Avenue.

3442 St Charles Ave. (504) 895-0858 // thedelachaise.com

BAR TONIQUE

One great spot to catch live music is The Spotted Cat Music Club (spottedcatmusicclub.com) which doesn’t look like much from the outside. It’s a tiny, one-room music joint but what it lacks in size it makes up for in sound. It hosts a variety of musicians daily – shows generally take place at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. On Friday night, a real standout is the Cottonmouth Kings, who perform jazz, swing and traditional New Orleans jazz, often accompanied by swing dancers.

If you’re not tired from dancing and want to keep going, head over to Rampart Street and grab a nightcap at Bar Tonique, known for its hand-crafted cocktails.

It’s in a historic building with exposed brick walls and a laid-back, intimate atmosphere.

D INNER

IMBIBE

The Delachaise

SPOTTED CAT

PICTURE THIS Squid ink tagliolini topped with blue crab and herbs; Calabrese pizza (tomato, spicy salami, mozzarella, capers, olives); and the whole roasted Gulf fish with tomatoes, olives, chili peppers and garlic.

Domenica SUGGESTIONS Bring your hearty appetite to dinner at Domenica, a sleek, stylish Italian restaurant (owned by the Besh Restaurant Group) inside the elegant Roosevelt Hotel. Executive chef Alon Shaya’s Neoapolitanstyle pizzas (baked in a wood-burning oven) have garnered him numerous local and national awards, including the prestigious James Beard Award. Aside from the pizzas, there are a number of fresh pastas, seafood dishes, and innovative appetizers, including crispy fried kale. The restaurant’s popularity led to the opening of a spinoff Uptown, Pizza Domenica, which is smaller and more casual.

DOMENICA 123 Baronne St. // (504) 648-6020 // domenicarestaurant.com PIZZA DOMENICA 4933 Magazine St. // (504) 301-4978 // pizzadomenica.com

APPETIZER

The best appetizers might be a tie between the roasted cauliflower, with sea salt and comes with creamy whipped feta; and the fried Tuscan kale, drizzled with pine nuts, tomatoes and Parmigiana Reggiano.

ENTREE

Get a few entrees and share. Pizzas, fresh pastas and seafood dishes cooked to perfection are just a few mouth-watering options. \

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Right: The interior dining room at La Petite Grocery is elegant but comfortable with white tablecloths and booths lining the walls. Left: Salu is a spot for

casual dining, also Uptown on Magazine Street. On weekends, it offers a brunch special and lively atmosphere.

BRUNCH

Salú

SUGGESTIONS TO EAT

Associate editor of Acadiana Profile, Melanie Warner Spencer, swears that brunch at Salú on Magazine Street is one of the best deals town, due to its $15 bottomless cocktail offerings (including mimosas and Pimm's cups) and its $8 Bloody Mary bar which features a zesty homemade mix.

(And if you’re following this itinerary as a loose guide, you might need some hair of the dog after Friday night.) While this place is normally known as a wine and small plates bar, its “Boozy Brunch” on weekends exudes a festive atmosphere and lasts from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., offering a number of breakfast sandwiches, omelets, Benedicts and flatbreads.

3226 Magazine St. // (504) 371-5809 salutrestaurant.com

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Try the Crab Cakes Benedict for a hearty brunch option. For lighter fare you can always order one of their many salads or a soup of the day.

TO DRINK

The $15 bottomless cocktail offerings include Pimm's cups, screwdrivers and mimosas. You can also opt for wine, beer or another cocktail.

Shopping After brunch, meander down Magazine Street in either direction to check out boutiques, restaurants (it’s never too early to plan for your next meal), coffee shops and galleries.

If you head further Uptown on Magazine Street, eventually you’ll hit Audubon Park and the Audubon Zoo, a world-class attraction with an African savannah exhibit; the Asian Domain (with sun bears, elephants and a rare white tiger);

an aviary with exotic birds; a sea lion exhibit; a swamp exhibit and much more.

Meanwhile, on the nearby Freret Street, you’ll find a bustling landscape dotted with shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and live entertainment venues. The area experienced a major renaissance over the past decade and is now a popular destination for all ages, including college

students from the nearby Tulane and Loyola universities and yuppies in search of a good craft cocktail at Cure.Gasa Gasa livens up the scene even more. An intimate concert space with a full bar that this joint attracts a range of local, independent artists and national acts. It’s also part “folk museum” – as it hosts film screenings, art exhibitions. Make sure you check out the murals outside, too.

SATURDAY DINNER

ENTERTA INM ENT

La Petite Grocery La Petite Grocery is helmed by Chef Justin Devillier, who serves French cuisine with a creative Southern twist. Think fine dining blended with comfort food, using local Louisiana ingredients. He's been a finalist for the James Beard Award four years in a row, and his successes have garnered him much local and international praise. The atmosphere at La Petite Grocery is airy, with lots of natural light streaming in, and its Magazine Street location is charming and lively. You will definitely leave more than satisfied and with something to tell your friends back home about.

NEW MOVEMENT THEATER

HI-HO LOUNGE

The New Movement Theater (newmovementtheater.com) on St. Claude Avenue hosts “The Megaphone Show,” which features a well-known local telling three stories, inspiring improvisers to work their magic. Another act is rude. (www.rudestever. com) a witty multi-media sketch duo that performs on the first Saturday of every month at the New Movement.

For late-night dancing, head back downtown to St. Claude Avenue to the Hi-Ho Lounge on Saturday night. From 11 p.m until 3 a.m, the lovable (and longtime local favorite) DJ Soul Sister spins a blend of underground disco, rare groove, old school funk, boogie, hip hop and fusion jazz.

4238 Magazine St. // (504) 891-3377 lapetitegrocery.com

SUGGESTIONS

PICTURE THIS

APPETIZER

Highlights include the blue crab beignets; steak tartare with quinoa, buttermilk, horseradish and pickled quail egg.

ENTREE

LPG is renowned for its gourmet hamburger with house pickles, onion marmalade, arugula, whole grain mustard, aioli gruyere on a soft bun with hand-cut fries.

The Turtle Bolognese features bucatini, sherry, parsley and a fried soft-boiled egg

DESSERT

The real winner here is the Cardamommascarpone cheesecake with brown butter shortbread, Mayhaw granita and coconutginger sorbet.

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PICTURE THIS City Park is known for its natural beauty and particularly for its magestic oak trees, some of which are between 600 and 900 years old.

BREA KFA ST

Beignets No trip to New Orleans is complete without a beignet, or three. These delightful deep-fried pastries are smothered in powdered sugar and go great with coffee, hot or iced. There’s the storied, tourist-filled Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter overlooking the Mississippi River, or you can head over to City Park, where the Morning Call coffee stand is a local favorite. Grab a bite, dust the sugar off your shirt and then explore the park itself, which is one of the biggest urban parks in the U.S. Attractions include a lagoon, a small lake, and majestic oak trees and greenery—plus, it is also home to the New Orleans Museum of Art; a sculpture garden; an amusement park; and City Putt, a mini-golf course. Throughout the year, it also hosts free concerts, movie screenings, and other community events.

GETTING AROUND The STREETCARS of New Orleans travel two routes: Canal Street, which goes from the French Quarter to the cemeteries that border City Park Avenue in Mid-City; and the St. Charles line, which runs from Carrollton Avenue and brings you up and down St. Charles Avenue.

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Another option for transportation is UBER, which provides you with a personal driver who is summoned via a smartphone app. The driving service is similar in price point to a cab ride but much more reliable and timely; plus you can track your driver's whereabouts on the GPS.

Another option is to rent a scooter from a place like Eagle Rider of New Orleans – thought we don’t suggest this if you are imbibing. It’s a fun, efficient way to get around the city and parking is much easier in high-traffic areas. Plus the company frequently has deals available on Groupon.

Café Du Monde French Quarter 800 Decatur St. // (504) 525-4544 Morning call city park 56 Dreyfous Dr. // (504) 300-1157

SUNDAY

Both Morning Call (left) inside City Park and Parkway Bakery and Poor Boys (right) in the Bayou St. John neighborhood are nostalgic places that continue to serve New Orleans classics, like cafe au lait and fried shrimp poor boys washed down with a cold Barq's root beer.

LUNCH

Parkway Bakery For lunch, stop by the nearby Parkway Bakery, the easygoing, laid-back sandwich spot along Bayou St. John that looks like it hasn’t changed in half a decade (it was renovated following Hurricane Katrina, but maintained its down-home, friendly atmosphere). Known for its signature poor boy sandwiches and cold beer, the place is an inviting, classic New Orleans spot that’s favored among neighborhood residents and tourists from all over – President Obama even ate there a few years ago on a visit.

538 Hagan Ave. // (504) 482-3047 parkwaypoorboys.com

Sights to See Kayak rentals are available on Bayou St. John if you’re interested in one last hurrah before you hit the road. Visit kayakitiyat.com for more information.

OTH ER H A PPENINGS

10 DAYS OF COMEDY

A MAJOR MUSIC FESTIVAL

A HALLOWEEN PARADE

The burgeoning comedy scene in New Orleans features the Hell Yes Festival (hellyesfest.com Oct. 1-11, featuring local and national comedians, sketch, improvisational theater, standup and film at several live entertainment venues.

Voodoo Music Experience (worshipthemusic.com) one of the city’s largest music festivals, takes place Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in City Park, which provides a picturesque, eerie backdrop for the hundreds of live acts that grace the stages.

Headliners this year include Florence+The Machine, Modest Mouse, Ozzy Osbourne fea. Geezer Butler, Jane’s Addiction, the Zac Brown Band, and the Cult – not to mention all the local acts.

On Oct. 24 check out the Krewe of Boo (kreweofboo.com) parade, with eyepopping, spooky floats, costumed revelers and masked mad men running amok through the French Quarter.

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By Amanda Orr

As 2016 approaches there are still signs of thriving economic development in Cajun Country despite the worrying decline in oil prices. The rays of hope in local economies are largely due to the diversification of businesses entering into and expanding in the area.

Information technology and aviation firms find Acadiana attractive due to state and local incentives such as financing and tax breaks as well as strategic location and a workforce known for moving commerce forward. It’s true that the energy sector dominates local economies but the fact that different industries are realizing the benefits of bringing operations to the region may provide some insulation against the turbulence in the energy sector. And that’s what makes this season of downturn in the energy sector different from the crash of the 1980s.

According to the Louisiana Economic Development Authority nearly 18,000 people in Acadiana are employed in the oil and gas industry – the backbone of the local economy – and many of those people have lost jobs in the last year.

However, the region overall has been resilient as evidenced by local unemployment rates. The unemployment rates in Lafayette, Lake Charles and Houma-Thibodaux consistently stayed lower than the state’s average.

“The oil patch – Lafayette, Houma and Morgan City — are in a very different environment from Lake Charles. The latter is booming like no time in its history. The former region is suffering a slowdown due to much lower oil prices than a year ago,” Dr. Loren Scott, Economist and Professor Emeritus of LSU’s Department of Economics says.

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Lafayette

houma-thibodaux

Educating an information technology workforce

Infrastructure and Facility Expansion

Educating the workforce to meet the needs of 21stcentury industries is of crucial importance in Lafayette’s goal of establishing itself as the Silicon Bayou. One of the biggest challenges to keeping unemployment rates low is ensuring that those seeking jobs possess the skillsets necessary to fill jobs.

Lafayette boasts one of the highest population percentages in Louisiana of people over 25 holding bachelor's degrees – 33 percent for the city compared to 21.8 percent for the state. This statistic is significant because positive economic development and a highly educated workforce go hand in hand.

“The engineering capability in the area is off the charts. We’ve got worldclass programs locally that are turning out thousands of great minds in engineering and software development is a natural extension of that. We’ve got tremendous workforce resources in Lafayette and companies are recognizing that,” Jim Bourgeois, Executive Director, Business Development, One Acadiana says.

In fact, Perficient announced last year it would open a new software development center in the city. A move that will create

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over 200 jobs averaging $60,000 a year. Additionally, Louisiana Economic Development estimates Perficient’s presence will lead to 248 new indirect jobs.

The company is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and its presence will likely aid in attracting and retaining computer science graduates from UL Lafayette and South Louisiana Community College.

“We are working closely with the post-secondary institutions to ensure that we are able to meet the growing need for a highly educated workforce,” Bourgeois says.

Enquero Inc., a Californiabased company opening a software center with plans to employ 350 people with Louisiana Economic Development estimating 354 new indirect jobs as a result.

Canadian based firm, CGI broke ground in January on a 50,000 square foot technology center that will employ 400 employees. The facility, owned

by University of Louisiana, is expected to create 405 indirect jobs according to Louisiana Economic Development.

Bell Helicopter officially opened the $23.6 million Bell Helicopter Lafayette Assembly Center where the company will assemble the new commercial helicopter, the

Bell 505 Jet Ranger X. Each chopper is expected to fetch $1 million each and the facility will employ 115 people.

“Bell could have gone anywhere in the world, but they built the facility here where they know our community understands helicopters,” Bourgeois says.

All of the expansions and new business in Lafayette equates to one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state, 6.4 percent.

In 2014 total retail sales reached $6.41 billion – the highest year on record.

Oil is still the backbone of Lafayette’s economy and consequently the decline in oil prices could affect local employment, sales tax collections and home prices.

If there is a decline in state funding, the economic impact could be worse since the portion of state severance taxes and royalties that cities receive would also go down.

Terrebonne Parish is home to multiple oil and gas company headquarters and therefore faces some economic related uncertainty like the rest of the region. The Parish was recently put on a national credit rating agency’s (Fitch) watchlist because of the area’s dependence on oil.

Positive signs of economic development include improvement of infrastructure such as roads. It is likely the thoroughfare project connecting Highways 311 and 24 will open up space for commercial properties.

The last year has brought good news for business expansion in Houma with over $80 million projects announced that are estimated to create 1,000 new jobs, including two large corporations making the decision to relocate their headquarters to the city.

DANOS, an oilfield services company, cut the ribbon this year on its $10 million, 64,000 square-foot headquarters located in Gray.

Companies that have announced facility expansion or improvements include Dishman & Bennett Specialty Tools, Settoon Towing, Safe Zone Safety and Training Consultants, Barracuda Oil Tools, Performance Energy Services and PHI. K&B Industries recently completed a 200,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility and has plans to build a new administration center.

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Lake Charles Healthiest economy in its history

Lake Charles’ economic development outshines nearly any city in the entire state.

According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission the city has added jobs for 49 consecutive months and the unemployment rate was 5.5 percent in July.

The city’s economic growth is so great that the housing market cannot keep up with the demand. As of April 2015, five non-traditional temporary housing developments, including Pelican Lodge and Moss Lake Worker Village, have been permitted to meet the forecasted needs of workers.

Though Sasol pulled back on the $14 billion gas-to-liquids facility, the company is moving forward with the $8 billion ethane cracker complex slated to open in 2018, which is expected to create 500 full time jobs and its construction is expected to employ 5,000 workers.

Matheson Tri-Gas will supply the tonnage oxygen and nitrogen to Sasol’s ethane cracker through the Matheson built, owned and operated Air Separation Unit and pipeline. Louisiana Economic Development estimates that over130 new direct and indirect jobs in Louisiana will be traceable to the MATHESON project.

The Magnolia LNG project is an export $3.5 billion midscale export facility that will be located on 120 acres near the intersection of Henry Pugh Boulevard and Big Lake Road.

The project will consist of four LNG trains, each of which will produce 2 million tons per year of LNG.The project is expected to generate 1,000 construction jobs, 70 permanent jobs and 175 additional indirect jobs.

Houston-based Live Oak LNG will develop a $2 billion

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liquefaction and liquefied natural gas export terminal located on the Calcasieu Ship Channel on about 350 acres that will open in 2019 in Calcasieu Parish.

The plant’s capacity is expected to be up to 5 million metric tons per year.The project is estimated to create 100 direct jobs and 385 indirect jobs.

The casino tourism and entertainment industry has surged in Lake Charles over the past 2 years thanks to the construction and opening of The Golden Nugget, which employs over 2,000 people and averages 353,000 visitors per month since opening. Additionally, Golden Nugget Lake Charles has proven to incrementally grow the Lake Charles market, generating a 36 percent increase in revenues, according to the revenue reports published by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.

Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino and Hotel is planning a big $45 million expansion project expected to be complete by the end of 2016.

The casino's operators, Boyd Gaming, announced they're building a new hotel tower with 167 new rooms and suites.

Louisiana is developing a similar $20 million advanced manufacturing training facility for Sasol in Southwest Louisiana, along with a $3.7 million Aircraft MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) Center of Excellence – both at SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles.

The Port of Lake Charles City Dock is receiving a $22 million facelift via rail improvements and a $59.5 million state-ofthe-art export grain terminal to replace the Port’s aging grain elevator, which is projected to create 36 new jobs.

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culture les personnes 74

The prep football odyssey of Hahnville High School football coach Nick Saltaformaggio was full of unexpected detours, but ultimately he arrived at his ideal destination. by will kalec

la musique 78

The Necessary Gentlemen combine a love of old-time bluegrass, country and add an occasional Cajun twist. by michael patrick welCh

les artistes 82

Though it raised a few eyebrows among family, friends and outsiders, a choice Lake Charles artist Edward Cappel made nearly 15 years ago is one without regret. by will kalec

en français 88 Le drapeau d’Acadiana par david cheramie

culture LES personnes

friday night lights in acadiana The prep football odyssey of Hahnville High School football coach Nick Saltaformaggio was full of unexpected detours. But ultimately he arrived at his ideal Acadiana destination. by will kalec | photo by romero & romero

Promise, you’ll hear

Nick Saltaformaggio before you see him.

Blessed (or burdened, depending on if your glass is half-full or halfempty) with a hardened, jagged voice best suited for managing a noisy construction site, the

purveyor of this prep football palace wears a cap, not a crown; holds a stopwatch, not a scepter; and rules between a couple of bleachers, not over an entire kingdom.

Always busy running a team that is as much

Hahnville High School’s football games draw crowds of up to 10,000.

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of a brand as it is a program in local prep circles, the lifelong coach puts the infant

season on pause for just a moment. He speaks of the past before the present, of the journey that took him to this current destination, of how he traveled hundreds of miles to the place he always wanted to be,

which turns out was right down the road.

“I’m a little calmer than I used to be,” says Saltaformaggio, in his second season coaching the Hahnville Tigers. “But I’m still the same guy I always was – passionate,

intense, into the moment. I jog, and when I jog I say my prayers just in case I go down, at least I’ll have a shot of getting into purgatory.”

Until then, he’s content patrolling this 100-yard slice of heaven every Friday night.

High school football is important no matter where you go in Acadiana.

In some places, it’s a civic tradition.

In others, it’s a community reunion.

Travel a little further, and it borders on obsession. And then, there’s Hahnville.

Nestled on the eastern border of Cajun country, Hahnville’s expansive school grounds resemble a sprawling college campus. Its athletic facilities – including a sparkling new 3,500-square-foot weight-training center – draw envy from college football coaches who stop by to recruit Saltaformaggio’s players. And Friday nights – game nights – are part festival, part football.

No other high school in Louisiana has more players currently in the NFL than Hahnville. Its six state championships (the last coming in 2003) are tied for the most won by any high school within the unofficial territory of Acadiana.

“I’ve had the opportunity in the past to come in here and coach teams against Hahnville,” Saltaformaggio says. “Come to think about it, I don’t know if ‘opportunity’ is the right word, because it’s not the easiest place to play. But you look around, and you just think, ‘Wow, look at this environment. Look at this atmosphere.’ It’s like you’re lucky and unlucky at the same time – lucky to soak up the moment and unlucky to be on the visitors’ sideline.

“Every Friday night, it’s 8,000; 9,000; 10,000 people in the stands,” he continues. “Everything you want is right here. You can’t find that anywhere else. So for a kid who loves football, it’s an offer you can’t refuse. It’s an unmatched scenario.”

The circumstances that brought Saltaformaggio to Hahnville were just as unique. A defensive coordinator for years at Chalmette in St. Bernard Parish, Saltaformaggio took over for departed Owls head coach Eric Collins in 2004. It was his first head coaching position, one he intended to stay at for a very long time.

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LES personnes

Then, Katrina hit – wiping out much more than the 2005 football season.

Searching for employment as a coach, Saltaformaggio relocated to Georgia to direct two different programs while friends and neighbors back home labored through the arduous rebuilding process. He recalls uncomfortably watching the 2006 Saints-Falcons Superdome re-opener on TV while sitting with his wife in Athens, Georgia.

“There was a feeling of guilt, a feeling that I abandoned the community,” Saltaformaggio says. “Unfortunately, I learned a hard lesson: Don’t let finances dictate your life. I was humbled by it.”

East Jefferson High School extended Saltaformaggio an invitation back to Louisiana in 2008. He pounced immediately, building the Warriors into one of the top programs in south Louisiana. In 2013, Saltaformaggio’s club finished 15-0 and captured East Jefferson’s first state championship by defeating Karr 38-28 in the Superdome. The title – an elusive white whale for both the school and the coach – served as not just validation for Saltaformaggio, but also motivation.

“I remember being on the field and everyone is happy and my wife runs up to me and yells, ‘We did it!’” Saltaformaggio says. “And I told her, ‘Yeah, I screwed up.’ She looked at me weird, and I explained, ‘I screwed up because I have to have this feeling again and again. It’s never going to be enough.’

“And that’s why you come to Hahnville.”

But with built-in privileges – a bevy of talented players, an engrained football culture, rabid community support and a scholastic infrastructure suitable for winning consistently – comes pressure, as well. The man who wears the purple hat with the arched “H” – currently Saltaformaggio – is expected to produce. Some cower to those lofty demands. Saltaformaggio embraces them.

They’re why he came back home.

“This isn’t just about a football program,” Saltaformaggio says. “You don’t realize it until you get here. St. Charles Public School System promotes excellence, promotes involvement, and promotes an atmosphere of greatness.

As a football coach, it’s everything you dream about.”

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culture lA musique

an evolution of sound The Necessary Gentlemen combine a love of old-time bluegrass, country and add an occasional Cajun twist.

By Michael Patrick Welch | By romero & Romero

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To listen to the Necessary Gentlemen, visit acadianaprofile.com.

Drummer/percussion

Eric Ledet of The Necessary Gentlemen fondly remembers growing up in Marksville. “We had this little station, KLIL, that had this little show called the ‘Swap Shop,’ and before and after the show they used to play Cajun music, and I just fell in love with it,” swoons Ledet. “My grandparents were huge Cajun music fans and they loved to dance.

So from very early on I heard that music playing in my grandparents’ home.

The Necessary Gentlemen have tried to stick to those influences more. You hear it in the stringed instruments, in the fiddle playing.”

The Necessary Gentlemen’s Cajun country influence is apparent on the group’s song “Love, Anyway,” with its simultaneously wailing and lilting fiddle line. “We definitely appeal to those who grew up on the kind of Cajun country made famous on the Louisiana Hayride,” promises the Gentlemen’s primary songwriter and bandleader Jonathan Skavarka.

The bandmembers hail from all parts of Louisiana, but create their old-timey sound in New Orleans.

Mainly a country and bluegrass band, The Necessary Gentleman, formed in 2009, and had been playing for two years before adding several more members, including singer and mandolin player Tiffany “Fefe” Byram. “They made up the name before I joined,” jokes Byram. “The boys now like to say that I’m the ‘necessary’ part.”

Bandleader Jonathan Skavarka unintentionally founded The Necessary Gentlemen with some friends who also played

at the famous regular bluegrass jams at HiHo Lounge on St. Claude Avenue. Skavarka, who grew up in rural Pennsylvania listening to old-time country music, admits, “I never thought I’d end up playing bluegrass in New Orleans. ” Skvarka’s band’s bluegrass is tinged with the longing of Americana, the narrative bent of outlaw country and the simple structure of singer/songwriter folk.

The band describes itself as “a familiar sound with modern sentiment,” its lyrics addressing “heartbreak, women, loneliness and other realities of modern life.”

“What we try to do is create the mountains here in New Orleans,” says Skvarka. “In an urban area, everyone faces issues that are apparent. So I wanted to have this familiar sound, the melodies and the roots sound, while also telling a story about being part of New Orleans in its postKatrina landscape – these modern kinds of concepts, but then do it in a way that’s familiar to us as a band.”

As the group’s content has evolved so has its instrumentation, says Skavarka: “We were able to add new members who play banjo and harmonica, and we also have a fiddle player – when we have the banjo and harmonica player it really leans toward bluegrass, even though the chord progressions are more country and pop. Our banjo player recently moved to Arkansas so we’re once again evolving into something more like country music than true bluegrass – more mainstream, modern music.”

When asked what Byram has brought into the group

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la musique

as one of its newer members, she quips, “Well, obviously some estrogen… But I also sing harmony with John.

John is main songwriter, and I am also really good at critiquing him,” she laughs, while acknowledging that most artists could benefit from a trusted editor. Byram grew up attending a tiny musical church in Rocky Mount, Louisiana. “My grandfather was the music leader at that church. And it was so small you could walk up on stage and sing.

So I been singing on stage since I was old enough to crawl up there. I brought my guitar to church and it sounded horrible for six to eight months, until finally it started sounding good. Then piano came next in 3rd grade.

“Now I play several instruments, but there wasn’t a lot of room in the band for me to add more guitar,” admits Byram. “The only space left for me to fill was the mandolin – which is what I play now in the band because that’s what they needed.”

The Necessary Gentlemen often perform on the Northshore, but play most regularly at the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse on the second Friday of every month at 9pm. “We’ve done that particular gig for two years now and it’s been really great for us,” says Skvarka.

“Starting out, we used to play bars where very rarely did people sit and listen to what we were trying to sing.

At Neutral Ground, people can really hear the music we’re trying to convey… Our songs definitely have lyrics you need to hear to really appreciate the music.”

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acadiana profile october/november 2015

That lyrical focus continues on the group’s upcoming new album Hard To Leave, out this November.

But the record also marks a turning point for the band.

“On this album we stretched out pretty far, adding electric components for the first time, and creating a more complicated sound,” says Skvarka, who claims the group’s musical evolution inspired the album’s title: “It was hard to leave the sound we were used to, with acoustic instruments, three or four chords. But then lyrically it’s also about how it’s hard to leave memories, and hard to leave New Orleans, and hard to leave the comfortability of the single life.”

Both Skvarka and Byram are most proud of their collaborations on Hard to Leave. “’Hold Onto the Light’ is our swampy New Orleans song,” says Byram. “My favorite part is the drummer has two kitchen pans he’s banging together. We also co-wrote ‘Creole Gypsy,’ which is our love-song to New Orleans.” “’Creole Gypsy’ is a real simple country tune,” Skvarka elaborates, “about how New Orleans is a beautiful place, a beautiful joyous place…but get ready to have some scars at the end of the day.”

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culture les artisteS

artistic liberty Though it raised a few eyebrows among family, friends and outsiders, a choice Lake Charles artist Edward Cappel made nearly 15 years ago is one without regret. by will kalec

Because there’s no

written-out biography on Edward Cappel’s website – he’s working on it, the Lake Charles artist swears – he’s asked to recite the Cliff Notes version of the 82 |

path painting has taken him down thus far.

He pauses, takes another breath, then gets into it – pretty basic stuff, at first.

Dad’s brother was an accomplished

acadiana profile october/november 2015

painter. So was Mom. Supplies were plentiful as a kid – canvases, brushes, inspirational books, how-to texts.

Creativity was certainly encouraged and, therefore, flourished. As

Cappel says, painting “wasn’t a mysterious process as a little kid.”

Went to LSU. Majored in History.

Mom encouraged Cappel to load his electives schedule up

with art classes. Made sense, Cappel figured.

It was practical, if anything. While other students wallpapered their rooms in tacky posters, personal artwork hung around

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Cappel in his during long study sessions.

Did well enough to get accepted to medical school, breezed through two years before Cappel decided to drop all that for a bucket of brushes and paint tubes – you know, typical stuff... …Wait a minute. medical school?!

“Yeah,” he confesses, nonchalantly. “And, the thing is, I did well academically in medical school, so I think I was going to finish. But I couldn’t. Even with an M.D., I couldn’t see myself utilizing it.”

For Cappel, the path to paint intercepted the 84 |

path to be a physician and practice medicine.

Since 2001, Cappel has developed a stellar reputation (and cultivated a personal business) as one of the most-requested, and therefore busiest, portrait artists in Acadiana. Relying more on word-of-mouth rather than representation for commissioned works, Cappel also makes a conscious point to flex his diverse artistic muscle with a deep catalogue of abstract pieces, as well, not only showcasing but also nurturing an innate talent that (as

acadiana profile october/november 2015

weird as it may sound) would have covered beneath a doctor’s coat.

“Not only did I push away (from medicine), I pushed myself in the furthest direction from that; you know what I mean?” Cappel says. “When I was in the hospital, I thought I should at least give (being a full-time artist) a go. And that was difficult, because you open yourself up to everybody’s opinions. And people have an investment.

They want to see you do well. It’s a recipe for financial security, and the public has a

lot of confidence in the medical community.

“But (art) has worked for me,” Cappel says.

“Are there things from a business aspect I could learn and do better?

Well, yeah. But it’s evolved to where I had a bunch of commission work always lined up in front of me, to now, where I just feel like I’m producing.”

Looking back, Cappel guesses his passion for art blossomed so late in life (well, relatively compared to others) because the medium was never pushed upon him as a child. Though exposed to museums

and the process behind creating pieces by his mother, Cappel was never formally taught until he went to college, and even then, painting was never an emphasized academic concentration.

“It’s like playing an instrument – the onus is on you ultimately,” Cappel says of art. “You can learn techniques, and there are ways to expedite the process, but ultimately you have to find the notes and find the rhythm ...

You’re born with certain aptitudes. I don’t believe this is our first rodeo – that’s there’s

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strengths engendered in us from many, many lifetimes (before us).

It’s in your DNA, just like it would be in LeBron James’ son’s DNA to be bodacious athletically. I see water colors that I did when I was little that were pretty kickass.”

Cappel laughs, then seamlessly transitions into the subjectivity of art, a point emphasized by an anecdote about a study that examined 86 |

how renowned critics raved over children’s artwork when lined up next to the work of exalted painters. It’s all in the eye of the beholder, Cappel says.

Though he takes his craft seriously, Cappel has maintained his humility and sense of perspective. He speaks in a vernacular indigenous to California not Calcasieu, uttering more than once this whole art career has “been a trip.”

acadiana profile october/november 2015

“The way I look at art is that everything is valid,” Cappel says.

“Somebody could come to me and say, ‘Paint your favorite cat.’ And I’ll say, ‘Sure,’ because if it’s a gorgeous painting, it doesn’t matter if it’s a cat, or a show, or whatever.”

Most recently, Cappel has been inspired by various films and has adapted what he’s viewed onto the canvas in what he calls “a marriage between

portrait art, abstract and landscapes.” Though a bit of a reprieve from his usual, commission work, Cappel’s latest pieces share similarities to his previous catalog in both style and technique.

“I think we’re hard-wired to relate to faces,” Cappel says.

“And that struck me.

So that’s the same.

“There’s an energy to paintings that exists early on that when you obsess about it

and analyze it, you can dumb it down ...

But it takes a while to realize things like that,” Cappel says. “It’s like being a lead guitarist.

You’ll suck for awhile, know what I mean?

You’re not going to be Brian May of Queen out of the gate. It isn’t going to happen.”

To see more of Edward Cappel’s work, visit edwardcappel.com

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culture en français, s’il vous plaît

le drapeau d’acadiana par david cheramie

Le triple symbolisme du drapeau, à la fois acadien, français et espagnol, annonce notre diversité

On célèbre les 250

ans de l’arrivée des Acadiens en Louisiane menés par « Beausoleil » Broussard avec le Grand Réveil Acadien 2015 cet octobre. Dans toute l’Acadiana et au-delà, du Lac Charles jusqu’à la NouvelleOrléans, on fête cet évènement centré autour de Lafayette et des Festivals Acadiens et Créoles. L’ajout de l’ingrédient acadien à notre gombo culturel était déterminant. On ne serait pas Acadiana sans les Acadiens.

On constate un autre anniversaire important, le cinquantième de la création d’un symbole qui est devenu au fil des ans une représentation de fierté et d’identité et qui, ces derniers mois, a pris une ampleur que ces origines ne pouvaient pas présager.

En 1965, le Pr. Thomas Arceneaux a conçu le drapeau d’Acadiana à partir de plusieurs images synthétisant ainsi un emblème de notre état qui rivalise avec la mère-pélican déchirant sa poitrine pour nourrir ses petits.

On connaît que l’invention du mot Acadiana était accidentelle. Un jour en 1963, la toute nouvelle station de télévision à Lafayette, KATC, a reçu une facture avec une faute de frappe qui allait laisser une

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empreinte indélébile sur le pays. Fondée sous le nom de « Acadian Television Corporation », par mégarde, quelqu’un a ajouté un « a » à la fin du premier vocable. Quelqu’un d’autre avec un sens fin du marketing a trouvé que le nom « Acadiana » sonnait bien et décrivait la région qu’on cherchait à desservir. Il existe une autre version de cette histoire qui, selon l’historien Shane Bernard, attribue son origine au journal de Crowley Daily Post qui aurait créé l’appellation pour désigner la seule paroisse d’Acadie. Il y avait peut-être un rapport entre les deux; quoi qu’il en soit, le mot a pris de l’ampleur quand le drapeau a été présenté en public. En 1971 la législature louisianaise a créé la région sud de l’état composée de 22 paroisses nommée Acadiana; trois ans

acadiana profile october/november 2015

plus tard, le drapeau du Pr. Arceneaux a été officiellement adopté pour la représenter.

Le triple symbolisme du drapeau, à la fois acadien, français et espagnol, annonce notre diversité. L’étoile de Marie, la fleur-de-lis et le château de Castille, en combinaison avec le bleu, blanc, rouge et or, sont aussi reconnaissables pour nous que l’Union Jack des Britanniques ou la couleur verte des Irlandais. On le voit flotter partout chez nous et nos compatriotes l’ont fait déferler dans des pays lointains.

Nos jeunes l’ont pris à cœur en l’arborant avec fierté. C’est tout juste si on ne lui prête pas allégeance comme à la bannière étoilée.

Pourtant, depuis la tragédie de la fusillade à Lafayette, il semble que ce drapeau est encore plus signifiant.

On déplore le décès de deux jeunes femmes; Mayci Breaux et Jillian Johnson étaient symboles elles-mêmes de tout ce que notre culture offre de beau et de précieux. C’est d’autant plus insensé et ironique que l’une d’elle ait repris ce drapeau et d’autres marques de notre identité afin de les transformer et les moderniser pour une nouvelle génération d’activistes. C’était tout à fait approprié que le cercueil de Mme Johnson fût couvert de ce drapeau. De toutes mes années dans la lutte pour la défense et l’illustration des langues et cultures francophones de Louisiane, je n’avais vu ça que deux fois avant.

La première fois, c’était pour le Juge Allen Babineaux qui, en plus d’avoir été un juriste francophone hors pairs, était sans doute le plus

grand promoteur de ce drapeau. La deuxième, c’était pour Richard Guidry, l’éducateur et le linguiste à qui le Dictionnaire de français louisianais est dédié. J’avais l’énorme privilège d’avoir eu ces deux hommes en tant que modèle et mentor.

On ne peut pas suivre de meilleur exemple pour vivre notre histoire, notre langue et notre héritage. Justement mais tragiquement, la troisième était Mme Johnson.

Ils étaient tous les trois des combattants d’Acadiana, des soldats pour l’affirmation de nos valeurs et de notre identité. À leur manière, ils se sont battus pour la cause d’Acadiana. Ce n’est peut-être pas un symbole pour lequel on peut mourir, mais ça vaut la peine qu’on vive pour ce que ce drapeau exprime. Ayez une petite pensée pour eux la prochaine fois vous le voyez s’agiter dans la brise et soyez fiers de vivre en Acadiana.

For an English translation, visit acadianaprofile.com.