Louisiana food is a mash-up of flavors as diverse as the people themselves. European, African, and Caribbean influences have produced a spicy and uniquely New World cuisine. No trip to the state is complete without a stomach-distending feast, one filled with shrimp or crawfish or oysters, redfish, grouper or tuna. To pay tribute to the sheer tastiness of Louisiana, we offer a modest sampling of some of New Orleans’s best cooks and their awesome eats. BY GHM STAFF