TOUR CANCELLED BY HURRICANE - LET'S MEET & EAT CAJUN STYLE

[Marty Roth]

Lagniappe Chapter of Louisiana Region AACA spent more than two years planning our Halloween weekend Region Tour based out of Houma, Louisiana. Hurricane Ida devastated the area, including our host hotel, most others, and many of our planned venues.

 

What do Louisiana folks do when tragedy strikes? First we care for those affected, then we commiserate, and then we find a way to, as Cajuns say

"PASS A GOOD TIME".

 

Our Lafayette-based members of Evangeline Chapter knew we really needed to see some friendly old-car faces. They arranged for Landry's Seafood and Steakhouse in New Iberia, LA to close for the day to host a private luncheon for AACA members. 

 

Approximately 80 attendees representing Evangeline, Contraband (Lake Charles), Cen-La (Alexandria), and Lagniappe (Houma-Thibodaux-Schriever) descended on the very nice restaurant at noon Saturday, many driving vintage vehicles. We drove approximately 260 comfortable miles round-trip in our (now-legitimate AACA acceptable) 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis - my Mom and Dad's last car. Following pledge and prayer, we did what Louisiana old car folks do best - we sampled a wonderful buffet variety of cajun food.

 

It was a genuine treat to visit with so many long time friends, and to welcome new members. The restaurant staff were exceptional and helped make the day even more enjoyable.

 

Hurricane recovery is a slow process - especially in the Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Charles areas with so much damage, dealing with insurance companies, adjusters, contractors, etc.,  and many still needing temporary housing or trailers, but recover, we will. 

Edited October 31, 2021 by Marty Roth
Add pictures (see edit history)

[61polara]

Great way to recover a lost tour rather than just canceling it.

[kings32]

Wish more clubs would do things like that , didn't see much left over . Kings32

[Marty Roth]

4 hours ago, 61polara said:

Great way to recover a lost tour rather than just canceling it.

 

1 hour ago, kings32 said:

Wish more clubs would do things like that , didn't see much left over . Kings32

 

Leftovers ??

The food was never-ending, and well prepared.

The salad bar was very nice, but ...

but most of us concentrated first on friendship and conversation, so missing over the past couple of years-

Then, of course, there was almost every variety of Shrimp, served Etouffee, fried, then there was Catfish, Hushpuppies, Crab, Gumbo, beef dishes, 

so many others that several diets likely suffered a temporary setback.

 

The New Iberia location, some 30 miles south of Lafayette, was central to the southern part of Louisiana, no more than a couple of hours drive for most, and maybe another hour for the folks coming up from St. Bernard Parish which is down-river from New Orleans. With a picture perfect, "Chamber-of-Commerce" weather day of clear skies and temps in the mid 60s to low 70s, some of the local hardships were placed on the back-burner. On the bridge over the pond, we stopped to observe the ducks, the Cypress Knees, the restaurant constructed to look like a typical Louisiana wetlands cabin from bygone days, and the relaxed environment just off US-90 and the "Future?" I-49 extension.

 

Buddy & Evelyn Whitney drove their brand new red mid-engined Corvette convertible which they had just received at the Bowling Green, Kentucky manufacturing plant.

That car is fantastic!

I got to sit in the Corvette, and was so amazed that I forgot to even get pictures of it.

 

Following hours of renewing friendships, eating, inquiring about friends and family, eating, asking about storm and home recovery, eating, old car projects, eating, my suggestion to the region to plan to attend and drive the 2022 AACA Founders Tour, hosted by Mobile, Alabama's Deep South Region during March 20-25, and eating again,

most made plans to attend our next get-together,

which will be the December 1, 2021 Louisiana Region Installation of 2022 Officers.

[Paul Dobbin]

I bet Marty LRoth had a lot to do with making that event a success,   Thanks Marty.

Our group here in the Smoky Mountains did a Leaf Peeper Tour last Sunday.  A beautiful day with plenty of color along the Little Tennessee

River, Rose Creek & Burningtown Creek.   Only Ressturant open at 3;30 PM was a Mexican place called Mi Casa who did  a great job of feedig 

11 car loads in record time.    Tour cars included a 25 Model T, a 29 Model A Roadster, a 31 Model A Pickup, a 32 Plymouth Sedan, a 34 Ford

Fordor a 35 Ford Fordor, a 36 Packard Sedan,  a 40 Lasalle sedan, a 48 Desoto Limo, a 51 Ford Victoria, a 63 Avanti.   It ook us about 90 minutes

to travel the 30 mile mountain route.  A good time was had by all.

I was having such a good time i forgot to take pictures.  I hope the guy in our back seat got some.

[TheMoneyPit]

That deserves two thumbs up! Great idea to get together and enjoy the car family.

[mike6024]

Shrimp Etouffee

 

have to try making that.

 

Shrimp Etouffee! This classic Louisiana stew is made with shrimp, the Holy Trinity of onion, celery, and green pepper, and a simple roux to thicken it up. Serve it over rice for a true Cajun meal!

Étouffée basically means "smothered," and it is a common cooking technique in the South; a fricassee is the same deal. You make a flavorful sauce and cook a meat or fish in it, not so long as a braise or stew, and not so short as a sauté.

[CHuDWah]

8 hours ago, Marty Roth said:

...Then, of course, there was almost every variety of Shrimp, served Etouffee, fried, then there was Catfish, Hushpuppies, Crab, Gumbo, beef dishes, 

so many others that several diets likely suffered a temporary setback...

 

What??  No mudbugs and gator??!!  🤣

 

Laissez les bons temps rouler!  Sounds like they did.  When we lived in the frozen north many moons ago, we'd get an annual respite by spending a couple weeks in LA around Christmas/New Year.  The state parks had nice cabins at reasonable rates.  They may still have, although a lot were hit by 'canes.  We'd rent one in a different park every year and take day trips to area attractions.  Some of those attractions were restaurants like Landry's.  Prejean's is another great Lafayette eatery.  IMO, cajun cuisine is the best.  I always came home from those trips several pounds heavier.

[Marty Roth]

58 minutes ago, CHuDWah said:

 

What??  No mudbugs and gator??!!  🤣

 

Laissez les bons temps rouler!  Sounds like they did.  When we lived in the frozen north many moons ago, we'd get an annual respite by spending a couple weeks in LA around Christmas/New Year.  The state parks had nice cabins at reasonable rates.  They may still have, although a lot were hit by 'canes.  We'd rent one in a different park every year and take day trips to area attractions.  Some of those attractions were restaurants like Landry's.  Prejean's is another great Lafayette eatery.  IMO, cajun cuisine is the best.  I always came home from those trips several pounds heavier.

 

More and more folks come to appreciate the benefits of southern living - me included, having first transferred from NJ/NY back in 1969 !

How many choose to retire and move north?

Prejean's, on the east side of I-49 and just north of I-10 is still one of our favorites. Their alligator dishes are exceptional, and we especially enjoy when their band performs traditional Cajun tunes. It is only a couple of hours drive from here, and well worth the time and travel, but of course there are a good many lesser known but fantastic eateries. Visitors often plan to dine at the famous places. Afterward, we show them how the local "Mom & Pop" places are every bit as good, nowhere near as expensive, and likely less stuffy. 

 

Yes, the state parks are a very good option, and frequently are booked well in advance - especially by locals.

 

Hopefully, more folks will visit our National WWII Museum here in New Orleans. It is a national treasure, and a reminder that freedom is not free. I donated my Dad's SeaBees 6th Special Battalion memorabilia when they first planned the Pacific Theater Wing, and helped plan the parade and pre WWII vehicles for that extravaganza.

 

There are many backroads to drive, many eateries to explore, and friendly people to share the way of life I've come to appreciate-

and as in Florida and SoCal, we get to drive our old cars all year round!

Edited November 1, 2021 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[bill pritchett]

Thanks for not inviting me.

[Marty Roth]

7 minutes ago, bill pritchett said:

Thanks for not inviting me.

 

Bill, you're always welcome, but only because of your bride ...

and your granddaughter.

1,450 miles might have been a long way to drive for lunch,

but then again,

appreciation dfor great folks and great food can sway my opinion - yours too?

[CHuDWah]

2 hours ago, Marty Roth said:

...There are many backroads to drive, many eateries to explore, and friendly people to share the way of life I've come to appreciate...

Yep.  The objective of our time in LA was to relax and "decompress" from our jobs.  And we're kinda nature buffs, so we tended to avoid the cities and stay in the more laid back rural areas.  We spent a lot of time driving those backroads and stumbling across many interesting, lesser-known places, including some great Mom & Pop restaurants.  No frills but fantastic food and inexpensive.

[Marty Roth]

1 minute ago, CHuDWah said:

Yep.  The objective of our time in LA was to relax and "decompress" from our jobs.  And we're kinda nature buffs, so we tended to avoid the cities and stay in the more laid back rural areas.  We spent a lot of time driving those backroads and stumbling across many interesting, lesser-known places, including some great Mom & Pop restaurants.  No frills but fantastic food and inexpensive.

 

Going north from Lafayette on LA-71, North of Cheneyville, maybe half way between Bunkie and Alexandria is a little town of Lecompte. Between the north and southbound sides of 71 is :

Lea's - a restaurant serving home style meals, and some of the best pies you will ever try - especially their cream pies.

When "Mr. Lea" was still alive, he was a guest on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNIE CARSON - such was his fame!

 

Back in Lafayette, there used to be a lunch place called Edie's, run by a family of brothers and sisters from St Martinsville. Edie was the youngest sister, and they bought my 1951 Ford F-6 Fire Truck, a Pumper built by Boardman in Ohio for  the Monsanto Chemical Plant in Luling, Louisiana where it served from 1951 until 1966, then serving St Rose and later Bayou Gauche before coming to our collection and serving in the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) 100th Anniversary Muster. Edie's restaurant was famous for their own food, but also for serving Natchitoches Meat Pies - another area of specialty since our grandson did his undergraduate work in Natchitoches and we visited regularly - Meat Pies are great

[mike6024]

 

We have only one southern style restaurant locally. Seems pricey. Been meaning to try it.

 

https://theparishcafe.com/healdsburg/

 

 

[Marty Roth]

13 minutes ago, mike6024 said:

 

We have only one southern style restaurant locally. Seems pricey. Been meaning to try it.

 

https://theparishcafe.com/healdsburg/

 

 

Mike,

from the script, menu, and verbiage, my guess is that someone who appreciates Terrebonne or Lafourche Parish and the Houma area has a hand in this. I agree it seems a bit pricey, but if the food is as good as it sounds, you deserve to treat yourself (am definitely maybe a better-half) from time to time.

 

Then again, isn’t much if Sonoma County rather pricey? Louisiana cooking would go well with some of your local wines, as I recall from our last cross-country drive in the ‘54 Caddy convertible 

 

 Thanks for the heads-up on case we get to visit your area.

Edited November 1, 2021 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

Looks like a fun time. Thanks for sharing.