One of my greatest pleasures in life is feeding people. Nothing satisfies me more than watching friends and family gathered around my table, eating the food I prepared, and knowing it was made with love. This is the reason I started blogging two years ago—I wanted to be able to reach more than just family and friends through food. Food is a universal language that can bring people of all races, cultures, and beliefs together with no judgement … just the common love of experiencing something delicious together.
I discovered this after moving to Louisiana. I was the outsider. I grew up southern, but had never eaten Cajun food, and it didn’t matter! I was welcomed with open arms and asked to join in on family traditions dating back years and years. The food brought us together; well, that and the fact that I ended up marrying a Cajun. The food is what drew me in and made me fall in love with a place, its cuisine, and a culture that truly enjoys life.
I may not be a born Cajun, and I may not have grown up cooking the dishes that made Louisiana so well known, but what I do know is that after living there for a decade, the food has been an inspiration in my kitchen. By combining traditional Cajun cuisine with my own fresh, farm-to-table approach, my hope is everyone will find something in this cookbook. I want readers to get in their kitchens and make something delicious and nutritious for their families, feeling confident all the while!
Being able to share my food with more than those who sit in my kitchen is a goal I have had for some time. These dishes are made with ingredients native to Louisiana, but can be found in most grocery stores across the country (I live in Texas now), making them easy for any home cook.
Having recently had my first child, sharing my love for cooking is even more important to me. I have so many memories of being in the kitchen with my mom, and I can’t wait to make new memories with my son. If just one person creates a memory with someone they love through cooking one of my dishes, then I’ll be satisfied—that is what it’s all about to me.
Food is love, and I have so much that I want to share. My hope for this cookbook is that it inspires people to spend a little more time eating dinner with their families and breaking bread with friends, and that it encourages you to get in the kitchen to try something new.
Cheers, from my kitchen to yours.
Laissez le Bon Temps Roulet (Let the Good Times Roll)