This Hopper Popper might be the best single-bite appetizer you’ve ever tasted. A spicy jalapeno pepper filled with Brie cheese surrounds buttermilk-brined rabbit meat in a smoky bacon-wrapped package that is deep-fried golden brown. Oh yeah! Hopper Poppers! Fried Bacon-Wrapped Rabbit Poppers — hot out of the fryer; this is creative Cajun cooking.  (All photos credit: George Graham) Not quite sure when this whole “popper” thing burst onto the Cajun food scene, but my hunch is it traveled across the Sabine River like many other Texas transplants.  Sometime back in the 1990s, I began ..read more

Ready to serve–a golden brown Chic Steak Sandwich. (All photos credit: George Graham) Ding…ding…ding! Order up! Chic Steak Sandwich, extra mayo, hold the pickle! My father, George Graham, Sr., was slinging burgers at White Tower in Michigan in the years before WW II and wound up welding aircraft parts in a factory in Detroit until war’s end. Flush with cash and a dream, he and my mom headed back to the South and opened a small café on the main drag of the little town of Bogalusa, Louisiana. George Graham, Sr., my father, and the best restaurateur I’ve ever known. In 1946, my father’s resta ..read more

More and more these days, I’m seeing traditional South Louisiana restaurants serving Cajun and Creole dishes with plate presentation techniques that impress. The days of a sprig of parsley and wedge of lemon are over. Simple things: a swish of sauce, a cedar plank fish, a scooped-out bread bowl, or even a “Frenched” bone exposed on a thick-cut pork chop can make a difference in the dining experience. As long as food quality is high and the prices are reasonable, I applaud the creativity. For me, it all breaks down when subpar food and a hefty check follows the fancy presentation. That might wo ..read more

Crispy golden brown pastry on top, flaky piecrust on the bottom, and a velvet creaminess oozing mellow flavors with the fruity flavors of figs spiked with red pepper—that’s my Baked Brie with Fig Preserves — a sweet French Louisiana version of a classic baked brie. My Baked Brie with Fig Preserves is a French classic recipe featuring easy-to-find ingredients. (All photos credit: George Graham) Baking a round of brie cheese in pastry has been around for decades, and I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember—doing it wrong.   I used to simply take the brie out of the package ..read more

When I glance at a menu and see anything featuring rémoulade sauce, I’m salivating. Usually, it’s a straightforward shrimp appetizer served on a bed of shredded iceberg that in the hands of a cook that has their rémoulade repertoire figured out is well worth ordering. But recently I was astounded to find a spin on shrimp rémoulade that redefined the dish with a down-home Southern twist.  That’s right, a Fried Green Tomato Shrimp Rémoulade. Fried Green Tomato Shrimp Rémoulade: The crunch of fried green tomatoes provides the backdrop for a cold and spicy shrimp in this classic So ..read more

With words reminiscent of immortal Louisiana bluesman Fats Domino, I found my thrill on this hill of blueberries piled high on a mountain of cream.  And one bite of this easy-to-assemble Blueberry Cream Pie will make you sing the blues, too. A thrilling Blueberry Cream Pie made easy with store-bought ingredients. (All photos credit: George Graham) Who knew that a magnificent Blueberry Cream Pie recipe could be so easy?  My sister-in-law Rhonda Waldrop did, and she recently introduced me to this original one-of-a-kind cream pie.  Rhonda has a legendary sweet tooth and is blesse ..read more

Spicy and full of Cajun flavors, this Chaurice Sausage and Egg Pie will ignite your taste buds. Pork, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and spices turn this one-skillet breakfast dish into a cultural history lesson. Spicy, peppery, and colorful–a classic Cajun recipe for a savory Sausage and Egg Pie.  (All photos credit: George Graham) Breakfast in South Louisiana is a celebration of farm-to-table goodness.  The farming traditions of the region are rooted in a tough work ethic that is handed down through generations of French Acadian families that harvest the sugarcane, rice, sweet potatoe ..read more

My neighbor Cookie who lives across the alley is a sweet ray of sunshine that brightens my day and occasionally brings breakfast to my back door.  I’m blessed to have a former caterer as my friend, and thankfully, she still delivers.  She is an exceptional cook and this particular morning she brought me one of her breakfast specialties.  Her farmhouse frittata is classic yet simple, taken to new heights with a lavender cream sauce. Farm-fresh eggs are the key to the perfect farmhouse frittata.  (All photos credit: George Graham) Frittata is an Italian dish that is mimicke ..read more

Shrimp and Artichoke Fettuccine is a classic, and my daughter Lo’s favorite seafood dish to make. Fresh, creamy, and smoky– Shrimp and Artichoke Fettuccine is a Louisiana recipe favorite. (Photo credit: George Graham) Combining fresh Gulf shrimp with pasta, artichoke hearts and mushrooms in a creamy sauce infused with smoked tasso has become a popular Cajun recipe throughout Louisiana. And with shrimp season in full swing, there’s no better time to make this tasty dish. Captain Quincy on his shrimp boat the MISS SHARON. (Photo credit: George Graham) To source the freshest Gulf shrimp ..read more

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