You can see it in the way I walk, I'm a Cajun woman! (Spoiler alert: it's a waddle because I ate too much...)

I've lived in Shreveport-Bossier for three years now. Before the move, my only experience with Shreveport was driving through it to visit family in Tennessee. I really had no idea what to expect here, but my tummy and hips are happy to say that the food has never disappointed.

There are a few dishes that I had never tried before moving here, but now I can't imagine living without them. In fact, I find myself taking visiting friends and family out for these dishes whenever they are in town. I'm obviously trying to convert them to Cajun-ism, but secretly I just can't get enough of these so I jump at the chance to eat more and more and more.


Boudin Balls

Lord have mercy on my soul. Boudin balls was a spiritual experience for me. The perfect "Welcome to Louisiana" dish that will beckon you to come back for more. It's like everything you love from gumbo, bound together in a ball and fried. Served with a remoulade sauce and you might just have died and gone to heaven. I'm definitely serving these at my next Super Bowl watch party.


King Cake

I'll admit, cake with a baby Jesus inside it seemed high sacrilegious. I stayed away from King Cake in fear of what my mama would say. And then I tasted it. Immediately I was baptized in Mardi Gras. I stuffed my face with cinnamon King Cake for about 2 years before discovering other flavors, like chocolate and pecan praline. My hips don't lie... I love me some King Cake. Are we sure we can't have this all year round?


Crawfish

First described to me as "tiny little swamp lobsters", it's easy to tell why I didn't immediately jump at the idea of dismantling my food before eating it. And sucking the heads? Nah. I wasn't about the Crawfish life. Finally, my father in law sat me down and told me I didn't know what I was missing. And he was right. Juicy, meaty, and spicy as all get out. The perfect diet food when you think about it, since you have to work so hard to get the meat, you mentally fill up fast. I may not suck the heads, but I peel with the best of them.


Etoufee

Although I still have to consult Siri on the spelling of this dish, I'm a big fan! How could you not be a fan of a dish that has the word "smothered" in the description?! It's also a dish you can customize with protein and vegetable selections. Nothing beats shrimp or crawfish though. Yep, I just said crawfish... the dish you have to "dismantle before eating it." I told you, I'm on the Cajun side now.


Beignets

What is this? A fancy name for a doughnut? I thought beignets were way too pretentious to be delicious. Again, it was a description that sold me on this dish. Fried. Crispy. Powdered (with sugar). And you can dip these guys in sauces like chocolate, caramel, chocolate-caramel, orange marmalade. I secretly want to make beignets and fill them with Nutella. Good gracious, me-oh-my, wouldn't that be heavenly?


Needless to say, Shreveport-Bossier has been delicious. These dishes were new to me, but have become the staples for which so many great memories have been made for me. Like, the first time my dad came to visit, we had crawfish etoufee. It was something that he had already had before, but that's besides the point. I still like to think that I introduced him to it.

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