Globe Corner Blogs

After years of visiting our son/chef in New Orleans, we finally were initiated into the ultimate southern Louisiana spring ritual of the backyard Crawfish Boil.

In the rest of the country, the onset of warm weather prompts folks to light their grills and invite friends and family over for a backyard “barbecue” or “cookout” depending on the region.  In New Orleans, early April means its time to fire up a 60 quart pot of water, dump untold mixtures of Cajun spices into it and simmer it until suitably fiery.

While superficially bearing a vague resemblance to a New England Clam Bake (it’s outdoors, messy, and involves copious amounts of beer and shellfish), a Louisiana Crawfish Boil is far more exotic in its ingredients and flavors.

The discussion of a Crawfish Boil’s technique, spices and ingredients invokes passionate debate (and more beer) during the preparations.  When a group of friends assembles around a backyard grill in Boston, the heated talk revolves around sports (professional) and politics.  In New Orleans, folks get animated when talking about what they ate last night, what they are going to eat in a few minutes, and which musicians they’re planning to hear later (much later) that evening.

The Crawfish Boil’s ingredient’s list (at least this one) was akin to chopping up everything you encountered at a farmer’s market and dumping it into the pot:

*  50 lbs of crawfish (for about 12 people)
*  corn on the cob
*  artichokes (served whole)
*  brussel sprouts
*  potatoes
*  onions (multiple kinds)
*  garlic
*  boudin blanc (a Cajun Louisiana sausage)
*  pork chops
*  hot dogs
*  vast, unknown (to me) quantities and varieties of cajun spices

Once the simmering cajun spice-laced water is deemed ready by the Boil Master, the first batch of every ingredient is dumped into the pot — simmered for about eight minutes and then the pot is removed from the heat.  It “rests” for about 20 minutes (the length of time a subject of vigorous debate — and more beer).  During the rest period, the guests spring into action to line up a series of tables, cover them in newspaper (taped down), and make sure everyone has fresh beers.

When the first batch of crawfish is ready, the cooking team lifts the strainer out of the pot (see above photo) and dumps the first 25 pounds of crawfish, meat, and vegetables onto the now 12 foot-long “buffet” table and the primordial meal begins:  No silverware, no plates, no napkins, no chairs– folks standing elbow to elbow grazing on the feast.

Although the crawfish look like a baby lobster, the consumption is much more straightforward — break the head off from the tail and in the local parlance — “suck the head and pinch the tail” — I generally skipped the head part and ate the tail section.  Even familiar foods like corn on the cob became exotic with the intense flavors of the cajun spices, crawfish, boudin and other vegetables.

Reputedly, about 60% of the world consumption of crawfish occurs in Southern Louisiana.  I’m pleased to have joined this elite group of gourmands.

Read more: Cajun, crawfish boil, Food & Wine, Louisiana, New Orleans, Travel


Pat

Trackback URI | Comments RSS