During the St. Jude auction last summer one item in particular caught my eye. Fred Trahan (awbowman) had offered up a package at his hunting camp "Too Blessed to Be Stressed" for two people to experience all the wonders of life in Cajun country. The culture, the food, and hopefully some deer hunting!
I love trying new things and seeing different places, so this was right up my alley. My buddy Tippit was planning his retirement and I knew he would be looking for something to do, so we teamed up on the bidding for this trip. We were not to be denied!
The dates were set for mid-January. This should put us smack dab in the middle of the Louisiana rut... :thumbsup:
Fred was gracious enough to allow me to bring my wife Irene along. We drove down ahead of time for a little camping first, and then picked Jeff up at the airport on our way to Fred's camp.
Come along on our Cajun adventure!!
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The chance to try deer hunting in a totally different environment was one of the lures of this trip. Judging by the pictures Fred had been sharing I think Louisiana a sleeper state for whitetails, and we were really looking forward to it. I know ya'll want to hear about the hunting, and we will get to that. but first things first.
As we would soon learn, life in Cajun country is all about the food. In many hunting camps it is the guy that shoots the biggest bucks and is the best hunter that gets the most respect. In Louisiana that honor belongs to the camp cook. Food is king, and those that prepare it are rightly held in high esteem.
Fred had set up an All Star lineup for our visit, with at least one, and often two different guest chefs each night. We were told upon arrival that if we didn't each leave at least three pounds heavier the trip would be considered a bust. I can tell you that I did my part not to disappoint...
:campfire: You are making me hungry already Joe!
The first night was a treat for both Jeff and I in that Kip Manual would be one of the chefs. We had both spent time in Quebec bear camp with Kip and had first hand experience with his culinary skills.
I was too busy eating most of the time to get pictures of everything. It started out with corn and shrimp soup followed by mouth watering marinated ribeyes with crawfish etouffee piled on top.
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Our gracious host, Fred Trahan
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Proper preparation takes time, and the kitchen is the focus of the social gathering.
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It was a true pleasure having y'all in camp Joe. There are no guests at camp "Too Blessed to Be Stressed" only friends. You northerners were true troopers never once questioning the menus. Y'all were always ready to try anything on the plate.
But don't let those cooks fool you Whip, these guys can hunt too! In fact some of them are what I might describe as predators. You might have noticed none of them are vegetarians. Lol
I only wish y'all could have experienced the hunting at its best, but I guess that is getting a little ahead of the story. There will be a next time, the good Lord willing.
Look at Kip, giving Jeff a cooking lesson in the background! I love it
I want to thank Scott Pitre and Kip Manual for Tuesday's menu. Even I was impressed how the two cooks "married" the steak and crawfish so well.
Let the wine and other beverages flow.
We had an absolute blast. Fred set the table even before we got there with this E-mail Menu :scared:
MENU FOR ST. JUDE'S TRIP
Tuesday Night (January 8th):
I figure we'll be busy telling lies and introducing ourselves, so we will keep it quick, but oh so good. I was thinking grilled steaks with Kip Manuel's famous crawfish etouffee piled on top. Add a salad and bread ... SA CE BON!!!
Did I mention Corn Soup with Shrimp for an appetizer? pure heaven guys!
Wednesday Night (January 9th):
This is a little piece of heaven from Avoyelles/Evangeline Parish which speaks to the essence and soul of this proud land. You will "feel" like a lifelong resident from the first bite. We are going for super simplicity tonight, but that doesn't mean we are letting our cooking talents wavier. In fact, gaining strength if anything! This guy could make you eat your shoes AND SOCKS in a gravy! My good buddy, Josh Townsend (aka the Ragin Cajun himself) will be cooking pantoilettes, maque choux, loaded potatoes, and rice and gravy ... THAT'S IT!
I know it may sound simple when compared to last nights menu, but don't let simplicity cloud your judgment. This is just plain ..... simple ..... soulfully good food that has to be eaten to be appreciated. TOTAL consumption is the goal. Throwing the last bit of the potatoes into the remaining smidgen of gravy as a way of getting every drop is a great plan too.
Appetizers ..... I guess backstrap would be good.
Thursday Night (January 10th):
Let's see, we have menus for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Time for a change of pace ..... Thursday Night's Menu is seafood, and lots of it.
The main course is going to be catfish courtboullion on a bed of Louisiana rice. The St. Landry Parish chef I have in mind does not use any cooking utensils when preparing this dish, preferring to shake and swirl the pot instead of stirring it with a spoon. This prevents the fish from falling apart (and extends the cooking time those few extra minutes) for absolute cooking perfection. While he makes it look easy, absolute heat control is the key to this dish, and I can assure you he has perfected it.
BTW, I have never seen this dish cooked without A LOT of beer being consumed. I've tried not to interject anything about the quantity of beer we drink during our cooking escapades, but the subject was bound to come up sooner or later. For the novice, we would like to caution him/her that this shaking/swirling action is MUCH harder than it looks and it can get REALLY complicated after a dozen or so beers. For this reason, it's the one receipt that WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND EVER TRYING AT HOME.
A generous side of fresh homemade potato salad from Dennis Soileau (good Cajun name) and hot Sister Shubert bread rounds out the main meal. Why the bread you say? Well we have found that having bread to "slop up" the final contents of the bowl GREATLY reduces the embarrassing occurrence of watching first timers trying to lick the bowl's final contents! It's that good guys.
Appetizers ..... hmmmmmm, well I was thinking alligator legs, fried oysters, and fried frog legs would be a nice change of pace ..... and if the season permits, we'll add some fried crab fingers. All this from Chef Bowfreak himself!
It's a large menu and you will be stuffed, but it will be worth it. As always, I will be supervising every one of these dishes to assure it reaches absolute perfection. After all, my camp has a reputation to uphold!
Friday Night (January 11th):
My brother MAY be on hand to cook a "little" seafood gumbo for an appetizer .... a sample of what's to come tomorrow. The best gumbo is started the night before and be allowed to reach "maturity" the next day. Tonight's about recharging the batteries in anticipation for Saturday's blowout.
We'll be at Al Huguet's Camp. We'll be hunting in the wet thick stuff trying to get on a good deer at his place. We'll also be eating at his camp tonight. Pot roasted teal (heck I might even stir the pot tonight), black eyes with andouille sausage and some grilled backstrap.
Saturday (January 12th):
Saturday will be a day of rest (well sort of) ..... I think I have saved the best for last ..... the "joie de vivre" I've been promising y'all. You are about to experience Cajun life to it's fullest, or at least as full as I can share it with you in the short amount of time you are going to be here. A little day of celebrating the many blessing we have here in Louisiana. I'm not sure how many people will be there, because no one is ever turned away from a good Cajun party. We'll kick the party off about 2:00 PM (after a morning hunt), but you can bet some fires will already be lit.
I can't speak to the exact foods on the menu because I have decided that an event like this can only be handled by my twin brother Freddy. That's right, my name is Fred (actually Frederick) and I have a twin brother named Freddy! I may get to that story later, but safe to say it is pretty funny. Some people would say we are the Barry and Gene of Cajun Land!!!
To be honest, I almost hate to get him involved, because he is the definition of overkill and cajun hospitality. The last time I put him in charge, a little party of 20 turned into a completely unannounced party of 120 people or so that he "just couldn't turn away" ...... and still we had food left over, but that's my bro, and I love him. I figure the leftovers can be used to top off care packages for the homeless or Yankees. Figure on at least 10 dishes being cooked by him and his cooking crew over the afternoon and NOBODY actually eats dinner by the time it rolls around. I am sure you will also leave with a few of his Cajun cooking secrets and stories. I would try and get some specifics from him, but he's not much on "advanced planning" ..... he kind of lets it come to him and his crew at the very end. I will say, however, that his resources are nearly endless (his crew cooks for 1,000 as effortlessly as we cook for two) so who knows what or who will be there. I will go out on the limb (just to wet your palette) and say that you can pretty much count on seafood gumbo, baby backed ribs with a Cajun twist, Cajun microwave pig (whole hog), jambalaya, red beans and rice, boudin, cracklins (I might get someone to cook them from scratch so y'all can see how it's done), crawfish fettuccine, bacon wrapped jumbo shrimp, bread stuffed with crawfish etouffee, fried everything, more stuffed chickens and our own version of a hopped up BANG BANG SHRIMP .... oh and pecan pies and king cakes. Drinks ? ... we usually fill the 14' wooden pirogue (handcrafted by my Dad and I almost 35 years ago) full of beer, wine, and other drinks! Rule #2, no one ever gets thirsty. The camp fire will be roaring, the Cajun music will be playing, and you will see, hear and be constantly surrounded by the "joie de vivre" that is CAJUN LAND!
Sunday (January 13th):
Whoa, I'm worn out!!! A couple of Hebert's Boneless Stuffed Chickens tonight. This is a meal in itself.
When we arrived in camp it was raining. And it kept right on raining through the night. And the next day. It wasn't even good weather for ducks, let alone deer. But it really didn't matter - we had better things to do. Like eat.
On the menu for the second night was a unique dish not found anywhere but the Avoyelles/Evangeline Parish region of the state. The main course was pantoilettes prepared by Josh Townsend. Again, I was too busy shoveling in to take pictures. All I can tell you is that it was one of the most delectible meals I have ever eaten!
Day three's menu was highlighted by catfish courtboullion on a bed of Louisiana rice prepared by Troy. He is not only a great chef, but a perfomer as well!
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One of Troys rules is that NOBODY touches the pot! The lid doesn't come off until it is time to eat. Fred has a hard time with rules....
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Oops....I had just bet my brother-in-law at Xmas a dozen salmon flies that I could lose 15# before he could. Big Mistake :knothead:
How about some frog legs and alligator wings for appetizers?
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Time for a little break from all this eating...
Deer hunting was also on the agenda. Or so we hoped...
Did I mention that it was raining? This scene from the weather channel never seemed to change other than the size of the red area. We were sitting right in the middle of it.
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We didn't really need the TV to tell us that though.
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Good times for sure.
I think one of the highlights of the dinners was Wednesday night when Ms. Irene sat back and quietly said "guys I'm so drunk!" I am still laughing at that. I must say I had been worried about the amount of beer my buddies drink, but y'all drank right along with us.
Oh, and that guy in the green shirt is Chase Hebert. He is cooking the frog and alligator legs and is known around us as Chef BowFreak. He is truly a master chef. I'll have to let him cook more than appetizers next time.
I am not sure what the grand total was, but we heard there had been 8 1/2 inches just overnight. Add that to what had fallen the day before and we found ourselves in the middle of one of the worst floods in history of the area. Remember, these people went through the remnants of hurricane Katrina. They know what rain is about. They were calling this one a once in 500 year event! :scared: :scared:
Roads were closed, with flooding throughout the area. We investigated Fred's hunting lease and that option seemed out of the question. We did have another option though.
Will Huguet's father Al has a hunting property very near to Fred's lease, and they had invited us to spend a day or two hunting on their property. It was flooded as well, but the deer in this part of the country live with water all the time, and they felt sure that we could get on some.
Friday looked to be our shot, with the forecast calling for a break in the rain. Al had been out and looked at the property and found that the hunting land was virtually all under water. Will is a resourceful and imaginitive guy though, and doesn't give up easily. They really wanted to show us a hunt, and he formulatted a plan...
The idea was to drive in as far as we could, then Al would wade out in hip boots to get his Kawasaki Mule, which he would then bring back to transport us back to some treestands.
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It was a good plan. If only the Mule had a snorkle. Al made it back to us ok, but the added weight of passengers bogged it down in the deepest spot. The mule drowned in the middle and died....
Al to the rescue - Plan B!
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We towed the Mule to higher ground, and Jeff, Will and I climbed into our new mode of transportation. These guys do not know when to quit, and were determined that nothing was going to keep us from hunting that night!
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Having eaten Kip's cooking before I can only bet that the rest was amazing! I am looking forward to him coming here in April so that I can put him to work in my kitchen in trade for an IL gobbler :) On with the feast, I mean story...
Hah, glad to see this. We passed a good time.
Note: This ain't the swamp, that is a soybean field in the background that was over 2 feet deep (in the good spots).
QuoteOriginally posted by awbowman:
I think one of the highlights of the dinners was Wednesday night when Ms. Irene sat back and quietly said "guys I'm so drunk!" I am still laughing at that. I must say I had been worried about the amount of beer my buddies drink, but y'all drank right along with us.
:biglaugh: :biglaugh:
I think at that point she had a beer or two and was on her second glass of monkey shine wine. She always has been a cheap date :biglaugh:
Before we left Fred had said to bring along a pair of knee high boots, and they should be perfect for getting around while hunting. As I was wading in to my stand and the water was lapping around my crotch I was thinking to myself that I should have taller knees.....
My stand
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My stand was high & dry. I was feel pretty smug about dry feet when Al came to pick us up at dark knowing Joe & Will were already toting knee high boots full of water :)
PS: Sorry I don't seem to have any pictures though :confused:
Can't wait Mike.Jeff and Joe looks more like your are duck hunting instead of deer with all the water but boots way too short.Fred look at the pic again my arms and yours are moving.You know the old joke a Cajun with only one arm has a speech impediment.Had a great time meeting Joe, Irene,and Jeff and spending time with everyone except maybe one nite of Jeffs snoreing next nite I found my ear plugs.The rain kinda gave us cabin fever but glad there was one clear day at Al's camp.Fred was a great host and really went all out.Kip
You yanks did have plenty of hang!
I was only around for 2 days, but it was great hanging out and gaining weight with you guys from the constant Bacchanalian feasting put on by Fred.
Jeff, hah, I wonder why you have no pictures. :laughing: :laughing:
Sorry I missed you Kip!
Before climbing up I had to stop to take off my boots and pour out a couple of gallons of water. A pair of tennis shoes would have been easier. But I was there, and ready to finally hunt.
The view from the stand.
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As I waited this pair were the first to come by.
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Shortly later I looked up the slough a little further and actually saw a deer swim across. Too far for a picture, but she was headed toward the igh ground in front of me. Alas, she must have gone the other way, or maybe just bedded down when she reached high ground. I never saw her again.
Jeff was sitting in a stand on the edge of the trees right were the little green patch is in this picture. Just at dusk I could see two deer in the green patch. I hadn't brought binoculars, and couldn't tell what they were, but knew they had to be right under him.
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Classic foreshadowing was my Dad saying, hrmm, this is going to be harder in the dark. :biglaugh:
Great story Joe! I really enjoy your pictures. This is a hunt you will always remember!
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
:campfire:
This makes me home sick since I grew up in the Baton Rouge area with a bunch of my relatives living in that neck of the woods in this story.
I can attest that cajun hospitality is awesome and the food cant be matched...anywhere.
Y'all are making me hungry!
The ride out on the tractor had been pretty darn cool. I mean really, how many people can say they have been driven to their stands riding in the bucket of a tractor through 2-3 feet of water? It was a trip to remember!
The fun part was yet to come though. Al knows his property well, and in the daylight had no problem staying on the road. But with the bucket full of people in front of him the headlights didn't shine out front, so he had to turn them off and rely on our headlamps and flashlights to illuminate the way. Let's just say that didn't work quite as well....
The first time the tractor wandered off into the ditch Al was eventually able to manuver it back out by pushing backwards with the bucket. Of course that meant that we had to get out while he worked, and Jeff was quick to find out what full boots feel like.
Eventually we were back on our way though, and it was all just part of the adventure. Until the tractor wandered off the road again, this time right where a culvert cut under it. There would be no getting this one out, and we were left to wade our way back toward the truck.
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Forgot to mention that when I used to hunt the swamps nobody wore knee high boots. It was either hip boots or waders. Knee high boots were like camp slippers. LOL
Are you deer hunting or carp hunting.Wow how do you hunt in that much water.
Will same here but glad I got to meet your dad and we talked about the Ville Platte connection.I had heard about the bucket ride did not know it was on your bucket list Joe.
Rick camp slippers :laughing:
Lots of great smiles in those pictures. And a bunch of great memories made
It wasn't that wet everywhere. I was actually hunting a fairly dry turnip patch and missed a dang doe that evening, though I don't know how we would have gotten her out. Joe and Jeff told me I had to have an excuse, so it is that I was shooting a bow I had just gotten a week before - I REALLY didn't think there was much chance of any shooting going into this hunt. :biglaugh:
Jeff also had a couple fawns come right under his stand. So we all saw deer despite nature's best efforts.
My dad is still working on the tractor hydraulics(it's all my fault on that one)! Needless to say we did not hunt the next day, and that also put a big punctuation mark on my deer season!
Hey, at least it wasn't cold. . . . :D
That's a true story guys, A 500 YEAR STORM hit St. Landry Parish that week! We spoke to people that have lived there all their lives and never seen the water levels like this. Ten days before, the small tributaries leading to the bayous and all our lease had been bone DRY. But then "Bad Weather Joe" embarks on the trip and it was downhill from there on. It seems that bad weather follows this guy like the plague. Everything from blizzards of the century to freak storms in Texas, the guy has been there.
Joe, that's a picture for the wall with you and Jeff in the front end loader. As for me, I was back at the camp high and dry drinking a cold one and pot roasting teal for the night's meal. God is great! lol
BTW, If y'all haven't caught on Will Huguet is Limbbender on the site. I have hunted a good many times with Will and Al at their place and it truly is a little slice of heaven. I want to thank them for going beyond the call of duty to get them in on a hunt.
Awesome!!!!!!
Nothin' like a good cajun meal!
WOW, did it rain or what?
Be watching this one to hear all the rest.
Congrats on a great time had, even when the hunt was somewhat waterlogged!
Bisch
QuoteOriginally posted by LimBender:
......Jeff, hah, I wonder why you have no pictures. :laughing: :laughing:
Rule #1 for deer hunting in St. Landry Parish - DO NOT put your camera in your pant front pocket unless it's waterproof
As you can see in the picture toward my stand, I think it was the only ground ABOVE the water line. I did see three deer with a button buck & doe fawn right under me for a good 45 minutes. I did get some Pictures of them....But I forgot to put my camera back in my pack. No worry I was dry so my front pocket would be fine!
Sitting in the tractor bucket on the ride back with Will on one side & Joe on the other, I was nice an comfy ie...Dry. Until we hit the ditch! When we finally got back to camp and changed into dry clothes, I realized my camera wasn't water proof :rolleyes:
Joe, I think there was a trip to meet a special knife maker in there somewhere. Do you have pics?
We eventually made our way back to the truck and high ground, leaving broken down equipment literally in our wake. Jeff and I both felt really bad to be the cause of so much trouble. I am glad to hear there was no permanent damage done, but just changing out all the fluids and all of the time and effort Al put in on our behalf was a bit humbling. We are forever grateful, and certainly have some memories that will never fade!
When we arrived back at Al's camp we found the party in full swing. Fred had demonstrated that he was indeed more than just an organizer and supervisor, and had stepped in as chef of the evening. The pot roasted teal was delectible!
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As Fred said, Al's camp is for certain a slice of heaven right in the middle of Louisiana. We spent the night there and then messed around the next day setting some crawfish traps and doing a little stump (mud) shooting around camp.
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I would have loved to come by and meet you guys but I was on a trip to Alabama. We always have a good time at Freds place.
That rain was something else. It started on tues. morning and rained every day til the following Wed. with only a couple short breaks.
The food looks outstanding.This looks like a great time nice pictures.Never had a tractor ride to my treestand before.
Joe, that is a better picture of our camp than I've got handy - you should win the tradhunters photojournalism award. :D
One thing that makes me smile every time I think of it is when "stump" shooting, unbeknownst to us, Randy put the plastic bottle on a big fire ant pile. Jeff made a great shot right into the heart of the pile. :laughing: :laughing:
Heck, even those waders int that pic had a hole in em, so my feet got wet for a third time. I'm putting out a crawfish trap there.
Maybe Joe has a few deer, elk, bison and fallow pics somewhere. This camp is beautiful guys.
Side Trip Extraordinaire:
For all you knife makers, you will be absolutely blown away!!
This story started a few years back when Kip was at bear camp and told me about a bayou knife-maker with NO hands or arms...Everett Johnson. Kip arranged a knife trade for me and brought Everett's knife to bear camp the following year. To my surprise, we both made knives with deer antler handles. Now I have a number of knives from makers I really respect and that have taught me in the past...but Everett's knife is displayed One Shelf above everyone else's!!!
Here is a picture of the knife Everett made me:
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Here is Everett holding the knife I made for him:
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The one thing I really wanted to do was meet Everett. So Kip arranged for us to meet up. I have to say it was definitely a high light of the trip for me. The man is amazing what he can do with his feet! I'll let some of the others add to the story as we were all drop jaw impressed.
If I can figure out how to transfer pictures from my phone, I'll post them.
Certainly a highlight of the trip Jeff. So blessed to have come along with y'all.
Everett told us that he has taken two deer this year with an open sighted 45/70 that PASSED RIGHT UNDER HIS TREE! That's right, he has two box stands, two ladder stands and a climber! Not sure how he gets up there, but watching him do things with his feet, I have no doubt he's up in a stand more than me. Certainly a day I'll not forget.
Oh and the Swamp Burger that day for lunch, OMGosh was that good!
Jeff,
Someone told me to email from the phone to your email addy, then edit and post from there...fwiw.
You're more a techie than I am, Hoss.
What an amazing experience!
Being allergic (bad) to onions, leeks, shallots, I cannot imagine living longer than one meal, 3 bites of cajun cooking!
As Joe knows, that was why I volunteered to be camp cook/chef at his shindig a year or 2 back--- seems the St. Jude Gang Auction just fosters incredible hunts with more consuming that predation! But who cares! :bigsmyl:
No doubt we would have all flung arrows at deer during the week if it weren't for the weather Doc. The stage was set for a BLOOD BATH, but like I said the curse of "Bad Weather Joe" is powerful! :bigsmyl:
When we got to Everett's house he was out back. He pulled out a small cigar with his foot and put it in his mouth. Then he pulled out an old Zippo lighter from his pants cuff, held it between his toes and struck the lighter wheel with his other foot. Then bent over to light the cigar he had in his mouth. After watching him do that as quick as anyone of us would do with two hands, we all wanted to ask how he did everything! Out of respect we just listened to his stories of hunting & knife making. I brought a few knives with me to show. It was great as Everett seemed to like them plus comment on how he'd made similar styles. Truly a wonderful afternoon.
As Fred mentioned, we stopped at a little dinner Kip knew and had Swamp Burgers...burger with shrimp on top really great. Half the place knew Kip and sat at our table. I think because of Kip but possibly to get a good look at two northern boys wanting to hunt swimming deer!
Jeff, it definitely didn't take long to cull y'all out of the bunch in that place with the lack of Cajun accent coming from you and Joe! :biglaugh:
You had me at food. Now to read the rest of the story.
Great thread, man that food looks incredible!
To this day I don't think either Joe or Jeff believes that we actually eat like this all the time when we are at the camp .... but we do.
And I could go another two weeks minimum without duplicating the menu, or the cook for that matter.
:campfire: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
We are only up to Friday guys, but that experience sure did cure them from hunting in waist deep water :biglaugh:
I think Joe may have more, but he's probably waiting for tomorrow.
Can't wait to hear the rest of the story, you guys had a great time! Cajun folks are the best! Ask me, I'm a Chalmation from down the road.
St. Bernard, La.
What an adventure! Cool stuff, guys!
Dang Fred, I kinda lost track of this during some family illness back home. I would have liked to meet Whip, we been on tradgang since the beginning.
Too bad the trip wasn't this past weekend or upcoming. The rains have finally raised the woods levels where we like It. I was out Saturday on public land near Fred's camp and saw plenty deer, hog sign too.
Whip sounds like the gang did it up right for y'all. Great bunch of cooks for sure! Your crew was fortunate to experience the cooking and eating in a few days what normally takes ...well....a few days around here!
Nice job to all !
Wow! That is just amazing! I have done my share of wading to get to a deer stand but never in a bucket on a tractor...
Jeff, Now I know why you bought those camo'ed crocs! :laughing:
Now that is some interesting deer hunting!!!! Looks like all had a really good time.
Truly an incredible experience. :thumbsup: :campfire:
Even after all that excitement Al and Will didn't want to give it up. They were still talking like "maybe if we....." or "what about....". These guys don't know when to quit! But Jeff and I had already had far more than we had bargained for. Sometimes ya just gotta listen up when the gods of the hunt have spoken. This seemed like maybe one of those times.
When it comes down to it, we didn't bid on this St. Jude package for the deer hunting. The Bayou State certainly has some great hunting to offer. But what really had drawn us down there was to experience the food and the culture. There was plenty more of that to be had, and I didn't want it to go to waste. I intended to let it go to my waist. :bigsmyl:
I thought there had been a party every night, but the best was yet to come. This evening we were invited to Fred's sister and brother-in-laws home across the lake for some joie de vivre cajun style!
The menu tonight seemed to be never ending. Everywhere I looked there was something else being prepared and waiting to be devoured. We tried as hard as we could to do our part!
I know I missed getting pictures of half of it, but here is a partial summary to get your mouth watering.
Seafood gumbo - incredible!!
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Cajun%20Getaway/CajunGetaway113_zpsb0371d8c.jpg)
The chefs tonight were Fred's brother in law John, and Fred's twin brother Freddy. That's right. Fred and Freddy are twin brothers! Here is Freddy showing the progress of a few slabs of baby back ribs.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Cajun%20Getaway/CajunGetaway109_zpsf919d33f.jpg)
A trip to cajun country wouldn't be complete without a sampling of boudin.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Cajun%20Getaway/CajunGetaway108_zps72807bec.jpg)
There was plenty more that I missed pictures of, but I didn't miss out on dessert. Three different choices included homemade pecan pie, a voodoo cake. I should have been taking notes - I can't seem to remember who made the pie and the cake, and I can't remember the name of the dessett in the middle of the picture, but it was prepared by Fred's wife Anna, and trust me - it was absolutely sinfully delicious! The hard part was figuring out which of the three to choose.
No, I was just kidding. It really wasn't hard at all. I had all three!
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Cajun%20Getaway/CajunGetaway117_zps6e7e7ed5.jpg)
WOW!!!!! Just WOW!!!!!!
Bisch
Sounds like you guys had a blast!
You can say that again Bisch. WOW!!!! is a great description of this entire trip!
While some might think it would be a bit disappointing that we weren't able to hunt more than we did, Jeff and I sure would not think that way at all. Hunting is good, but the chance to experience the food, the culture, and the joie de vivre down here was truly something special for us. I can't thank everyone that had a part in it enough - the memories will stick with me forever. Hopefully the pounds that I gained while there don't do the same :rolleyes: My belt was let out an extra notch for the trip home.....
At the risk of missing someone I want to try to thank each guest chef personally here. You will have to let me know who I missed Fred.
Scott
Kip
Josh
Troy
Chase
Dennis
Al
John
Freddy
Anna (And whomever else did the desserts)
And last but absolutely not least, Fred Trahan, the best host that a St. Jude bid could ever win! He is also a darn good chef in his own right!
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
We each received a gift package of spices, ingredients, and special cooking spoons so that we can take what we learned home with us and enjoy our newly acquired tastes for years to come. I sure plan to put mine to good use. Even Jeff, who normally struggles preparing more than a sandwich, had plans to start cooking for Molly when he got back to Aiken. How's that working out for you Jeff?? :p
Fred, sounds like ya'll had a great time in spite of the rain. We got hammered with the rain up here in Natchitoches too.
I have a picture of Kip talking to you at the LTB Shoot last year doing the same hand motion at the camp. Kip, we got you framed!
See you at the LTB shoot.
Billy
seems like everyone had a great time, and fo sho, fred is a great host.. know ya'll had plenty to eat
Reading this post and seeing all the pictures made me homesick, but seeing that plate of boudin...I am making flight reservations as soon as I stop typing this thread.
Looks like a great time was had by all. Thanks for taking the time to share the pics.
I was sitting here thinking of the GREAT time a dozen or so TOTAL strangers had that week despite the difficulties of not being able to hunt and a few missed dishes due to this aging old man's memory.
I wish I could have invited more trad shooters for Saturday's party but the rain all week had people scattered. It is truly amazing how hunting, the love of trad bows and a couple of camps can transform strangers into friends. I look forward to sharing a hunt and meal with y'all in the future. We'll have to make that happen. Add a few extra days to the trip next time and we'll boil up some crawfish for y'all.
I'd like to thank Joe, Jeff and Irene for being so open to experience our way of life. These people are one class act guys and made my job as a host very easy. Oh, and tell Arlo, the wonder dog, I said Hi. He's a real good pup. I am glad y'all enjoyed the stay, I know we did.
I think/I hope that I achieved my goal of giving y'all the "joie de vivre" that I promised. I too will not forget that week. I will also always treasure the parting gift from Joe and Jeff. Send pictures of y'all new found culinary skills (BTW, Hebert's overnights stuffed chickens). That Nu Nu's seasoning should also make even Jeff into a great chef, it's virtually guaranteed. Call and we'll send more when it runs out.
And maybe most importantly .... THE KIDS OF ST. JUDES ALSO BENEFITED GREATLY! It doesn't get better than that. Thanks for the memories guys!
Cool fellas, just cool.
BTW, Joe can cook a mean breakfast and the bison burgers were awesome. Maybe one day I'll sample more of y'all cooking.
Fred you did a great job I really enjoyed my stay and making new friends.Jeff and Joe and Irene was great seeing all of you for this great trip.Hey how about we plan a trip with Joe,Jeff,myself and Fred like maybe Bear Quest 2014 or some other hunting trip in the not too distant future so we can keep in touch just saying.Kip
When is Bear Quest Kip? I have to admit I never had a real eagerness to hunt bear so I never paid much attention to it, except reading the posts of the hunts.
Sharing camp with them again and of course bowdoc could change my view on the matter though. Let's talk.
Count me in on any future Cajun Hunts! We all had a blast...Jeff
PS:
Whip,
I'm learning to be a better cook. Even Molly commented how quick I am using those Cajun spoons to spread the mayonnaise on my sandwich :)
Two different weeks early June when it is hot here the temp. over there and the woods are very relaxing.Bear meat is very good and there is also fishing and a great bunch of guys.I kinda felt the same way on my first trip but needed some R/R but it is great fun.Kip
QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
Even Molly commented how quick I am using those Cajun spoons to spread the mayonnaise on my sandwich :)
It's not what I gave you the spoon for Jeff, but I knew you would find a new use for it.
Looks like ya'll had a blast in spite of the horrible weather. Good job Fred
QuoteOriginally posted by Whip:
There was plenty more that I missed pictures of, but I didn't miss out on dessert. .....and I can't remember the name of the dessert in the middle of the picture, but it was prepared by Fred's wife Anna, and trust me - it was absolutely sinfully delicious! (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Cajun%20Getaway/CajunGetaway117_zps6e7e7ed5.jpg)
Joe, her friend, which she got the receipt from, jokingly calls that dessert "better than sex", but I'm not ready to say it's that good! :laughing: :laughing:
deleted by aw
Hard not to make the most of that trip! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the story, it has really made my day. I have been stuck out in the boondocks for 3 days trying to get a flight into Baghdad. I envy you and hope to experience something like that myself in the future.
Duncan , I wouldn't mind swapping hunts in different parts of the country. lol
Joe, do you have pics of the cypresses in front of John and Sandy's home?
The Fish Eaters
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Cajun%20Getaway/CajunGetaway105_zpsa6a3c8f8.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Cajun%20Getaway/CajunGetaway104_zps1e1c49c4.jpg)
Doc,
When in Cajun country or the South ya gotta pronounce properly, it is not a sandwitch it is a samitch, LOL. Looks like you guys had a blast. God I miss Boudan sausage
This is a great thread and a hilarious adventure!
No rain check needed.
Plenty laughs Gatekeeper, that's for sure.
What a great story! Thanks for sharing.
"Bad weather Joe"???? What happened Joe? You didn't leave my good luck up on Henry Mnt.?
Sounds like a great trip. I like your account of the hunt but am anxious to hear Irene's. That is, what she can remember. :rolleyes:
Greg, Ms. Irene was a true trooper, and I don't think she was that drunk. But that muscadine wine my buddies make is about 14% alcohol and can make you REAL MELLOW!
Great story, looks like a fun trip. Thanks for the write-up!
I think I gained a pound or two just reading about all the great food.
Sounds like a blast was had by all! I know I greatly enjoyed just reading about it! If it wasn't for all the snakes, it looks like a great place to hunt. Thanks for bringing us along, Mike.
This is an awesome thread, thanks for taking us along for the ride.
Fred, I am sure she was just a bit mellow but it is a good opporotunity to tease her just a little. Sounds like you really put on a non stop spread for those guys. I am extremly jellous. I sure hope Joe was taking notes so I can get a taste of some of that good food when he comes to my camp. Actually it is Arlo that has the invite but if his owner can't make it Joe can bring him. ;)
Sounds like a great opportunity. Thank you for sharing. The tradgang family is an amazing group of people.
Looks like a fun time guys. I could get used to eating like that.
I like Arlo. Maybe he will blood trail a deer in Cajun country one day
Great story! Thanks for sharing.
Fred is one heck of a guy. I had no doubts that you guy's were going to have a blast and gain weight at the same time lol
That was great, guys. Thanks for sharing in such fine detail. :thumbsup:
I think my new plan is to just follow Joe around at a distance and pick up the crumbs...
You guys all know how to make a good time no matter what :thumbsup: