When was the last time you had your taste buds awaken?

 

Maybe it was over the weekend or on a special occasion that you were gifted with great food which happened to me.

 

Little did I know that a recent conversation I had last week with our daughter and grandson would make its way from my unconscious to my conscious mind.

 

It was why some chicken tasted better in the south and closer to its place of origin such as Popeyes Chicken and Raising Cane’s Restaurants, LLC.

 

Raising Cane’s vs. Popeyes: Chicken Tenders Taste Test

 

Not to insult anyone I just like the spiciness of good Louisiana-style cooking and enjoy Popeyes Chicken when I’m in Louisiana.

 

Although both are out of Louisiana you don’t see many Raising Cane’s Restaurants, LLC in Alabama.

 

This past weekend, my travels took me across three state lines from Alabama to Mississippi and from Mississippi to Louisiana.

 

I had stops along the way in Montgomery, AL Mobile, AL Long Beach, MS and Lawtell, LA, Opelousas, LA Church Point, LA and Eunice, LA.

 

It was a wonderful time learning and witnessing the Acadian culture of French-speaking Creoles while in Louisiana.

 

My taste buds were in high gear by the time I arrived in Opelousas.

 

Although I did not need chicken it was the homemade Crawfish Étouffée at my friend’s mother’s home that had me salivating.

 

It has been two years since my last visit and the food is delicious.

 

Just thinking Crawfish Étouffée with some rice was all I needed.

 

There were two first on this trip, the opportunity to have fresh homemade “Pork Crackling” and eat “Cow Beef Tongue”

 

I even had two servings of the Beef Tongue which is something that I’ve never eaten and will eat again. It was season just right and tender.

 

I had it in a gravy over rice.

 

I also had a taste of “some excellent “Creole Cabbage” and “Jambalaya” that had just the right amount of heat as well.

 

When I think about how my taste buds were activated from eating all the various foods in Louisiana over the weekend till yesterday morning while heading home eating Louisiana Sausage for Breakfast and Mississippi Boudin Balls for Lunch (Of course originating out of Louisiana), I will need to fast to get my system back on track.

 

I now have that feeling of what the late Anthony Bourdain was experiencing through the various cultures of foods he was eating.

 

Not to mention “Community Coffee” to wash it all down which is based out of Baton Rouge, LA.

 

Community Coffee – Wikipedia

 

How we activate our taste buds is up to each of us.  I chose to indulge in Creole culture this past weekend.

 

For the record, it was primarily the Creole culture that fed me and some Cajun culture through the various gas stations where I ate the Boudin Balls for Lunch and drank community coffee to wash it all down.

 

One thing for sure was listening and watching various people speaking French mixed in with English.

 

My only regret was not having stuck with learning the French lessons that I was taught in Elementary or Middle School.

 

Today, I challenge you to think about activating your taste buds and trying various foods you haven’t tried in a while.

 

You don’t have to travel over 500 miles like I did to enjoy great food; however, it doesn’t hurt, to know those who can prepare authentic creole foods when you just need to satisfy those taste buds.

 

I found this quote to be true for me:  “We have developed a culture in which we eat with our taste buds, not our brains.  David H. Murdock