From sea to shining sea, the coast-to-coast cuisine of summer flavors a celebration with the undeniable taste of summer.
Culinary misconceptions abound, one in particular is that Gulf Coast seafood dishes are swimming in grease, hot sauce or a combination of both.
Granted, the key ingredient featured in many Gulf Coast region seafood dishes and recipes has been swimming at one time or another, but the measure of flavor, spice, and heat varies from region to region.
No map needed to tell me what part of the Gulf Coast I’m in; just point me in the direction of the kitchen (indoor or outdoor) and the in-house spice cabinet.
Pot and spice potions tell the tales.
Get it?
Pascal’s Manale via Explore New Orleans
Barbecue speaks the universal language of fire it up, throw it on and c’est si bon!
I became a seafood barbecue believer the first time I tasted barbecued shrimp at Pascal’s Manale Restaurant in New Orleans.
You can’t talk the cuisine of summer without talking barbecue, and BBQ naturally brings the conversation around to potato salad.
Boiling shrimp and crawfish is a way of life down Southern states of the Gulf Coast way.
I’m totally convinced the throw it all in one pot principle of shrimp and crawfish boiling sparked the crock pot revolution.
When Dave the Builder was working in the corporate world, we were active in the office supper club.
Our group took a crawfish boil to new flavor heights, but the real deliciousness was surprisingly found in the “sides” that went into the pot.
Here’s what made the pot:
crawfish
whole yellow onions
garlic bulbs
lemons
celery stalks
whole carrots
link sausage
red potatoes
corn on the cob
cabbage
Let me tell you the crawfish were tasty, but the vegetables were the hit of the night! Our hostess whipped up a couple of skillets of hot cornbread and the crowd went wild
Food for thought, people!
Crawfish Boil 101 from NOLA.com offers expert advice for the perfect boil.
Baked Cinnamon Chipotle Catfish with Sweet Pepper Slaw
Caught in freshwater or farm-raised, coasters love catfish.
Catfish is exactly what it is- a mild, delicious classic comfort food.
Broiled, blackened, baked, poached, grilled, barbecued, stuff-I’ve eaten catfish prepared in all the aforementioned ways.
Given my plate of preference, I’ll have mine fried crisp with a side scoop of coleslaw, flour battered French fries, two lemon wedges and a couple of green onions.
Classic Fried Catfish with Hushpuppies and Tartar Sauce
In the next Coast to Coast installment we’ll be going from Atlantic to Pacific, gee, the seafood is terrific!
