We recently attended the 26th Annual Crawfish Étouffée Cook-off held right here in Eunice, Louisiana. The townsfolk showed up in great numbers and fun was had by all. The band was
local and sang in both English and French. We are really learning to love Cajun and Zydeco music. But even more than the band, we enjoyed the dancing. No, we did not dance, but watched others kick up their heels. Some older ladies actually danced bare feet!
Food booths were set up and most people purchased a bowl of étouffée from all of them in order to place their vote. We were not that brave and bought just one bowl from the Emergency Medical Team. It was delicious but somewhat spicier than we are used to. The winners of the cook-off were announced at 2:00 p.m. and received their handmade trophies. Apart from the food booths, several crafters offered items such as t-shirts, birdhouses and other handcrafted items.
After spending three weeks in the heart of Cajun Country, a couple of things have become clear to us. First, there is no denying that many locals are suffering financially and feel, rightly so, they have been forgotten by their government. On the other hand, despite their hardships, they embrace their family, their friends and their community like nothing we have ever seen. We could learn a lot from them.
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