patti

I agree wholeheartedly with Wayne, that using the heads does indeed make the stock better. Exponentially tastier. Edit: After reading Jinmyo's post I realized that I don't even use shells to make my stock, only heads. Is that weird?

Sounds like it's going to be a great week and I'm really looking forward to it. Congratulations on your first year of marriage!

Hehe, a perfect example of the difference between living with something and visiting it. I was thinking it would be a BAD time to drive the back roads, because the sugar cane tractors can you slow you down something awful. They are picturesque, I grant you that. Last year I took a ton of pictures parked across the street from the Jeanerette sugar mill. Irodguy, do you like really good pralines? If you do, I'll call a place in New Iberia tomorrow to see if they're still in business. It's an unlikely place to find the best pralines ever, but they are soooo good. It's a Cab Business/Sweet Shop. How's that for a good combination?

Thank you, Susan and Russ. I really like your style.

Thank you, how sweet of you to say. Is your name a clever play on the old song title, Johnny B. Goode? ← Damn, I knew that was going to start happening. I got married a month and a half ago, and my maiden name was Baldwin, hence, Molly B. Goodwin. Didn't realize it till my new business cards came in. ← Sorry, Molly, I thought it was cute! I won't refer to it again.

I was the speech therapist for the school on Avery Island for a year, and worked in that school district for 21, but ironically, I've never toured the Tabasco plant! Still, I always enjoyed the other worldliness of the drive to the school, as if I'd stepped back in time. I have visited the Tabasco store and liked it, but you can get most of the stuff you find there, elsewhere, even online at http://www.pepperfest.com, or specifically, http://countrystore.tabasco.com/index.cfm. The trip is definitely worthwhile in the spring when the gardens are in bloom and open for viewing.

What makes it Cajun? If the recipe starts with, "First, you make a roux." That's Cajun.

I haven't yet had the nerve to start my own thread at eGullet, but to have inspired a thread feels pretty good. I'm having fun exploring the links that others have contributed; thanks for thinking of this, lovebenton0! I'm sure I'll be returning to this thread again and again.

Fifi, my mother's way (and now, mine) of making cornbread dressing was very similar, but she added shredded chicken (from the whole chicken she'd used for making the stock). She also didn't use biscuits, but I might have to give that a try this year. Thanks.

Thanks for taking the time to do this foodblog, Ronnie. I've really enjoyed it, and that soup looks so good, I might have to make something similar for election day supper. Thanks for the inspiration.

Ooh, this is going to be a fantastic foodblog! Even the introductory posts are most excellent. Welcome PrepCook! Can't wait to see what you two eat this week.

Maybe the key to enjoying Tater Tots is never having been subjected to them in childhood as a casserole ingredient?

Is this a trick question used to ferret out those of us who don't really belong here amongst the gourmets and gourmands? Pssst! Try them topped with chili and cheese.

Yum, what kind of bread is that in your multi-meat sandwich? Looks good!

eunnyjang, my mother ate spaghetti sandwiches exactly as you describe. Other favorites of hers were cold potato salad sandwiches and cold rice dressing (dirty rice) sandwiches.

You think Mom is holding out on you?? ← Hehe. No, she got too much pleasure out of telling everybody about my quest for her recipe for her fabulous lettuce and mayo salad. I guess she just had that extra special 'mom's touch' for making food good.

Am I the only one who wondered exactly where the Thousand Island is slathered before the lights go out? My mom used to tear up iceberg lettuce, add salt and black pepper, and toss it with mayo for a simple salad to accompany our supper. She laughed pretty hard when I called her for the 'recipe' after I was married. (I swear, she did something to it to make it taste much more special than that.)

When my husband was in college, sometimes he was too broke to have anything but jam sandwiches. Jam two pieces of bread together and eat!

Last night's dinner looks wonderful. In the words of an old Maxwell House coffee commercial, your blog was, "Good to the last drop." Thanks for sharing!

Sounds like crazing, to me. I googled, "Le Creuset crazing" and found this in an Amazon customer review for Le Creuset: Disclaimer: I don't own any Le Creuset (yet), and am just trying to be helpful with regards to your crazing question.

I didn't have beer breath until after I was 18, when it was legal. However, there were many instances of Boone's Farm Wild Mountain Grape breath. Of course, the subsequent vomit breath usually covered up the smell of the wine.

Anna, all the best to your darling Miss Jess, and hopes for the quickest and smoothest of recoveries.

Todd, I'm a couple of hours southwest of New Orleans, but I've seen those little packets of dried shrimp for years and years and only ever bought my first a bag a few months ago. I tasted one shrimp and decided I'd eat the rest later. Later never came. Perhaps it's an acquired taste. I really don't know many people who eat them or even know what to do with them, but SOMEBODY must be eating them. I did have one co-worker a few years back who said that she always used dried shrimp as an additional bit of seasoning in her seafood gumbo. I can't say I've tried it in my seafood gumbo, though.

Fifi, I adore Marcelle Bienvenu's writing and miss her dearly since she no longer writes a food column in our local Times of Acadiana. From a few of Mayhaw Man's posts, I gather she now writes for the New Orleans Times Picayune. Definitely our (Acadiana's) loss.

Sure, a boudin sandwich on good french bread! Slice it open and scoop it out of the casing and spread liberally on the bread. Yummy. My father used to dip it in Steen's Cane Syrup. I don't think any other brand of syrup will do, though.