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Louisiana,
Social Profile
Food & Drink: Creole cooking is a speciality in Louisiana, where the mix of cultures has resulted in a cuisine using the best elements of each nationality. The State’s location makes it a prime spot for seafood: fresh fish, shrimp, crabs, oysters and crayfish abound. Game meat is also popular in Louisiana cuisine, including rabbit and wild turkey. Tropical fruits, such as bananas and pineapples, are often used in Creole cooking, along with spices such as hot peppers and filé
(the ground powder for making gumbo). Oyster bars are prevalent, especially along the seaside or riverfront. Creole cafes serve traditional favourites, such as gumbo, red beans and rice. Other Cajun specialities include étouffée, sauce piquante and jambalaya. A meat pie, shaped like a half-moon and filled with a spicy mixture of ground beef and pork, is a speciality of Natchitoches. The town of Henderson on the edge of Atchafalaya Swamp is famous for its Cajun cuisine, and its many restaurants, specialising in seafood, attract visitors from miles away. Southern Cookin’, found in the Crossroads region in northern Louisiana, is savoured for its delicious fried chicken, barbecued meat, cornbread and peach pie.
New Orleans is justly renowned for its superb gourmet restaurants which offer Creole specialities, including Oysters Rockefeller, Bananas Foster and pompano en papillote. One can savour a breakfast of beignets and café au lait, dine while overlooking the city or the riverfront, or travel to the seafood houses out by the lake.
Given its southern climate, cold drinks are much relished in this State. Iced tea is a favourite. Alcohol can only be purchased by those over 21 years of age, and is available at supermarkets and liquor stores. Some parts of northern Louisiana do not sell alcohol.
Theatres & Concerts: Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré
in New Orleans is one of the oldest theatre groups in the country and is highly recommended. Shreveport houses one of the best-known US community theatre groups in its Little Theater. Louisiana has engendered a rich black music scene derived from the rhythmic chants of riverboat men, the soulful gospel tunes of field hands and the wild syncopation of jazz greats such as Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. Free jazz and brass-band concerts take place in Jackson Square, in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
Nightlife: Nightlife is especially lively in New Orleans. The shows and cabarets of Bourbon Street are renowned – every third door on this famous street is a nightclub.
Shopping: Louisiana offers tax-free shopping to international visitors for items sold by a participating merchant. A tax refund voucher can be requested from any Louisiana Tax Free Shopping (LTFS) participator and the tax can be refunded at the LTFS centre at New Orleans airport on presentation of voucher, receipt, passport and travel ticket. Refunds can also be obtained by mail if sent with voucher, receipts, travel ticket and a notarised statement explaining why vouchers were not redeemed at the airport as well as the present whereabouts of the merchandise.
Among the cities of this State, New Orleans has many excellent shopping opportunities. Souvenirs are plentiful, and other good buys include Creole pecan pralines, Mardi Gras masks, beautifully bottled and hand-mixed perfumes, and various antiques on sale in shops on Royal Street. In addition, fine retail shops can be found at Jackson Brewery. The French Market is the USA’s oldest city market and offers a mix of speciality shops, chain stores and restaurants. For second-hand items, the Community Flea Market is located nearby. Other excellent shopping areas in New Orleans include the New Orleans Center, Canal Place, The Esplanade, Riverwalk and Uptown Square Shopping Center. Northgate Mall in Lafayette and Lakeside Shopping Center in Metairie are also good options.
Sport: Fishing, both freshwater and saltwater, is popular all year round. King mackerel, jewfish, marlin, bluefish, cobia, channel bass, pompano, red snapper and amber jack are found in coastal areas and in the Gulf of Mexico. Crayfish (or crawfish) are an inland speciality. The bass fishing is also highly regarded. Tarpon fishing is available near Houma and at Grand Isle. A fishing licence is necessary for non-residents. Hunting is available during the winter months with a licence; popular game includes duck, squirrel, deer, turkey and wildfowl. Bear, deer and turkey require a special licence (further information is available from the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission in New Orleans). Swimming is available in recreation areas throughout Louisiana and 18-hole golf courses are available in Lafayette (City Park Golf Course), Shreveport (Andrew Querbes Park), Lakeside and New Orleans (Lakewood Country Club, which also sponsors the Greater New Orleans Open every spring).
Special Events: Lousiana’s famous New Orleans Carnival or Mardi Gras comes to a climax every year on Shrove Tuesday. Costumes, dazzling floats, street dancing and general wild abandonment are the order of the day. Mardi Gras country-style celebrations also take place in southern Louisiana towns, with music, dancing and enough gumbo to feed the whole town.
The following is a selection of special events occurring in Louisiana in 2005; for a detailed programme of events, contact the Lousiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism (see Contact Addresses section):
Jan 16 Oyster Food Fest, Lafitte. Feb 8 Mardi Gras Day, New Orleans. Mar 12 Wearin’ of the Green Parade (St Patrick’s Day celebrations), Baton Rouge. Mar 30-Apr 3 Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, New Orleans. Apr 1-3
Cajun Hot Sauce Festival, New Iberia. Apr 3
Celebration of the Louisiana Iris, Lafitte. Apr 8-10
French Quarter Festival, New Orleans; Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival. Apr 23-May 2 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. May 6-8 Crawfish Festival, Breaux Bridge. Jul 16-17
Jean Lafitte Seafood Festival. Aug 4-7
Satchmo Summer Fest, New Orleans. Sep 4
Creole Zydeco Festival, St Martinsville. Sep 24-25
Louisiana Cane Sugar Festival & Fair, New Iberia. Aug 18-22 Delcambre Shrimp Festival. Sep 9-11
Rayne Frog Festival. Oct 1-8 Red River Revel Arts Festival, Shreveport. Oct 8
Fall Festival, Mooringsport. Oct 28-Nov 13
Louisiana State Fair, Shreveport. Nov 5-Dec 11 Louisiana Renaissance Festival, Hammond. Nov 19-Jan 6 2006
Festival of Lights (Christmas celebrations), Natchitoches.
In addition, a number of other Cajun music festivals take place throughout the year, including:
Apr 20-24 Festival International de Louisiane, Lafayette. Jun 4-5 Cajun Music Festival, Mamou. Sep 3 Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, Plaisance. Sep 16-18 Festivals Acadiens, Lafayette.
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