In this program from August 20, 1994, Chef John Folse explores the history, culture, and cuisine of the Cajuns in Louisiana. This program includes: a visit to the Evangeline statue and St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville; an interview with folklorist Barry Ancelet on the history of the Cajun people; a look at the traditions of the Courir de Mardi Gras, or Cajun Mardi Gras; a visit to the frog murals in Rayne; an interview with Cajun storyteller Dave Petitjean at McGee’s Landing in Henderson; an Atchafalaya swamp tour with tour guide Harold Robin; Chef Folse eating a dish of alligator etouffee at McGee’s Atchafalaya Café; a look at crawfishing and crawfish boils; interviews with Earlene Broussard, the director of CODOFIL, and Amanda LaFleur, a French teacher, on CODOFIL’s work in preserving the French language in Louisiana; interviews with Cajun artists Floyd Sonnier, Robert Dafford, and Francis Pavy; an interview with Si Brown, the president of Bruce Foods, on Cajun entrepreneurs; a look at the common ingredients used in Cajun cuisine at Mulate’s Restaurant in Lafayette; an interview with Lennis Romero on the tradition of the “fais do do,” or Cajun dance party; an interview with fiddler Michael Doucet on Cajun music; a visit to Festivals Acadiens in Lafayette; an interview with Gladys Clark on the traditional Cajun textile arts; a visit to Vermilionville in Lafayette, a living history museum with a traditional Cajun village; an interview with Bill Fontenot, the Curator of Natural Sciences at the Lafayette Natural History Museum, on common Cajun medicinal herbs and plants; a visit to La Travaille, the Duson Family cabin; and a visit to the Boudin King Restaurant in Jennings.

• published: 17 Mar 2020
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