The Louisiana Purchase

New Orleans, Gem on the Gulf

When the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory in 1803, Thomas Jefferson had no idea what a treasure he’d bought for the country.  He sent out Lewis and Clark to explore the million square miles and asked them to bring back seeds and cuttings of any new plants they found.

While Natchitoches is the oldest town in what is now the state of Louisiana, it was the city of New Orleans that was the most profound results of the purchase. New Orleans, the colorful, bustling port city on the Gulf of Mexico, would now be American. Approximately 90,000 people lived in the territory and half of those lived in or near New Orleans. French, Negro, Spanish and Indian tribe remnants made up the population. Those who were of both Spanish and French descent were the Creoles. The French speaking refugees who came down from Nova Scotia were the ancestors of those we know as Cajun today.

This heterogeneous population along with the variety of excellent cooking ingredients available in the area produced a cuisine that is even today both delectable and unique. The French, Negro, and Indian populations all had their influence in the great cooking that is typical of the region. All types of food from gumbo to beignets to jambalaya to pecan pralines are associated with New Orleans and can be found on menus in top restaurants around the area.

Rice, fish and okra are the most frequent ingredients in the recipes and Tabasco sauce is a frequent additive to give that spicy flavor associated with Louisiana cooking. Shrimp and crayfish are frequent ingredients and are plentiful in the region.

Not only is the food unique, but the beverages have a reputation all their one. Coffee with chicory is one example as well as café au lait (made with chicory coffee), and grand brule.  

One thing of note is the difference between Creole and Acadian cooking. The Creoles were accustomed to more luxury thus leaning toward the cooking of France with its subtle flavors and separate sauces. Acadian were poor and ate country-style food which was hearty, spicy and often cooked and served as one dish.

One dish, Red Beans and Rice, became so popular that it is now a tradition and served every Monday, even in some restaurants. A cup of coffee and a French doughnut or Beignet (shown on the left) are a must have on a visit to the French Quarter. 



Those who love spicy cuisine find dishes made with Tabasco just right for their palate. Originally used by only southern Louisiana cooks, Tabasco is produced 125 miles from New Orleans and now known all over the country.

No matter where you live, a visit to New Orleans will be an unforgettable experience, and a great history lesson.

Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and the author of the Winds Across the Prairie and Seasons of the Heart series as well as the novella, Key to Her Heart in River Walk Christmas and Not on the Menu in Sugar and Grits. Love Stays True, the first book in her third series, The Homeward Journey, is now available. She was named Writer of the Year at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in 2009 and is a member of ACFW and writes the weekly Verse of the Week for the ACFW Loop. In addition to fiction, Martha has contributed to compilations by Wayne Holmes, Debra White-Smith and Karen O’ Connor as well as various devotion books. Martha is a frequent speaker for writing workshops and the Texas Christian Writers Conference. She is a retired teacher and lives in Houston with her husband, Rex. Their favorite pastime is spending time with their nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Thanks for stopping by.

Papa Noel and the Christmas Eve Bonfires: Celebrating Christmas on the Louisiana Bayou

by Kathleen Y'Barbo

In many respects, Christmas on the Louisiana bayou is like Christmas anywhere else. Families gather, carols are sung, and children are put to bed with the anticipation of gifts and celebration on Christmas morning. However, there are a few things that make a Cajun holiday special.

Papa Noel instead of Santa Claus
The jolly man most of us recognize as Santa Claus is not who the Acadians of South Louisiana look to as the deliverer of gifts on Christmas Eve. Papa Noel, the Cajun version of Saint Nick, makes his rounds in a pirogue--a shallow Louisiana boat--pulled by eight alligators. In some versions of the story, Papa Noel--or Pere Noel as the Cajuns say--is dressed in muskrat hides instead of his traditional red garb as he pilots his boat. Always his sack of toys holds special gifts for good boys and girls, and sometimes he offers up lumps of coal for those who were not so nice.

Bonfires on the levees on Christmas Eve
How does Papa Noel find his way to the homes of those children who live in the deepest recesses of the bayou? Long ago, the natives of this part of the country began building bonfires on the levees, teepee-shaped log structures that, when lit, could guide the way for anyone seeking to deposit gifts under Christmas trees. Although legend has it that these bonfires may have been used to light the parishioners' way to Christmas Eve services, the idea of a nautical landing strip for the fabled Papa Noel brings a smile to children's faces.

Christmas eve bonfires are not a new idea. Many Europeans, including those of German and French descent, have traditions that include these fiery towers. That Louisiana is a melting pot of these cultures--and more--makes it likely that settlers from these areas brought this aspect of the celebration with them.

The Mississippi River town of Lutcher, Louisiana holds a Christmas bonfire celebration every Christmas eve. At 7pm sharp on December 24, over one hundred 30-foot tall bonfires are lit along the river to guide Papa Noel into the town. In the rare event of rain, the lighting of the bonfires is moved to New Years Eve. In St. James parish, the Festival of the Bonfires offers another opportunity to see this Louisiana tradition in action. All down the river road, plantations such as Oak Alley and Madewood hold similar celebrations.

Wherever you go in South Louisiana, you will find a Cajun Christmas is very much like yours and mine. And very different at the same time!

Joyeaux Noel, Y'all!

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KATHLEEN Y'BARBO is the bestselling author of over 50 books with more than one million copies of her books in print in the United States and abroad. A Romantic Times magazine Top Pick, Reviewer's Choice nominee, and Career Achievement nominee, Kathleen has been a finalist in American Christian Fiction Writer's Carol Awards and Romance Writers of America's RITA competition.

She and her hero in combat boots husband make their home north of the Red River. To find out more about Kathleen's books or to connect with her on Facebook or Twitter, check out her website at www.kathleenybarbo.comwww.kathleenybarbo.com.