Louisiana’s French Creole Culinary & Linguistic Traditions by J. La Fleur & B. Costello
This book is an interesting combination of food and history. People outside of Louisiana do not usually think about the two together but, when you reflect on the Creole culture, you recognize that the food of the people is a result of nurturing their culinary and linguistic history in Louisiana which stems from the state’s colonial roots. As you will read in the dedication, “This book is intended as a celebration of the people, food and language of Colonial Louisiana’s original French Creole culture, born in Bienville’s day, whose language is still spoken in the rural parishes of Avoyelles, Evangeline, Natchitoches, Pointe-Coupee and St. Landry and whose cuisine he caused to be created through the generosity of the Choctaw, the determination of Madame Jeanne Chalifour L’Anglois (his housekeeper), the African Slaves—known and unknown, and the wise Spanish whose Louisiana Creole cuisine, represented in this book, we still cook, eat and enjoy!”
This book, although at times a bit disjointed and with some editing issues, is a passionate “on the ground” look at how various ethnic groups, their cultures and foodways influenced what today is more and more coming to be understood as Creole. The authors provide delicious food, songs and histories to tantalize your senses and your mind.
About the authors:
Lead writer/author John Le Fleur II is a native born Louisiana French Creole who is a direct descendant of the Alabama Choctaw, Acadian and Catalán Spanish Creoles through his parent and grandparent lineages. A highly qualified educator in Standard French, Speech Communication and Fine Arts, he is a fluent native speaker of “Louisiana French” (colonial French Creole), Standard French and Latin. La Fleur is also an accomplished Louisiana French food gourmet, cultural scholar and linguistic expert. His first book, A Cultural Legacy CREOLE Gourmet Secrets of Louisiana was privately published in 2010. He currently resides in the French Creole plantation home of his paternal ancestor, Jean-Batiste André dit Barza dit la Fleur.
Brian James Costello is an 11th generation Louisianian and lifelong resident of False River Road, New Roads in Pointe Coupee Parish. With a major in history, a minor in English and graduate work in archival science he is the former editor of the Pointe Coupée Banner and a columnist with the Banner and the Pointe Coupée Democrat. He served as the founding and current archivist and historian of the Pointe Coupee Parish Library Historic Materials Collection since 2009. Costello is the sole author of 18 books and numerous feature articles and co-author of four additional books since 1987. He is a public speaker and a resource and participant in various documentaries on Louisiana carnival, history, culture, religion, flood control and linguistics.
As private publishers, their book is available at http://www.courtableauhouse.com/CREOLECOOKBOOKSONLINESTORE.html
LAG
Website currently down but, our books and guesthouse services are accessible via Facebook at John la Fleur’s Louisiana Creole Food Club.com or simply by search for John la Fleur II. Thank you for your candid, but supportive review of “Louisiana’s French Creole Linguistic & Culinary Traditions: Facts vs. Fiction Before And Since Cajunization,” 2013