I love crawfish. I grew up on the other side of the swamp, where crawfish were always a big part of life. My stepdad, a self-acclaimed chef, boiled crawfish just about every weekend during the season. He loved to cook, but every now and then we would go out instead.
In Acadiana, there were “patios” that only opened during crawfish season and served nothing but boiled crawfish. That alone made it feel like a treat. The seasoning was always just right, and there was no cleanup to worry about. The setup was simple and practical. Cement floors made it easy to hose everything down at the end of the night, and sinks lined the walls with lemons tied nearby for washing your hands. The lemon was supposed to take the smell off your fingers, but everyone knows that during crawfish season, the smell never really goes away.
The patios would open right at 5 p.m. and close whenever they sold out. Sometimes that meant 8 p.m., sometimes midnight. You never really knew, so if you wanted your share, you got in line early, usually around 4.
Later, as a young adult, my best friend and I made it a tradition to go to Richard’s for crawfish on her birthday. I remember when you could get three pounds and a beer for five dollars. And truthfully, you cannot eat crawfish without a beer. Even if you are not much of a beer drinker, it just does not taste the same without one.
When I moved back to Denham Springs in the mid-90s, there were not many places in the parish that sold or cooked crawfish. Thankfully, Lizzie’s dad followed me here from Acadiana, and his parents had a small crawfish pond on their land south of Abbeville. They would make the drive to Denham Springs with a sack of crawfish just about every weekend during the season.
After college, my best friend moved to California, and I visit her as often as I can. On one trip, we stumbled across a crawfish festival in a small town south of Napa Valley. It looked very different from the festivals we are used to in Louisiana, but it was still a memorable experience.
As Livingston Parish has grown, so has its crawfish scene. What was once hard to find is now everywhere. You can pick up a sack at multiple spots, and there are plenty of places serving perfectly boiled crawfish ready to eat.
Louisiana has a drive-thru for just about everything these days, and crawfish is no exception. This has been common on the other side of the swamp for years, and now that trend has made its way into Livingston Parish. With so many different cultures blending here, it has caught on quickly. Places like Pinch N Peel are thriving, as you will see in this issue’s feature.
My husband, who is from South Texas, grew up eating crawfish as well, but he did not start boiling them until we were married. I am pretty sure YouTube taught him. I may be biased, but I think his are the best. Still, when we are not in the mood for cleanup, we will head out to places like Big Mike’s, Duke’s, or Don’s. They all do an excellent job.
When we travel to Texas for our annual Vasquez sibling reunion, crawfish sometimes make an appearance there too. They always come from H-E-B, packed in a box instead of a sack, but just as good. One thing never changes, though, and that is the seasoning. The Vasquez family likes their crawfish just as spicy as we do here in Louisiana.
Every Memorial Day weekend, my aunt and uncle in Mandeville host a crawfish boil. I cannot remember a time when I did not go. There used to be games, including crawfish and potato sack races, but as everyone has gotten older, it has become more about the boil itself. Even so, it is still a special time and a reason for the family to come together.
One thing worth mentioning is where crawfish come from. In Acadiana, most are farm-raised. Farmers there have mastered cultivating crawfish alongside rice fields. For years, most of the crawfish in Livingston parish came from the swamp or the spillway. Personally, I am partial to farm-raised crawfish, and I am starting to see more places offering them here.
No matter where they come from or how they are served, crawfish have a way of bringing people together. Around a table, over a newspaper-covered spread, with good company and maybe a cold beer, it is more than just a meal. It is a Louisiana tradition.
— Ash
Ashleigh David Vasquez
CoOwner
Publisher
Living In Parish Magazine
