Fairytales are responsible for the word “pumpkin,” which first appeared in print in the 17th century. Pumpkins served as a magical coach in nursery rhyme long before becoming a symbol for the month of October. Today, foodies enjoy pumpkins’ ability to grow in the garden, add delicious flavor to a wide range of foods, plus stand as seasonal décor from Halloween through Thanksgiving.
Louisiana is known as a destination for hunting and fishing excursions—the state’s license plates even read “Sportsman’s Paradise.” With access to the Gulf of Mexico, bayous, rivers and estuaries, Louisiana supports a wide variety of fish for sportsmen to pursue. Yet while many folks love to go fishing and eat seafood, most aren’t interested in the cleaning and cooking chores that are part of a great fish dinner.
Discover North Texas Bourbon Distilleries Bourbon Lovers: Don’t sidestep Texas. Story by Ana Astri-O’Reilly Bourbon is America’s official spirit, as recognized by Congress in 1964. To be considered bourbon, a distillate must be made on American soil with a minimum of 51 percent corn and aged in charred new white
Hotsauce.com has more than 50 categories and features over 120 brands of hot sauce from around the globe. While hot sauce has become a major food category and a condiment almost as essential as ketchup these days, it wasn't always that way. There was a time when spicy food in America was credited to the Cajuns of South Louisiana, and Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce was the leader among pepperheads.
It’s official! Craft beer is gaining mass recognition for its vast range of flavors, and overall boom of accessibility; breweries and beer bars are sprouting across the U.S. at a record pace. But with this trend comes a great challenge: entrepreneurs need to find a way to stand out among the ever-increasing competition.
When farmers’ markets and grocery stores across the U.S. stock large quantities of watermelon, is there a juicier sign it’s summer? With increasing regularity and creativity, watermelon dishes are popping up on drink and food menus at restaurants nationwide. The top four watermelon-growing states are Georgia, Florida, Texas, and California, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. Other states grow watermelons, too, so you might find a local supplier wherever you live. Only when the fruit vegetable isn’t in season is it imported from other countries to ensure that watermelon remains available year-round.
In Louisiana, Creole and Cajun food often get blended together, but the old timers will tell you they are not the same at all. First, they come from two different regions of the state and, second, they include different ingredients. The main distinction between the two is that Creole food has tomatoes and Cajun doesn't, but of course it's a bit more complicated than that.
Food traditions, regional agriculture, local novelties, and simple good tastes are celebrated across the U.S. with countless seasonal festivals and themed parties. It’s easy to fill up your travel calendar with foodie events. To help you get started, here are a few suggestions; this is by no means a comprehensive list! These featured foodie events aren’t necessarily the best known or largest of their kind, but they all offer a variety of events and last multiple days.
Beer and baseball: Two great pleasures invite you to visit Fayetteville, North Carolina, a three-time winner of the All-American City Award from the National Civic League. The growing brewery scene keeps exciting suds on draft while the Fayetteville Woodpeckers—the Single A Houston Astros affiliate—deliver hit after hit of on-field entertainment. The breweries keep the taps open year-round so you can savor a pint any day of the year, but visit during baseball season and it’s like hitting a walk-off grand slam.
Crawfish season officially gets under way in early spring, and the bright red crustaceans usually remain in supply through June. The majority of crawfish in North America come from Louisiana, where rice fields are flooded in late summer to make way for the Cajun delicacy. Louisiana leads the nation in crawfish production, with crawfish farms producing more than 100 million pounds a year.
