Black Ink and Parchment

Anyone will tell you that Louisiana isn’t like anywhere else in the world. While it is part of the United States, Louisiana, especially south Louisiana, feels like its own little country. Full of bayous, lakes, boudin, and weekend festivals, south Louisiana will always give you something to talk about and a place to “pass a good time,” resulting in unique echoes that linger in our homes such as:

A screen porch slamming

Gumbo Ya-Ya

 speaking in Cajun French to avoid letting gossip reach small ears

Magnalite pots clanging onto stoves

Laughter from a toddler watching a crawfish crawl backwards

The running of an exhausted air conditioner

Cursing at the New Orleans Saints

The sizzle of holy trinity in butter

The glide of thread through scraps of fabric

Dripping Community Coffee

A gumbo ladle splashing back into the pot

Murmurs of the rosary in the living room

Red beans bubbling in a slow cooker on Mondays

The dumping of Mardi Gras beads into a tub for scrubbing

Arguments over leaving the king cake knife in the box

Thump of stacking cases of water for hurricane season

 Uncooked rice spilling on cabinets

A cough after inhaling too much powdered sugar on beignets

The shuffling of cards on old kitchen tables for Bourre or Rummy

or Echoes from Fais do-do in the backyard while tucking in the kids

No matter where you are from, the sounds of your faith, culture, and family will seep into the walls of your home. I hope yours will be filled with etouffee, couyons, and always a little lagniappe.