Over spring break I visited New Orleans with my family for the first time. None of us had ever been, and had hardly spent anytime in a southern state. We ate out at local restaurants most of the time, and ventured off into the surrounding small towns that serve more unique southern foods. Towards the end of our trip we visited Biloxi, Mississippi and ate at a place called The Fillin’ Station. It really used to be a gas station and still has a large garage door that is wide open on most days. While we were there they had a crawfish boil where you could order a huge platter stacked tall with crawfish, all you could eat for $25. Seeing these large platters on every other table was a pretty unique sight for my midwestern family. We had no real desire to eat these little critters, but every local sure did. The demand for this type of meal was apparently pretty high, considering a couple other restaurants we visited offered similar items. My sister opted for the unique “crawfish nachos” in hopes that it would seem less intimidating than a foot tall stack of red crustaceans.
I had wondered if there was a difference between these crawfish, and crayfish I had seen once in a while here in streams. The answer is no. The abundance and demand for crawfish in that area of the south seems unbelievable to me when all I know is that I have seen a handful of crayfish in streams while camping around Minnesota. Our concept of what good food is is shaped by our culture, and my culture tells me these crayfish are unimportant and useless. I will admit the crawfish nachos were certainly interesting, though I have no desire to go looking through the creeks to recreate the dish.
I felt a little guilty for judging the restaurant when we first arrived there. I guess I was a little put off by the unfamiliarity of it all, but I am sure my family has some weird dishes that would elicit a similar reaction from the people there. I had been completely uneducated about the supply and demand for this type of food in that region of the south, and I wonder if that applies to most people in my culture or if I was just really oblivious. Understanding the reason for the demand is not very difficult when looking at nutrition facts for a crawfish. They are low in fat, saturated fat, trans fat and calories and are high in protein and minerals.
I went to New Orleans once in high school and was also amazed by the food. I got to try crawfish and alligator and both were excellent. Louisiana is definitely different from other states I've been too. The abundant, fresh, and cheap seafood creates great eating experiences and a unique food culture. Interesting to know that crawfish are good for you too.
ReplyDeleteI had to chuckle a little reading this because grew up in a family of fishermen and used to have summer crayfish boils, but it took me until a few years ago to realize that crayfish and crawfish are the same! They are really yummy, definitely recommend trying them-butter helps. I noticed this unfamiliarity of a food environment when I visited Rhode Island as they are a port city and almost entirely consumed seafood, which I spent the week indulging in. Then returning home I was longing for Rhode Island clam chowder and fresh lobster, which is subpar in the midwest. Food shapes culture!
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