u/Comfortable-Bet6855

About 20 years ago I bought a small piece of wooded property. It is over two hundred yards from the nearest road and located close to a small river. The land is entirely wooded with marshy areas in much of it and is subject to flooding in the Spring. Parts of it may have been farmed or used for livestock in the past but I don’t know the history of it. It’s in Illinois but I’m not a permanent resident.

The property taxes have always been low. This year my bill was almost ten times more than past bills. I called the assessor‘s office to ask about it. I was told that the land classification had been changed from agricultural to residential as part of new assessment policy. Something about because it shows up in recent air photos as entirely wooded that means it isn’t being farmed so must be classed as residential. They told me that the only alternative would be to apply to put it into some sort of state program conservation program. Which would greatly reduce or eliminate the tax burden.

However, this particular county office has a bit of a sketchy reputation so I’m not sure if this is perfectly legit or if some sort of appeal might be in order?

About 20 years ago I bought a small piece of wooded property. It is over two hundred yards from the nearest road and located close to a small river. The land is entirely wooded with marshy areas in much of it and is subject to flooding in the Spring. Parts of it may have been farmed or used for livestock in the past but I don’t know the history of it.

The property taxes have always been low. This year my bill was almost ten times more than past bills. I called the assessor‘s office to ask about it. I was told that the land classification had been changed from agricultural to residential as part of new assessment policy. Something about because it shows up in recent air photos as entirely wooded that means it isn’t being farmed so must be classed as residential. They told me that the only alternative would be to apply to put it into some sort of state program conservation program. Which would greatly reduce or eliminate the tax burden.

However, this particular county office has a bit of a sketchy reputation so I’m not sure if this is perfectly legit or if some sort of appeal might be in order?

A fairly common theme on social media is some using Interstate 10 as a boundary for all things related to Cajun culture. Especially food when it comes to arguments. With very broad generalizations such as everything north of I-10 is essentially north Louisiana or southern Arkansas. The only real Cajun food and culture is found south of I-10. I‘ve always found this odd when I encountered it in recent years on social media. In my experience when people spoke in terms of a boundary it was generally vague references to points further north: up toward Oakdale, north of Ville Platte, up around Bunkie, etc. Having actually been in those areas and I can see the logic in such assertions.

But a few examples illustrate major problems with the I-10 claim as an absolute cultural boundary:

Many of the musicians associated with Cajun music of past and present were born and raised north of the present day I-10 or spent much of their lives living and performing in that area. For example, Dennis McGee, Joe Falcon, Amede Breaux, Amede Ardoin, Nathan Abshire, Iry Lejeune, up to contemporary musicians lIke Steve Riley and members of the Savoy Family.

Altthough many associate Mardi Gras with the New Orleans style parades, the traditional Cajun Mardi Gras run is most associated with north of I-10 communities like Ville Platte, Mamou, Church Point, Eunice, Oberlin, Iota, Hathaway, Egan, Lejeune Cove, Basile, Elton etc.

In terms of commercial marketing of Cajun food some of the best known companies are Kary’s (Ville Platte), Richard’s (Church Point), and Savoie’s (Opelousas). Then there is the now legendary Best Stop in Ossun. As well as people like Tony Chachere and Paul Prudhomme ((both Opelousas).

So while some internet smack talk is fun to see, some folks take it a bit too seriously.

I should add that except for one year when my family lived on a rice farm between Roanoke and Pine Island I’ve never lived north of I-10 in Louisiana and probably 75 percent of my extended family lives south of I-10. So I dont have a vested interest in being skeptical of the whole I-10 myth. I’ve never noticed a difference in quality of food between places like Abbeville, Gueydan, Lake Arthur and Hayes, and Hackberry and points north like Opelousas, Church Point, Mamou, Eunice, and Oberlin.

So enjoy the smack talk but take it with several grains of salt.

Just came across this jambalaya recipe in the September 17, 1909 issue of The Rice Belt Journal newspaper:

Cut a piece of fresh pork (a pound) into pieces an inch square and chop up two or three onions fine. Put a large tablespoon of sweet lard into a deep saucepan. When hot add the chopped pork with the onions and let them brown, stirring for about five minutes, then add about the same amount of ham as you have of pork, and a quarter pound of Vienna sausage. Next add the herbs; a bay leaf, a little parsley, and two cloves with a salt spoon of salt and brown a few minutes longer. When all are nicely browned add two quarts of hot soup-stock or hot water. Let it cook for about ten minutes; when boiling nicely add a cup of rice washed and dried. Let boil until the rice is tender, stirring frequently to keep from burning. Season with salt, cayenne and Tabasco or chile sauce.

This is the first time I have seen Vienna sausage mentioned in a recipe. If this is the same duck hunting delicacy as is marketed as today?

Interesting to note that to encourage the consumption of rice the Rice Growers Association based in Crowley was distributing cookbooks with these types of recipes for free.

Late addendum: I was so fixated on the Vienna sausage thing that I forgot to include some other comments that had originally stood out to me:

The article was pretty clear in discussing jambalaya within the context of Creole cooking. That was the term most commonly used to describe jambalaya until well into the 20th century. But, like many jambalaya recipes of that era and earlier it doesn‘t include tomato. But unlike many later recipes in the most recent waves of Cajun cookbooks and cooking shows it doesnt include the “trinity“ either. So a nice commentary on the evolution of local food and terminology.

The Bull Thistle (Chadron) grows wild in many areas and tends to be viewed as an inconvenient (and potentially painful) weed. That grows along ditches and fields. However, it is considered by some Cajuns and Creoles to be a delicacy. The inner part of the stalk of immature plants is something along the lines of celery and is eaten raw much the same way. I’ve never messed with it because I’m not much of a celery fan. But would be interested in how many folks here eat it and how specifically?

I’m currently watching the TV series about the Menendez Brothers murder case starring Javier Bardem. He is a Spaniard playing a Cuban and there is a number of scenes where he is speaking Spanish with family members. I‘m curious if he is speaking Spanish as he learned it in Spain or if he modified his speech to sound Cuban?

Whitetale deer (Chevreuil): Cooked pretty much anyway one would cook beef. Ground meat makes a good rice dressing/dirty rice without the need to add liver.

Squirrel (Ecureuil): Good in any kind of gravy or sauce or gumbo.

Wild Turkey (D’inde farouche): Cooked anyway that one would cook turkey. Better tasting IMO.

Dove (Tourte): Good in a gumbo or brown gravy.

Quail (Perdrix): Same as dove but are great fried as well.

Armadillo (Tatou): Cooked like pork.

Crow (Corbeau): No idea how to do it but some folks here have mentioned it done in their family.

Possum (Rat de bois): Same as pork.

Rabbit (Lapin): Brown gravy, fricassee, gumbo, smothered. Tastes better when shot at night.

A lot of this stuff is eaten all over, especially in the greater South. But often done in more local fashion. Some of it pretty rarely done in the present.

The French terms in Louisiana for the three meals of each day are generally dejeuner (breakfast), diner (dinner), and souper (supper). In many homes there was/is an emphasis on a fully cooked meal at each time, or, at least serving leftovers from a previous fully cooked meal for dinner and supper. Much of which would fall under the classification of Cajun/Creole or would probabably be considered Cajun/Creole adjacent.

However, the term lunch (often pronounced as “launch”) entered into the vocabulary in both English and French. Some will use it to refer to a midday meal of something like a bologna sandwich and potato chips although some folks might extend it out to something like a can of Campbell soup and crackers. But doesn’t seem to ever refer to even a meal of basic Cajun food like boudin or or some head cheese and crackers. But the terminology can obviously differ from person to person and place to place. especially if particular folks have adopted the English word lunch as a catch all term for dinner.

So being invited for “un launch” in some Cajun homes may result in eating decidedly non-Cajun food.

Some wild things that are considered by a lot of people to be delicacies when it comes to Cajun and Creole food. But others may not be familiar with them. Some examples:

Robin (Greve): Cooked in gumbo.

Blackbird (Tchoc): Cooked in fricassee or jambalaya or gumbo.

Woodcock (Becasse de nuit): Cooked like robins or blackbirds.

Bullfrogs (Ouaouaron): The ones in Louisiana can be huge (like 18 inches or longer)and the whole thing can be fried. The backs and front legs from smaller ones can be cooked in sauce piquant.

Snapping turtle (Galeuse or Caouenne): Cooked in sauce piquante or fried.

Softshell turtle (Caille Molle): Same as snapping turtle.

Alligator snapping turtle (Trois rang): Cooked in sauce piquante or fried.

Yellowbelly turtle (Ventre jaune): Same as above.

Bowfin/Dogfish (Choupique): Made into patties and fried or cooked in sauce piquante.

Alligator Garfish (Poisson Arme): Made into balls and fried or cooked in a brown or red gravy or cut into steaks and grilled or cut into roasts and stuffed and baked.

Needle nose garfish (Poisson arme de bec fin): Same as above depending on size.

French terminoloy can vary and there can be other ways of cooking various things.

Most everyone is familiar with the term Tasso being used for thick slices of pork that are heavily seasoned and smoked. But the term has wider use in Louisiana in past and present. Stores that produce pork Tasso may also market turkey tasso (turkey jerky) or even beef Tasso. The term can also be applied to fish.

Older people that I know/knew in SWLA would talk about Tasso as referring to beef that was cut into strips, heavily salted, and sundried along the lines of beef jerky. Late 19th century discussions throughout the area tended to discuss it in that regard.

Tasso turns up as a place name as well. For example, Spanish Lake outside of New Iberia was sometimes referred to as Tasso Lake in English and French. As well as Tasso/Tasso Cove east of Eunice. Which allegedly got its name from all the racks of sundried meat that could be seen in the community at given times.

I‘ve since learned that the name apparently derived from the Spanish term tasajo. Throughout the Spanish speaking world it refers to a wide range of meats, including deer and horse, that are heavily salted and seasoned and either smoked or dried. Learned that from a Panamanian women when I served her some pork Tasso and she immediately knew it as tasajo.

An interesting connection since the New Iberia area was settled in the 1770s by Spanish immigrants who then intermarried heavily with Acadian and Creoles already in the area. Given that Spanish speakers also settled in southeastern Louisiana during that time frame it may explain why the term Tasso took hold across all of south Louisiana and can be used a for a variety of things.

A lot of people seem to believe that Cajuns are the descendants of Acadians who ended up in Louisiana where they settled primarily in the swamps and marshes. Where they became hunters, trappers, and fisherman. Which shaped the evolution of Cajun food and contrasted Cajuns with Creoles that apparently only lived in towns and cities and so had access to the good stuff.

In reality the Acadians arrived from roughly 1765 to 1785 and were settled in three areas where there were already creole populations in the general areas. Along the Mississippi River in present day St. James and Ascension Parishes, in the Attakapas Post in the area of present day New Iberia and St. Martinville, and the Opelousas Post near present day Opelousas. From day one the Acadians were engaged primarily in farming and raising livestock. Over the next century they expanded throughout the river parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and down Bayou lafourche. And up and down Bayou Teche and the Vermilion River in southwest Louisiana, as well as westward across the prairie region all the way to the Texas border.

For most of them it was, depending on the environment, raising sugar cane (some becoming wealthy slave owners), cotton, rice, potatoes, corn, and various garden vegetables. As well as cattle, hogs, sheep, and fowl. But certainly supplemented by hunting and fishing. With some Cajuns eventually hunting, fishing and trapping full time. But a small minority compared to those who farmed and raised livestock and others who entered various other types of professions. But people thrive on the mythology.

I learned this from getting introduced to Carl Brasseaux’s books The Found of New Acadia and From Acadian to Cajun. As well as having virtually no friends and family that were ever full time Swamp People show types and spending decades of saying “WTF” every time a film or tv show in this vein came on. But not to say that there aren’t some folks that did/do this. But no where near a majority.

Late addendum: rather than quickly skimming this and feeling inclined to post an irate response, I would suggest that folks read the post carefully a couple times. Maybe do it out loud standing in front of the mirror. Or read a few books by actual Cajun historians as well. Good way to avoid a bruised ego.