week 17, post 1: a little initiation

Cajunization just can't happen suddenly; it's a gradual thing that has to mellow, to be savored. It's best done in stages so one is not overwhelmed by the sensuality of the experience. Eating crawfish is one of those profound initiatory events along the way. Crawfish etouffe is a marvelous dish. But the real initiation is boiled. These wonderful delicacies are springtime food. Now they're in season, and one sees Cajuns and others fishing for them in roadside ditches everywhere. But the best ones come from the real freshwater swamps in the Atchafalaya basin, where old timers continue to harvest crawfish by the millions from these dark waters. It's a messy business, but I'm so glad for them. Yes, I even sucked out the heads! Bon Appetit!