Bed & Breakfasts of the Bayou State
Program Descriptions
Series 900

901: Chef Folse visits the historic French Quarter Lanaux Mansion in New Orleans and prepares Riz Au Lait with owner Ruth Bodenheimer. Today’s menu also include Bisque of Spinach & Crab, Sweetbreads in Lemon Caper, Fricassee of Chicken & Sausage, and Grillades & Gravy.

902: McKendrick-Breaux Bed & Breakfast in New Orleans is today’s destination. Chef Folse cooks with co-owner Eddie Breaux and returns to the studio to cook Crabmeat and Shrimp Stuffed Merliton, Oysters Dunbar, Overnight Breakfast Coffee Cake, and Sun-Dried Tomato Basil-Stuffed Chicken.

903: Seafood and wild game are on the menu today as Chef Folse visits the Salmen-Fritchie House in Slidell, Louisiana. He prepares Prudent Mallard Omelette with owner Sharon Fritchie. Other dishes on the menu include Pot-Roasted Wood Duck in Fresh Fig Glaze, Pain Perdu Count Pontchartrain, Shrimp and Redfish Courtbouillon and Oysters Casserole Fritchie. He also interviews owner Homer Fritchie.

904: Pecan-Pesto Chicken and Front Porch Carrot Bisque highlight today’s menu at the Elliot House in Amite, Louisiana. Chef Folse and owner Flora Landwehr cook granola and John returns to the studio to make Creme Caramel Custard and Spinach & Rice Casserole.

905: Chef Folse travels to St. Francisville, Louisiana to visit the Butler-Greenwood Plantation where he prepares Sweet Potato Pie with owner Anne Butler. Other items on the menu are Sweet Farre Dressing, Port Hudson’s Southern-Fried Chicken, Whipped Potato Clouds and Spicy Fried Chicken Gravy. John also visits with furniture makers Wayne Zuccarello and Gordon Graham.

906: The Bois Des Chenes B & B in Lafayette, Louisiana is the site for today’s show. John visits with owner Coerte Voohries and cooks Oyster and Artichoke Patties with Marjorie Voorhies. Today’s spicy menu also includes Maja’s Redfish Sauce Piquant, Braised Dove Evangeline, Wild Blackberry Crepes and Naval Orange Crisp.

907: Stuffed Oreille De Cochon and Shrimp & Okra Gumbo Bayou Teche headline today’s mouthwatering menu at the Maison Des Amis in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Chef Folse prepares Turtle Cheesecake Des Amis with owner Cynthia Breaux and also whips up some White Chocolate Bread Pudding.

908: Alice Plantation in Jeanerette is today’s destination. Chef Folse cooks Frog in the Hole, Eggplant Casserole, Shrimp & Lump Crabmeat Quiche and Hearts of Artichoke Frittata and prepares French Market Pizza with plantation owner Rachel Rodgers. Accordionist Greg Mouton is the guest.

909: Chef Folse visits Ramsay-Curtis Mansion in Lake Charles where he cooks Michigan Man Apple Pancakes with owner Judy Curtis. John also prepares Spicy Cornbread Skillet Cake, Lumberman’s Meatloaf and Gravy and Mom’s Holiday Bread. Adley Cormier of the Louisiana Preservation Society is the guest.

910: The Judge Porter House in Natchitoches is featured. Chef Folse cooks Cheese and Olive Roulades with owner Tod Working and returns to the studio to prepare Judge Porter’s Cane River Fish Soup and Breast of Quail La Colombe. Antique dealer Robbie Lucky is the guest.

911: Chef Folse travels to the Levy-East House in historic Natchitoches, Louisiana to prepare Luscious Lemon Soup with owner Judy East. Creole Mustard-Glazed Cornish Hens, Hot and Spicy Blackeyed Peas, Herb Roasted Potatoes and Almond Cream Pie are also on the menu.

912: Join Chef Folse as he visits Matt’s Cabin in Alexandria and prepares Lump Crabmeat Inglewood, Fried Parmesan Eggplant Strips, Matt’s Charbroiled Leg of Lamb and Portabello Pizzas. He also talks with owner Caroline Winter.

913: Down-home country cooking is featured today as Chef Folse travels to Melody Meadows in Ruston, Louisiana. Owner Gina Clark helps John prepare Paw Paw’s Shrimp Dip and John bakes Maw Maw’s Banana Pound Cake. The entrees include Gina’s Crawfish Bisque and Grilled Spiced Double Thick Pork Chops. Pottery maker Ken Folette is the guest.

914: The home where famed impressionist artist Edgar Degas lived in New Orleans is the site of today’s show. Degas House owner Mike Roussel is interviewed and Chef Folse prepares Queen Soup and Fricassees of Veal and Ham.

915: A visit to the House on Bayou Road in New Orleans includes an interview with owner Cynthia Reeves. She also helps Chef Folse prepare Spinach & Strawberry Salad.

916: Strawberry Pancake En Surprise and Stuffed Quail Bottolf headline the menu during a visit to the Bottolfs Manor in Hammond, La. Chef Folse also prepares Garlic & Herb-Studded Tenderloin, Barbecue Shrimp and the Best Darn Pecan Pie.

917: The menu includes Jumbo Shrimp in Creole Mustard Cream, Scallops of Veal with Tasso & Wild Mushroom Essence and Double Praline Parfait when Chef Folse visits the Barrow House in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Owner Shirley Dittloff is the guest.

918: Creole Country Corn Meal Pecan Waffles with Cranberry Syrup and Ms. Linda’s Breakfast Cheer are just two of the delicious breakfast recipes on the menu when Chef Folse visits the Creole Country Bed and Breakfast in . John also prepares Pot-Roasted Goose False River and Fiesta Maque Choux Salad and visits with owner Linda Lawrence.

919: With a name like T’Frere, can this bed and breakfast be located anyplace but the Cajun country of Louisiana? Chef Folse travels to Lafayette, Louisiana to prepare Crabmeat Vermillion and interview T’Frere owner Maugie Pastor. Today’s menu also includes Bananas Foster, Sweet and Spicy Chicken Etouffee, T’Frere Turtle Soup and Eggs A’ La Creme.

920: Chef Folse travels to Carencro where he visits the La Maison de Champagne Bed and Breakfast. Recipes include Upside-Down Orange Biscuits, French Fried Asparagus Spears and Venison Tenderloin Carencro.


921: Chef Folse travels to Darrow, Louisiana to visit Tezcuco Plantation. On the menu is Creole Chicken & Biscuits; Creole, Tomato & Basil Omelette, Madame Tureaud Crawfish & Shrimp Dip. He interviews Bill Bringer and together they prepare Bringer’s Nine-Bean Soup.

922: Reid-Toerner Bed and Breakfast in Lake Charles is today’s destination. The menu includes Silver Queen Corn & Tarragon Eggroll with Creole Tomato Sauce, Breast of Chicken Holly Beach, and Smoked Wood Duck & Andouille Gumbo.

923: Chef Folse visits the Fleur-de-Lis in Natchitoches and prepares Shrimp and Spinach Mold, Celery and Potato Salad with Lemon Mayonnaise and Fleur-de-Lis Seafood Pastalaya.

924: Former New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Bobby Hebert joins Chef Folse during his visit to JuJu’s B&B in Many, Louisiana. The menu includes Cantino Toledo Breakfast, Roasted Loin of Pork with Natural Juices, Grilled Bass with Herbed Garlic Marinade, and Pepper Marinated Grilled Flank Steak.

925: Fairfield Place in Shreveport is today’s stop. Chef Folse visits with owner Janie Lipscomb and prepares Fairfield Egg Casserole, Janie’s Orange Marmalade Muffins, and Homemade Corn Beef Brisket.

926: Chef Folse visits the area once ruled by pirate Jean Lafitte when he visits the Victoria Inn in Lafitte, Louisiana. John cooks Eggs Victoria with Roy Ross and returns to the studio to prepare Blackeyed Pea Battered Shrimp, Bisque of Three Shellfish with Shoepeg Corn and Bacon-Grilled Casserole.

A Dictionary of Cajun Terms

[ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ]

••a••

Andouille – {ahn doo wee} Sausage made with lean pork and lots of garlic, used in red beans and rice and other dishes.

Atchafalaya – {uh chaf uh ly uh} Choctaw Indian word meaning “long river.” The Atchafalaya River runs through a scenic river basin east of Lafayette, Louisiana. This swamp area is rich with wildlife and seafood that are the basis of many Cajun dishes

••b••
Bayou – {by yoo} French name for slow-moving river.

Beignet – {bin yay} little, square doughnut, deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar. The Louisiana state donut, served with cafe au lait.

Bisque – {bisk} rich, thick cream soup made from seafood.

Boudin – {boo dan} sausage made with rice, ground pork and seasonings.

••c••
Cafe Au Lait – {caf ay oh lay} hot coffee with hot milk; usually a half-and-half mixture with chicory.

Cafe Brulot – {caf ay broo loh} this dramatic after dinner brew is a blend of hot coffee, spices, orange peel, and liqueurs. It is blended in a chafing dish, ignited, and served in special cups.

Cajun – {cay jun} descendants of the French people of Nova Scotia who settled in Louisiana.

Calle – {cal yay} Spanish word for street.

Calliope – a musical instrument found on a steamboat consisting of a set of steam whistles played from a keyboard.

Cayenne – {ky yen} a hot pepper that is dried and used to season many Louisiana dishes.

Chank-a-Chank – rollicking Cajun music, usually involving an accordion.

Cher – {sheh} cajun word for “dear”.

Chicory – {chik or ee} an herb, the roots of which are dried, ground, roasted and used to flavor coffee.

Creole – {cree ole} several definitions exist: in Louisiana, a creole is a person descended from French or Spanish settlers or a person of mixed European and African blood. It is also a style of cooking and architecture.

Cochon de lait – {koo shon duh lay} a cajun party revolving around the roasting of a pig in a open pit, usually a hole dug into the ground.

••d••

Dirty Rice – pan-fried leftover cooked rice sauteed with green peppers, onion, celery, stock and giblets.

••e••

Espirit des corps – {es pree duh cor}teamwork, cooperation.

Etouffeé – {ay too fay} spicy cajun stew served over rice and, usually, crawfish.

••f••

Filé – {fee lay} A powder made from dried sassafras leaves, sprinkled on gumbo after it is removed from the heat. Used as a thickening agent.

Float – lavishly decorated vehicle used in Mardi Gras parades, from which beads, doubloons and other small trinkets are thrown.

Fais Do Do – {fay dough dough} cajun party with music, dancing and plenty of food which usually goes late into the night; Literally translates as “go to sleep,” which is what the dancers would tell their children. Traditionally, these dances would be held in a home and all the children would be delegated to one room.

••g••

Garconniere – {gah son yair} the bachelor’s quarters on a plantation, usually located behind the kitchen.

Grillades – {gree yahds} squares of broiled beef or veal.

Gris Gris – {gree gree} Voodoo spell that brngs good or bad luck.

Grits – coarsely ground hominy corn, somewhat similar in appearance to mashed potatoes, but with a grainy texture, often served with butter or gravy.

Gumbo – thick, spicy soup prepared with ingredients such as rice, sausage chicken and okra.

Gumbo Ya Ya – when everybody talks at once.

••j••

Jambalaya – {jahm buh ly yah} spicy dish made with rice and combinations of seafood, chicken, turkey, sausage, peppers and onions.

Joie de vivre – {zhwa-duh-veev} the “joy of living.”

Juju – {joo joo} Voodoo spell that brings good luck.

••k••

King cake - Traditional yeast coffee cake served during the Mardi Gras season. The King cake honors the Magi who visited the Christ child on the “twelfth night” or Epiphany. The cake is a continuous circle, decorated with yellow, purple and green sugars, the colors of Mardi Gras. The first king cake is made on the Epiphany (January 6), and a little plastic baby doll, bean or nut (representing the baby Jesus) is baked into the cake. When served, the person with the baby in his or her piece hosts the next king cake party. This goes on until Mardi Gras, or the day before Lent begins.

Krewe – {kroo} a social organization that puts on Mardi Gras balls and parades. Members ride floats and throw beads and doubloons to the crowds at Mardi Gras.

••l••

Lagniappe – {lan yap} a little something extra.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Roulez – {lay zay lay bon ton rool lay} French for “Let the good times roll.”

Levee – an embankment built to keep the river from overflowing; a landing place on the river.

••m••

Mirliton – {mel ee ton} a hard-shelled vegetable pear with edible innards, it is cooked like squash and stuffed with ham or shrimp and spicy dressing.

Muffuletta – {muff a lot ta} a round Italian sandwich as big as your head, made with a variety of meats and olive salad.

Mojo – {mo jo} Voodoo spell that brings bad luck.

••p••

Parish – Political division similar to counties in other states. Louisiana is the only state which has parishes rather than counties. .

Pirogue – {pee roe} a cajun canoe, originally made from a dugout cypress log, usually flat on the bottom and pointed at both ends.

Po-boy – a long sandwich on French bread usually stuffed with oysters, shrimp or roast beef. A “dressed” po-boy comes with mayonaise, lettuce and tomato.

Praline – {praw leen} the sweetest of sweets, this New Orleans tradition is a candy patty the essential ingredients of which are sugar, water and pecans.

Prayer Beads – garlic braids that hang in the French Market of New Orleans.

••r••

Roux – {roo} seasoned flour browned in oil in a skillet used to start almost all Louisiana dishes.

Rue – {roo} the French word for street, used in the New Orleans French Quarter.

••s••

Sauce Piquante – {saus pee kauhn} tomato-based stew made with any sort of meat, fish or game, served over rice or pasta.

Second Line – a celebratory dance accompanied by jazz, and decorated umbrellas; a New Orleans tradition at weddings, jazz funerals and other festive occasions. The First Line consists of the somber mourners at a jazz funeral.

••t••

Two-step – a traditional Cajun dance similar to a polka.

••v••

Vieux Carre – {vyoo kah ray} the French name for the French Quarter; it means “Old Square”

Voodoo – mysterious religion involving charms and spells that came to Louisiana via the Caribbean.

••w••

Where Y’at – Contraction for “Where are you at?’ In some neighborhoods in New Orleans this is how you say “How are you doing?”

••z••

Zydeco – {zy deh ko}a blend of African and Cajun music highlighted by the accordian and the washboard.

Chef John D. Folse, CEC, AAC
(submitted 1999)


Chef John Folse was born in St. James Parish in 1946. He learned early that the secrets of Cajun cooking lay in the unique ingredients of Louisiana’s swamp floor pantry. Folse seasoned these raw ingredients with his passion for Louisiana culture and cuisine, and from his cast iron pots emerged Chef John Folse & Company.

Folse opened Lafitte’s Landing Restaurant in 1978 in Donaldsonville. He set out to market his restaurant by taking “A Taste of Louisiana” worldwide. He introduced Louisiana’s indigenous cuisine to Japan in 1985, Beijing in 1986, and Hong Kong and Paris in 1987. In 1988, Folse made international headlines with the opening of “Lafitte’s Landing East” in Moscow during the Presidential Summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. In 1989, Folse created the first Vatican State Dinner in Rome. Promotional restaurants were also opened in London in 1991 and 1993, Bogota in 1991, Taipei in 1992 and 1994, and Seoul in 1994. In 1988, Folse was named “Louisiana’s Marketing Ambassador to the World” by the Louisiana Sales and Marketing Executives and “Louisiana’s Culinary Ambassador to the World” by the Louisiana Legislature.

The international success of Lafitte’s Landing Restaurant spawned the incorporation of several other Chef John Folse & Company properties. He established his catering division at White Oak Plantation in 1986. Chef John Folse & Company Publishing has produced six Cajun and Creole cookbooks since 1989. Folse’s cooking series, “A Taste of Louisiana with Chef John Folse & Co.,” has been produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting since 1990 and airs throughout America on PBS and is also syndicated internationally. Since 1991, Chef John Folse & Company Manufacturing has been producing custom manufactured foods for the retail and food service industry. It is one of the few chef-owned food manufacturing companies in America. The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. opened in October 1994. It is dedicated to the preservation of Louisiana’s rich culinary and cultural heritage. In August 1996 Folse began broadcasting his radio cooking talk show, “Stirrin’ It Up…The Best Tasting Show on Talk Radio.” Exceptional Endings, the pastry division, was launched in 1996 to create specialty desserts, pastries and savories. In October of 1998, a fire destroyed the 200-year-old Viala Plantation, which housed Lafitte’s Landing Restaurant. In spring 1999 Folse opened his former Donaldsonville home as Lafitte’s Landing Restaurant at Bittersweet Plantation, offering fine dining and bed and breakfast accommodations.

Folse has received numerous national and international accolades. In 1987 the Louisiana Restaurant Association named him “Louisiana Restaurateur of the Year”. In 1989 Lafitte’s Landing Restaurant was inducted into Nation’s Restaurant News’ “Fine Dining Hall of Fame.” In 1990 the American Culinary Federation named Folse the “National Chef of the Year”. Folse has been recognized with honorary Doctor of Culinary Arts degrees from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. and the Baltimore International Culinary College. In 1994 he assumed the role of National President of the American Culinary Federation, the largest organization of professional chefs in America. In 1995 Folse was one of 50 people recognized in Nation’s Restaurant News’ “Profiles of Power.” In 1996 Lafitte’s Landing Restaurant received the Award of Excellence from Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DRNA). Folse serves as DRNA Vice Chairman and will serve as Chairman in 2000. In 1998 Chef John Folse & Company Manufacturing received TGI Friday’s Inc. Procurement Product Development Award for assisting in the development of Friday’s Jack Daniels® Glaze. In 1998 Food Arts Magazine awarded Folse the “Silver Spoon Award” for his sterling performance and contributions to the food service industry.

Twenty years of culinary excellence later, Folse is still adding ingredients to the corporate gumbo he calls Chef John Folse & Company, which is as diverse as the Louisiana landscape, and he would not want it any other way.

Underwritten by:

The Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Zatarain’s

Friends of LPB

and The Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting