“Eating in Louisiana is a faith ; it is not just about nutrition,” Cook Folse claims. “It’s an in-gathering ; it’s celebratory ; it is a prayer of thanks for all we have been in possession of from the swamp.”

John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mother as a young boy. His pa raised six boys and two girls as a single parent. One of the things Mr. Folse felt he wanted to teach his children was to be good cooks.

And their first lesson was that only the hottest foods yield their true flavours. “He truly taught us to refuse anything less than great taste,” Chef says.

To serve the freshest foods, you need to know what’s in season. “When it’s brown shrimp season, you eat brown shrimp. When it’s white shrimp season, you eat white shrimp. When it’s strawberry season, you eat strawberries,” Cook giggles.

Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season begins in May and runs till fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you need to know how to select the absolute best quality.

Well-taught cooks only purchase full, in-shell, raw shrimp when they are shown on a thick bed of fresh ice-not melting-under a cover. The shrimp meats must be firm to the touch, not soft. The shells must be translucent and moist, not lifeless or dry.

Learning to capture the legendary taste of brown shrimp also implies learning a sense of timing. “A lot of people are worried they will undercook shrimp,” Cook asserts, “but the genuine crime would be to overcook it and boil out all the flavour and texture.”

Follow these tips and your shrimp are certain to yield their true Louisiana flavors.

So, celebrate Bonne Crevette with Cook Folse’s Shrimp Scampi. “Try this dish. It’s an easy, traditional shrimp recipe. And it’s one of my favorites.”

Chef explains that though scampi is a term used some place else to explain a species of shrimp, in America it refers to an Italian dish. This simple recipe is superb when served over pasta, fish or chicken.

For a superb wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a drink of lovely Alice White Chardonnay.

Chef John Folse’s Shrimp Scampi

11/2 pounds ( 20-25 count ) Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup flour

Salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Tabasco Pepper Sauce to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh oregano

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

In a mixing bowl, blend flour, salt and peppers. Dust shrimp lightly in seasoned flour and put aside. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes or until edges turn golden. Mix in shrimp, shallots, basil and oregano. Employing a slotted spoon, turn shrimp occasionally until pink and curled. Add mushrooms and parsley, then deglaze with white wine. Serves 4.

What kind of food do you like making? Visit cooking101.org to get some of the simplest recipes you can use for your next meal. Also check out easy shrimp fried rice.

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