Filed under Baton Rouge Living on August 21st, 2008:
Your Cajun Guide To Baton Rouge
The city of Baton Rouge is steeped in Cajun culture and history. Cajun heritage in the capital of Louisiana stems from the influence of French Acadians that have populated the area for centuries. If you are looking for apartments for rent in Baton Rouge, it’s helpful to know a few Cajun terms that pop up frequently in the Louisiana vernacular.
That said, let’s explore some important words (and their meanings) from the Cajun dictionary:
Café Noir
Think of it as a morning wake-up call and then some. In Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana, Cajun restaurants and bars serve it up hot and dark – it’s called café noir. The simple translation is black coffee, but to give it a Cajun kick, it’s not just coffee beans. The classic recipe includes chicory, a Mediterranean herb whose root is roasted, ground, and then added as a coffee filler. Café noir is brewed strong and, as the name suggests, is served without milk or cream.
To get a good cup of café noir in Baton Rouge, you’ll want to stop by Copeland’s of New Orleans. This restaurant is a Louisiana household name and offers up traditional Cajun-influenced popular Baton Rouge food such as shrimp etouffee and crawfish. There are many great coffee shops in Baton Rouge as well, such as CC’s Coffeehouse, an offshoot of the Community Coffee brand that is famous throughout the south.
Fais do do
Another term it pays to know from your Cajun dictionary is fais do do pronounced “fay dough dough”. This well known saying literally means “put to sleep” and it refers to the traditional Cajun party with food, dancing and live music that lasts into the wee hours. In the olden days, children were put to bed while at the party, leading to the name that is still used today.
A Baton Rouge guide to fais do do would naturally lead you to a Baton Rouge food and music mainstay like Boutin’s Cajun Music and Dining establishment on Bluebonnet Boulevard. This famous restaurant features every kind of Cajun cuisine with live music by Cajun and Zydeco bands. The lyrics are usually in French, but it won’t matter, you won’t be able to keep still when the fais do do gets started!
Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez
The final phrase that you’ll hear frequently in Baton Rouge and throughout Cajun country is Laisez les Bon Temps Roulez, which of course, is French for “Let the Good Times Roll”. Baton Rouge residents take this phrase extremely seriously, and there are year round festivals and celebrations in and around the city to prove it.
The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, for example, is a time when the Cajun love of the little shrimp-like creature is celebrated. Taking place between May 1 and 10, this is one of the largest festivals of its kind that features Zydeco, Swamp Pop and Cajun musicians from around the world. Staged in Baton Rouge’s Parc Hardy, nothing beats the music and the food. Crawfish abounds in every manner imaginable, including bisque, etouffee and jambalaya. The good times continue to roll as the crowd gets into the crawfish races – watching the little critters head for a target (with a little assistance from their owners) and go for the big prize!
Of course, for good times, who can separate Louisiana from its love of Mardi Gras. Baton Rouge is no exception, with several krewes (social groups that organize balls and parades) hosting events throughout the Mardi Gras season.
Nothing compares to the fun and festivity evident in Baton Rouge’s Cajun festivals and events. So pour yourself a cup of café noir, prepare to party at the fais do do, and Laisez les Bon Temps Roulez!