It’s Acadiana: Out To Lunch

Hosted ByChristiaan Mader

OUT TO LUNCH finds journalist Christiaan Mader conducting business Acadiana style: over lunch. Each week Christiaan invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

Gone Fishin’ – Out to Lunch – It’s Acadiana

September 20, 2017 Out To Lunch Comments Off on Gone Fishin’ – Out to Lunch – It’s Acadiana

According to the United States Geological Survey, 71% of the Earth’s surface is water. And 96% of that – in other words, almost all of it – is ocean. Seeing most of the planet is ocean, you might wonder why it’s called “Earth” at all. In theory, it should really be called “Water.”

And seeing there are billions more fish than there are humans, you would think we relatively few humans would be dominated by fish. Whether you explain the fact that we eat fish – rather than them eating us – as evolution, God’s design, or we’re part of an alien experiment – fish are a vital part of the diet of humans almost everywhere.

In our part of the world, seafood is elevated to somewhere between religion and a way of life. And it’s a vital part of our economy. No place more so than Delcambre.

Although Delcambre only has 2,000 residents, on the day in 2013 when the Port of Delcambre launched the Seafood and Farmer’s Market, 1,000 of them showed up. Today, the monthly market is a staple of the area. People come from as far away as Arkansas, lured mainly by the chance to get their hands on highly prized Vermilion Bay shrimp.

Tammy Gordon

The Assistant Manager of the Delcambre Seafood and Farmer’s Market, and the Community Relations Coordinator for the Port of Delcambre, is Tammy Gordon. Tammy describes show she and her crew started up an online system where you can find out what fish are coming in to the port and go get ’em fresh on Delcanbre Direct.

As you know, there are a lot of ways to prepare seafood. Fried. Grilled. Sautéed. And cooked up in a gumbo – to name a few. It’s only relatively recently though, that here in Acadiana we’ve been able to eat fish that don’t require any of these methods of cooking. Meaning, sushi!

Michele Ezell

In 2002 Michele Ezell opened Lafayette’s first sushi restaurant – Tsunami – for no better reason than she loved sushi. And she was tired of driving to Baton Rouge or even New Orleans to get it. Since opening Tsunami in Lafayette, Michele has opened another Tsunami in Baton Rouge, and more recently a third one in New Orleans.

Aileen Bennett

Photos in the courtayrd of Cafe Vermilionville by Gwen Aucoin.

Out to Lunch in the early Fall