Alexandria Zoo Director, Les Whitt, passed away

In my previous post I recommended a visit to the Alexandria Zoo. On Saturday, August 16, 2008, Les Whitt, Director of the zoo, passed away. I never personally met Mr. Whitt but I wanted to. After reading the following posts about Mr. Whitt I see that it is my loss for not getting in touch with him sooner. My prayers and sympathy go out to Mr. Whitt's family and the staff of the zoo as well as all who knew him and called him friend.

http://cenlamar.wordpress.com/

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080817/NEWS01/808170301/-1/NEWSFRONT2

http://www.cenlamedia.com/alb/index.php/site/article/lee-ann-whitt-talks-about-les-and-his-amazing-life/

http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2008/aug/18/natchez-native-alexandria-zoo-director-dies/

http://www.thealexandriazoo.com/

Mrs. Lucy

My family watches Louisiana Public Television more than anything else. There are some great shows about Louisiana history, politics, art, and cuisine. One of my favorite shows, which I've been watching for many years now, is Ms. Lucy. I just love to watch Ms. Lucy cook. Most of the food that she cooks are things that I can and want to cook. Many times you see shows with cooks that cook things that are complicated or with ingredients that do not appeal to you. That's not the case with Ms. Lucy. She cooks up some yummy dishes. And of course, she cooks local, Louisiana dishes and uses Louisiana products.

Right now Ms. Lucy's show comes on on LPB at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays. However, for those of you who do not have LPB, I recently found her show on RFD-TV on satellite TV.

Let me just run through the format of her show. Ms. Lucy is very personable. You feel like you are in her kitchen with her. She is excited about sharing her talents with you. Many of the episodes have her visiting one of Louisiana's great seafood, beef, rice or other business to promote the fine products that are grown right her in Louisiana. Then Ms. Lucy gets busy in the kitchen preparing meals using these ingredients. She makes entire meals including dessert. Her instructions are simple and straight to the point. And she has a saying that I use in my home--"All good cooks are messy cooks."

Ms. Lucy has two cookbooks that are full of Louisiana and Cajun recipes. One of my favorite desserts is Angel Cake which is in her second cookbook Classic Cajun Culture & Cooking DEUX. Her first cookbook is Ms. Lucy's Classic Cajun Culture & Cooking.

The following are some of her famous recipes:

Crawfish and Shrimp Jambalaya
http://www.lpb.org/programs/lucy/recipes/crwfsh_shrmpjmblya.html

Red Beans and Rice
http://www.mslucy.com/redb.htm-

You can order her cookbooks by writing to Lucy’s Classic Cajun, P.O. Box 3, Jones, LA 71250 or by calling 800-257-5829.