Widowed and with two sons at an early age, I learned fast what did and did not work in the kitchen. In the twenty some years since I have grown from a very rudimentary cook to what family and friends call an extremely accomplished cook. I am a confirmed and incurable foodie, where ever we travel, I am looking for that hole in the wall restaurant with the local flavor and technique of cooking. I am as happy at a roadside crawfish stand in a Louisiana bayou as I am in a classic four star French restaurant, just as long as the food before me is prepared to perfection of the local style. I willingly try anything new and exotic, raw oysters, foie gras or wild greens are delicacies to me. I may at times dine on something that is not at all pleasing to the palate due to taste, texture or eye appeal. But, had I not been willing to try new things, I would surely have missed many true delicacies in my life. I enjoy Cajun Creole because of its vast diversity of ingredients and mixing of cultures in their cooking. The heavy influence of the French with their classic style, Acadians with their Maine / Nova Scotia heritage and Creole which is as close to poetry in cooking as possible, all blended to create a truly unique food culture. Enslaved Africans, Italians, and the English all added to this rich culture of cooking. This style of cooking also closely resembles my Americana comfort foods that I was raised on. On holidays my sons come home and we start early in the kitchen preparing our own dishes. It is a morning of exchanging recipes, cooking tips and techniques, and true quality time together. My youngest son is a classically trained Chef with three restaurants, my oldest son has learned to boil water, and they both bring a fun and unique style to the kitchen. My wife is not banned from the kitchen, but manages to avoid the chaos we create. Of course the highlight is slowly enjoying each others culinary styles at the table. Crème Brule’s, Corn Tomato Bisque, Maque Choux, and a made from scratch Demi-glaze that satisfies the most refined taste A flakey pie crust remains a mystery to me, if there is a guaranteed failure; it is the time honored flakey pie crust. My mother, God Bless her, I am sure, just shakes her head from heaven when I attempt this piece of work.