Probably not since its heyday has DeRidder seen its downtown streets so packed with people as during the recent La Cuisine de Beauregard. The food and music fest, designed to highlight and increase foot traffic in the historic area, more than surpassed its goal with the attendance of hundreds of hungry visitors.
Celebrity chef Marcelle Bienvenu (seated, left) signs a copy of one of her cookbooks for food festival patrons Janet and Peanut Ashworth, of DeRidder.
Planned in conjunction with DeRidder’s recent acceptance as an official Louisiana Main Street Community, the first-ever food festival was such a huge success that its coordinators, who projected a crowd of as many as 700, were happily surprised at the turnout of well over 1,500.
The Historic Downtown Alliance, Louisiana Main to Main, the Chamber of Commerce, the New Broom program, and community volunteers made the event possible, along with grants from the Office of the Lt. Governor, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and the National Park Service Preserve America
The downtown streets of DeRidder were crowded with taste testers at the first ever La Cuisine de Beauregard Food and Music Festival.
The event took place on Sat., Nov. 8. Almost a full block of Washington Street was roped off early to allow participating cooks to set up an equal number of food booths on each side of the street. Attendees were given the opportunity to try a variety of palate-pleasing offerings from area chefs. Admission was free, but to really satisfy your taste buds, a $5 ticket gave you a chance to sample a food portion from each of the ten vendors.
Among the families and friends making their way between the serving tables were Charles and Beverly Barfields, who were spotted stamping their ticket at the Mexico Lindo while Rev. Mike and Luann McLaurin discussed which booth to visit next. Faimon and Christa Roberts stopped by to give a hearty endorsement for the Lebanese food. And between bites, Chamber President Dick Myers, camera in hand, was busy recording a pictorial account of the happening.
From Longville, the Lewis family, (from left) Robert, Eli, Mechelle, and Hannah stop to sample some of the menu offerings at DeRidder’s first food festival.
In addition to Mexico Lindo’s spicy, south-of-the-border fare served up by Ismael Lopez and Luis Lopez, other cooks and eateries included Amporn Mantasawan from the Thai Basil Restaurant, Mary Whitman of Mary Ann’s Cake Shop and Fausto’s Chicken. Karl St. Romain stirred Italian linguine, and Joseph Rosendoll of Cecil’s Cajun Café served some Louisiana favorites. Glen and Brenda Foster prepared creole food, while Dicky Crider and Toby Richmond spooned soul food onto waiting plates. Aaron Broussard’s Asian cuisine, Lebanese fare from Jennie Sliman, and the German food created by a team from Sowela Tech’s culinary department completed the outdoor buffet.
Terry and the Zydeco Bad Boys provided festival entertainment. The group recently released a new CD entitled “Creole to the Core,” and their brand of southern country/blues/jazz certainly was a crowd pleaser. Many folks chose to grab a partner and kick up their heels after their noontime meal.
A highlight of the festival was a visit with Marcelle Bienvenu, celebrity chef and author of Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, Can You Make a Roux?
Known as “the Queen of Cajun and Creole cooking,” Bienvenu was born and raised in St. Martinvillle, in south Louisiana. She began her career working at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, and since then has swapped wooden spoons with the famed Chef Emeril Lagasse. She regularly writes newspaper columns as well as feature stories.
Brandon Phillips, of Anacoco (from left), Suze’ Latour and Angie Sanders, both of Lake Charles watch as gem maker Jim Marler, from Alexandria, demonstrates the art of gem faceting.
Inside the new Amerisafe Pavilion, Bienvenu greeted visitors, talked “turkey,” and signed cookbooks for fans. Helping at the display table was Erin Chesnutt, administrative assistant librarian of the DeRidder library branch. She explained that the chef’s visit and book signing was a kick-off to the “Beauregard Parish Library Presents,” a special library project, supported through a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts.
Nearby, and appropriately attired in an apron, DeRidder Project Manager Matt Young greeted visitors. Throughout the day, he promoted the People’s Choice contest, where festivalgoers voted for their favorite food. In the end, the spicy offerings of Mexico Lindo’s claimed the title.
By festival end, Young and other coordinators already were looking forward to making La Cuisine de Beauregard an annual event and an even bigger one--involving more space, more vendors and, naturally, more food.
Hard Rock Club: The DeRidder Gem, Rock and Mineral Show
As the food festival rolled on downtown, another event was rocking the exhibit hall at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds.
The DeRidder Gem, Rock and Mineral Show offered an awesome 10,000-plus square feet of displayed jewelry, gemstones, beads, and art, along with an educational presentation for rock hounds and nature lovers alike. Additionally, it provided a convenient outlet for early Christmas shopping.
At an assortment of booths, visitors watched various demonstrations, such as rock polishing and gem faceting. In one corner, the Southwest Louisiana Flint Knappers, including Darrell Jeane from Evans, Kent Holloway from Sulphur, and Dennis Leach from Many chipped away at rocks, fashioning perfect arrowheads or spear tips. A few booths away, another vendor used a complicated-looking tool resembling an enormous pair of pliers with chainsaw teeth on the end, to slice large geodes in half, revealing the sparking crystals inside.
Dealers from across Louisiana and Texas displayed mineral specimens and uncut rocks and gems. There was a rainbow of “bling” at every turn and, at some booths, for a small price, wannabe gemologist of all ages were given the opportunity to fill small treasure bags with an assortment of colorful pebbles. And, there were lots of “oohs” and “aahs,” as visitors tried on earrings and necklaces and stopped to inspect various stone art pieces.
Sponsored annually by the DeRidder Gem and Mineral Club, the show was initially held in Leesville, but with an ever-increasing turnout, it was moved to the larger venue in DeRidder. Club meetings still are held in Leesville at the Vernon Parish Library on the second Tuesday of each month. Members are always looking for those with a like interest in the adventures of rock collecting or fossil finding. For more information, visit their Web site at www.lutheranson-line.com/gemandmineral.
