Carving, cooking, and the country

What is it about the south? About being in the country? About going home?

Andrew and I thought about those things when we went to my home on a hot Saturday morning. Andrew had an opportunity to learn how to do some wood carving. And I had the opportunity to learn how to make a tarte a la bouille cake. Remember this post? So we woke up early on Saturday and drove an hour to the country. 

In my hometown, you can find experts; true, award winning experts on subjects that Andrew and I want to learn about. 

So as Andrew carved wood, I made cake. 

Oh Mon Dieu. Y'all. I've discovered it! The best cake ever! 

To cause your custard to not form a top layer, put saran wrap on it. Learn somethin' new everyday.

According to John Folse, this is the best custard recipe. If John Folse thinks so, you can bet that's the truth.

Ta Da! No icing. Not needed.

While the cake was cooling, Ms. Wendy's (my teacher for the day, neighbor, and life time friend) other next door neighbor brought over some figs because Ms. Wendy and her husband love figs and fig preserves. How nice. 

Ms. Wendy and Mr. Bryan wouldn't let me leave without fig preserves either. How even nicer?

Right as the cake had cooled, Andrew was ready for me to pick him up. I shared cake with the family that was hosting him for the day. And since we were so close to the lake, 3 miles, I mentioned we should take a ride down to Lake Verret. So we did. 

We even turned the radio off, rolled our windows down and let the stench of the air envelop us. More enjoyable, were the birds, frogs and insects talking to us as we drove past the swamp. If alligators could chatter like their swamp friends, I'm sure they'd be talking to us too. But I think too many people are "chootin' em." 

We talked about some of his family that we thought might love to join us on the lake one day. 

We also talked about how many "Mary" statues there were. Andrew noticed them in their little shrines. He had never seen them before. I guess I just don't notice them much anymore. He snapped a pic. You can barely see her here. 

Andrew asked me why the people in south Louisiana do that?

As soon as we got home, I put on the white beans and rice, and Andrew was eager to get back to where he left off with his wood carving. 

You can tell he loves it. I thought he might like a cold drink. 

Only true cajuns eat their white beans and rice with a little ketchup in it. 

And if the cake you made is really that good, have another piece. And so I did. 

Right as Saturday Night Live started at 10:30, I fell asleep. I couldn't stay up any longer. We woke up a few times during the night as Andrew exclaimed, "Psychotic Ninja cat!" This is in reference to one of my mom's two cats. Before my parents left town, they forgot to mention the bed time protocol for the kitty's. One sleeps in the laundry room; he causes trouble. You can bet that the new-found freedom of the night caused the cat to go plum nuts. 

As I woke up early to let the dog out, I noticed how pretty and bright the early morning sun was. As good as it is to be in the country, it was time to go home. 

Until our next carving, cooking, country time lesson...