Imagine three great cooking styles served in one place, or written about with recipes in one book. The place is Wayne Jacob’s Smokehouse in LaPlace (St. John the Baptist Parish); the book is "Southern and Smoked: Cajun Cooking through the Seasons." Jarred Zeringue, the chef and owner of the smokehouse and the author of the book, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the joys of smoked foods including meats common to the LaPl...
Feb 23, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 124
There are all sorts of anniversaries in life, however seldom is a milestone celebrated for a candy. But then there are few confections as worthy of special recognition as Heavenly Hash. This year is the centennial of Elmer Chocolate creating the Heavenly Hash Easter Egg. In 1923, the recipe was purchased from a New Orleans confectionary store. Prior to that purchase, the candy was generally sold in slices. The Elmer folks developed the technology to make Heavenly Hash in a chocolate egg-shaped c...
Feb 16, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 123
There are two principal ways of Carnival group ritual in Louisiana. One is the New Orleans style float parade with bands, marching groups and maskers flinging throws from floats. And the other is the Cajun style Courir de Mardi Gras in which mounted riders and runners go different places begging ingredient for a gumbo. Both have their own indigenous music and traditions. Dixie Poche joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life , along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about...
Feb 09, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 122
A century ago, a New Orleans based company, founded by Lucius H. Hayward Jr., was in the business of purveying dried beans, most notably the red kidney shaped variety. The company would eventually trademark the name Camellia Brand Red Beans. The business flowered from there. At first the beans were scooped from a barrel at grocery stores, but then Gordon Hayward, the son of the company’s founder, had the idea to package the beans in cellophane bags. With that, red beans became an easily marketab...
Feb 02, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 121
It's funny... Lafayette doesn’t look a day over 150, yet the town is celebrating its 200th anniversary. The commemoration is based on the state issuing a charter, in 1823, to what was then known as Vermilionville. (In 1884, the name was changed to Lafayette to honor the French marquis who fought in the American revolution.) Sami Parbhoo, the Bicentennial Coordinator for the town’s celebration, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk...
Jan 26, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 120
Louisiana is the only state where beads are known to dangle from oak trees. That phenomenon is especially common in New Orleans where the trees along certain avenues are nurtured by Carnival floats passing beneath their limbs late each winter. Doug MacCash, a staff writer for the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate , has written a book titled “Mardi Gras Beads” (LSU PRESS). He joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell share low down o...
Jan 19, 2023•37 min
There are four meaningful seasons in Louisiana: football, hurricane, Carnival and elections. All are important; two are fun. Robert Mann, holder of the Manship Chair in Journalism at LSU and a former staffer with Governor Kathleen Blanco and Senators John Breaux and Bennett Johnston, as well as once a newspaper reporter joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life , along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot for a riveting conversation about politics, especially gubernatorial history ...
Jan 12, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 118
We have heard of Shriners Hospital but, but we bet you didn’t know that the organization’s children’s healthcare movement began in Shreveport in 1922. Steve Caskey, chairman of the Board of Governors for Shriners Children’s Shreveport, tells Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot the story of the emerge of the system that originally placed a high emphasis on orthopedics, including during the challenging days of polio.
Jan 05, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 117
With one of the world’s great rivers flowing through it, Louisiana has always deserved a seat at the table when the topic is world trade. Now the subject had become enhanced as the local chapter of the World Trade Center has linked with Greater New Orleans Inc., which promotes trade not only in New Orleans but Southeast Louisiana and, by implication, all of the state. Michael Hecht, president and CEO of the newly combined World Trade Center at Greater New Orleans Inc, joins Executive Editor of L...
Dec 29, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 116
Warren Perrin could deserve the title of Mr. French (Monsieur Français.) The Lafayette lawyer was a founder of Codofil (the organization to preserve the French language in Louisiana) and founded the Acadian Museum of Louisiana in Erath. Perrin joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about several topics including his conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron and how the French perceive Louisiana’s native Cajun French. Other...
Dec 22, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 115
There are many acres of crawfish ponds in China, but did you ever hear the story about where the stock for those ponds originate? Hint: It is a state in America. Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot talk to author Sam Irwin whose book “Louisiana Crawfish: A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean” gives the lowdown on the mudbug, including how it became so popular in Louisiana. Oh yes, there is also a debate about the eternal question, "...
Dec 15, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 114
Here is a question we should all consider: “Why Louisiana Ain’t Mississippi or Anywhere Else?” Philosophers have long pondered the question but now there is good news, a TV documentary series takes a closer look. Jay Dardenne, a two time Lt. Governor and Secretary of State and now the governor’s Commissioner of Administration, and Linda Midgett, a producer for Louisiana Public Broadcast (LPB), join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about th...
Dec 08, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 113
Though we hope to never see anything like them again, great urban tragedies should never be forgotten – if for no other reason than to to remind us to be vigilant at doing the things to prevent more disasters. Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot talk with Royd Anderson, a documentary maker who specializes in documenting harrowing experiences such as a high-rise fire and a sniping incident from the top of a hotel. Both terrorized New Orlea...
Dec 01, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 112
When you need a way to promote your state that will draw lots of attention and is fun to look at, a spin-off of a Mardi Gras float might work, especially if your state is Louisiana. State tourism promotion is officially under the direction of the Lieutenant Governor’s office. "Louisiana Insider" producer Kelly Massicot went to the source to talk to Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser about the effort during the holiday season for Louisiana to have a presence in both the nationally televised Rose Bowl parad...
Nov 23, 2022•12 min•Season 1Ep. 111
They were raised among French speaking families. Their ancestry traced through Nova Scotia and the maritime provinces. They were teased by Anglo troops when they went to war. They became of enormous value in France as translators. Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, talk with Jason Theriot, a Lafayette-based historian whose upcoming book "Frenchies" profiled Cajuns who went to war and whose work inspired an exhibit at the National World War ...
Nov 17, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 110
I guess you might call them faith healers, but they are more than that description because they often rely on certain herbs and plants, as well as handed-down prayer and sometimes even a gentle touch to heal certain maladies. They have long been a part of Cajun culture especially in rural areas away from standard medical treatment. Mary Perrin and Bev Fusel, two traiteuses (the female equivalent of “traiteurs”) from the Lafayette area, and the authors of a newly published book "Healing Tradition...
Nov 03, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 108
There are some people who claim to do Voodoo but are just doing it for fun. Then, there are others who are the real thing. Sallie Ann Glassman is a Voodoo priestess; ordained in the Haitian ritual. Glassman, who operates Island of Salvation Botanica, stages ceremonies on Voodoo spiritual days such as St. John’s Eve. She joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Day of the Dead rituals. Oh yes, she will also answer the question d...
Oct 27, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 107
Just watching a brown pelican in action reveals how fascinating they are as they hover over a water body and then suddenly take a crash dive, to surface with fish in their bills. It is one of nature’s more dramatic acts. Author Rien Fertel joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell tales from his new book, “Brown Pelican” (LSU Press). We know it as the state bird but brown pelicans are also an ancient species with a rich influence of e...
Oct 20, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 106
While filming a documentary about ghosts in an old plantation home producer Barbara Sillery once noticed a woman standing outside a window looking in. Later when the camera operator and the sound technician were asked about the woman they responded, “what woman?” Sillery joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories from her books and public TV documentaries which includes "The Haunting of Louisiana," "The Haunting of Mississippi...
Oct 13, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 105
You’ve heard the expression “love that chicken!” Well, you might like this colorful interview as well. Al Copeland Jr , the CEO and chairman of the Copeland foundation, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell stories from the new book, “ S ecrets of A Tastemaker: Al Copeland. The Cookbook. Recipes and Spicy Delicious Memories." His late dad founded the business best known as Popeyes, which is being honored this year on its 50th anniversary....
Oct 06, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 104
Allison Plyer is an expert on numbers – not the boring kind that we may have experienced in school, but the fascinating statistics that reveal information about our lives and futures, as well as trends in the state. Plyer, the chief demographer for The Data Center, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot for riveting revelations about people and places. Oh yes, we will also hear about the chief causes of stress among Louisianians. One of th...
Sep 28, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 103
In 2005, during the days of confusion after Hurricane Katrina broke New Orleans’s levees, the military needed someone to take charge. That happened once Russel Honoré, a Louisiana-born General with lots of swagger, stepped off the helicopter. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin would describe him as "that John Wayne type character." Honoré would be called again to defend a different city in 2021, after the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the general to conduct a s...
Sep 08, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Angela Gregory was one of Louisiana’s greatest artists and among the least known. She is distinguished for having chiseled a reputation in a field long dominated by men – sculpturing. From the streets of turn-of-the-century New Orleans, where she grew up, to the Parisian studio where she honed her craft, Angela Gregory’s story is that of a woman before her time. Beginning with her interest in art at an early age, a film produced for Louisiana Publish Broadcasting explores Gregory’s studies at Ne...
Sep 01, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 99
What exactly is the purpose of roux in a gumbo or stew? And how about those prepared roux mixes? Louisiana Life ’s longtime food columnist and genius in the kitchen as well Stanley Dry ponders these question and others with Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life , along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot. They also talk top Louisiana seafood and meats. Oh yes, we will also hear Dry reveal his favorite Louisiana-linked desserts.
Aug 25, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 98
It is the true Public Enemy Number One. In Louisiana, cancer takes many victims but there is an advance guard providing research and treatments. Jasmyne Watts, a cancer support manager for the American Cancer Society, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the top cancers in Louisiana and what is being done to overcome them. Oh yes, we will also hear about the importance of early diagnosis.
Aug 11, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 97
Natchitoches, Louisiana is known for its quaint architecture, plus one building that is hip and cutting edge. The building, which now houses the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Northwest Louisiana History Museum, is so much of a discussion in the architecture world that it was featured on “How Did They Build That?” – a globe-trotting series on the Smithsonian Channel. Crowley native/New Orleans and New York resident architect Victor “Trey” Trahan joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Lo...
Aug 04, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 96
Some of the state’s most interesting places were built for everyday people to do great things. There were the Rosenwald Schools built by a wealthy Southerner who, in the pre-Civil Rights days, wanted to provide settings for Black kids to have a better learning environment. A couple hundred were built in Louisiana each including classroom buildings and two houses for the teachers. Elsewhere, there were also churches and office buildings some deigned with an extra flourish, begging for re-use toda...
Jul 28, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 95
Back in the bad old days, when racial segregation was the law, there were music entertainment clubs throughout the state to accommodate a Black-only crowd. Known as the “Chitlin' Circuit,” some of the biggest names in rhythm and blues, including Ray Charles and James Brown, made the trek from place to place. The swankiest of all the stops was the cleverly named Dew Drop Inn, located in New Orleans on LaSalle Street. There were big name entertainers, including a few female impersonators, plus a b...
Jul 21, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Bill Caragan fought two military-related battles in two different decades – and he was successful with both. The first can in the 1990s when Caragan's Louisiana National Guard Unit prepared to be shipped to Iraq as part of the effort to liberate Kuwait in what would become known as Operation Desert Storm. The second was in recent years to promote a monument in honor of those who fought in Operation Desert Storm. The monument’s site in Washington, D.C. was recently dedicated and now under constru...
Jul 14, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 93
Louisiana’s movie business is rebounding and Alfred Richard knows the scene from inside and out – as a fan and as a participant. Richard, whose movie comments are heard weekly on New Orleans stations WWL-TV Ch. 4 and periodically as a special guest on public television WYES Ch. 12’s "Steppin’ Out" program, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot for a fun talk about the movies. Oh yes, we will also hear about his role as “Chocolate Thunder”...
Jul 07, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 92
