Butte La Rose

Bonjour!
Mother Nature pulled a sneaky one on us this year and put a little damper on the Independence Day fire works celebrations. Didn’t stop the annual barbecue expertise though. Wonder if this is gonna be our new weather pattern? Usually we’re having a drought begin of April and May, but not this year. We’re even forbidden from burning branches and leaves in the yard for fear of grass fires.
Daughter Tina and her hubby, Chene, came by for my 16-gallon jugs that morning, brought them to Henderson, filled and brought them back along with a big watermelon. That is a big ’un. Cut it up in six pieces. It is so sweet. I figure it will last me a whole eight days.
I jokingly suggested to Chene that wherever in his garden he planted that melon be sure to plant some there again next year. But then he told me he bought it at Rees Street market. Of course I knew he does not plant a garden.
That evening daughter Bonnie and hubby, Andy, à cuire un gros repast pour célébrer le 4th of Juillet with invite’s Bully et Anna Mae Resweber, Chene et Tina et moi. Food taste better when someone else cooks. Don’t you think? Andy and Bonnie are great cooks. Of course I always bring along a doggie bag for any possible restants.
My good trucking buddy Bradley “Crawfish” Babineaux and another friend, Jannes Landry, came by Sunday afternoon. Crawfish and I go back many years. He stopped by Poche’s on his way and bought me four beautiful delicious stuffed pork chops to surprise me with. I was surprised and impressed because I’d heard good things about that store’s meats.
This will be my first time to cook stuffed pork chops. I wanted to cook those for us that afternoon but he said no he’d gotten ’em special for me to enjoy. I’ll cook one at a time in the slow cooker. One makes two meals. I am so grateful to him for his thoughtfulness. I figure I will have swallowed up both the melon and the chops by the time my column is printed. They will be but memories by then.
Butte La Rose Fire Chief Blake Menard reminds you all to mark your calendars for Saturday, Aug. 1, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., to be in Butte La Rose. The community is putting together its first annual “Black Pot Cook-Off.”
This event is to raise money for their volunteer fire department. They’re selling raffle tickets for $5 per which is for such a worthy cause, great prizes! We all know that importance! The event is free to the public and will take place next to the fire station. There is a $25 per cook-off entry with a ($10 ice chest pass included) And a $5 cost for a sample bowl. There will be concessions. Bring the family, especially the kids. After this year’s success maybe next year the fire department could get a story teller who could tell the kids about the Atchafalaya Basin that once was. Y’all come join the fun and support the community.
Qui, la musique! There’s three categories, pork, beef and chicken. Sausage is optional. Please, no glass containers or bottles allowed on premises. For questions call Blake (337) 356-9437 or 501-0743. Pick up a flyer somewhere to read rules on the back. You know to clean your area, picking up your empty beer cans, and stuff like that. Ha! At 1 p.m. they will present the awards, 1:30 will have an auction, and at 3 the 50/50 raffle winner. I got my raffle tickets when Blake came by asking I write about the event. He is a good man caring for his community. See you all there!

Cousine Hélène
337-280-1988.
helenboudreaux@juno.com.