Things I’ve Eaten Lately

Just a quick list of things I’ve eaten lately:

creamy drink
El Equinox

I finally visited the new El Tacorrido that popped up in Brentwood. It’s way better than I expected for a fast food taco spot. The best part is that they have a drink called El Equinox that’s horchata with a shot of espresso.

cookies drying on a rack
Sparkled Ginger Cookies

We just returned from a trip to the U.K. and I bought myself an adorable tea towel and wanted to have a legit afternoon tea just so I could incorporate it somehow. This meant having a tea snack, so I made cookies, specifically the Sparkled Ginger Cookies from Vegan With a Vengeance. They were easy to make, but my dough ended up too wet so I had to add extra flour and keep my hands floured to shape the cookies. They ended up being the perfect cookies to have with tea.

bowl of bulgogi tots and bowl of dumplings
Bulgogi tots and dumplings

We finally tried out 101 by Teahaus and it was fantastic. I got a rice bowl with fried basil tofu and the house sauce. It’s basically a fresher version of bibimbap. The house sauce is similar to the gochujang that’s usually served with bibimbap, but a bit sweeter and thinner. The toppings, except for the tofu, are all raw, and I added avocado, so it had a rather Southern California-feel to it. German got the bulgogi tots which looked amazing, like Chilantro’s kimchi fries but with tots instead of fries. He also got dumplings, which were pretty basic dumplings, but even a basic dumpling is a good dumpling!

package of frozen crawfish tailsI found some frozen crawfish tails at HEB that actually looked o.k. for frozen crawfish that’s imported from China, so I’m going to make a crawfish etouffee for dinner tonight. If all goes well, I’ll post the recipe to this blog soon.

Authentic Cajun Crawfish Dip for Your Next Crawfish Boil

Picnic table of boiled crawfish

This week was my friend Luke’s annual crawfish boil, and it was amazing as always. I’m as Cajun as you can get, so I jump at any chance I have to eat crawfish here in Austin. Unfortunately, usually the serving sizes are not adequate for my Cajun stomach, nor is the seasoning adequate for my taste buds. Luke’s crawfish always manages to satisfy on both accounts. (The amazing picture above is also by him. Thank you Luke!)

Going to Austin crawfish boils, I’ve learned that I need to be prepared to bring my own crawfish dip. Crawfish dip, as in dip that you dip your crawfish in, is not something that exists here. I’ve seen people use butter, which I guess makes sense, crawfish are similar to lobster. That’s not how we we do it in Acadiana though. In Acadiana, we all make our own special concoction of mayo and other special ingredients, creating something not unlike the “special sauce” you put on a burger. Meeting everyone in the kitchen before the boil to each make your unique bowl of dip is one of my favorite parts of a crawfish boil. In Austin, however, this means me meeting myself in the kitchen, and then making enough to supply the party.

Yes, I bring Bag of Louisiana brand crawfish boil seasoningmy own crawfish dip to bars and other locations serving crawfish. I bring my own koozie too. That’s how I roll.

As my inaugural blog recipe, here’s my ‘classic’ version of the crawfish dip. It’s about as basic as you can get. This particular one is my go-to Austin-party dip because of the extra spice. It compensates for the fact that I usually find the crawfish to be under-seasoned. The spice it calls for is in fact ‘Crawfish Boil’, the same mixture that is commonly added to the pot of crawfish itself, usually Louisiana or Zatarain’s brand (pronounced Zat-UH-ranz or Zat-UH-rehnz). If you need help finding this in your area, try looking in a store that features international foods. In Texas, Fiesta actually has a very nice section of ‘Cajun supplies’. When I lived in Oregon, I found the same thing in Asian and Mexican supermarkets.

Authentic Cajun Crawfish Dip

  • 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tsp crawfish boil seasoning
  1. Mix all ingredients together. Taste as you go to add more seasoning if desired. If you find it getting too salty, you can try supplementing Low Sodium Tony Chachere’s.