Southern Living Names Lafayette Among Top 10
"Tastiest Towns of the South"
Lafayette is named among the top 10 "Tastiest Towns in the South," according to Southern Living magazine's January issue, hitting newsstands Dec. 23. Southerners are very proud of their hometown tastes, which is why Southern Living editors and Test Kitchen Professionals gathered for a summit in its Birmingham-based headquarters to bring you this roundup of the most delicious destinations across the region.
Readers will determine the winner, so rally around Lafayette and visit www.southernliving.com/tasty Dec. 23-Jan. 31 to cast your vote. One vote per day is counted toward the final tally.
Lafayette was cited for its new breed of homegrown chefs delving deep into the region's culinary roots, with stellar takes on Acadiana classics, according to the magazine. Southern Living will profile each of the towns and reveal the "Tastiest Town in the South" in the April 2012 issue, on newsstands March 23, and online at SouthernLiving.com. 
"At Southern Living, we know there's no taste like home," said Editor Lindsay Bierman.  "Particular foods and flavors define a city and region, starting right in your own mama's kitchen, and sometimes the most humble dish like a plate of grits will make its way onto a gourmet menu and become an outright tourist attraction...The forward-thinking cooks, chefs, artisans, and tastemakers in each of these established and emerging food scenes honor, preserve and enrich our region's distinct culinary traditions at every meal."
In addition to Lafayette, Southern Living's Top 10 "Tastiest Towns in the South" include: Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Charleston, SC; Charlottesville, VA; Decatur, GA; Houston, TX; Louisville, KY; New Orleans, LA; and Raleigh, NC.
OYSTER ANDOUILLE SPAGHETTI
If it's a month with an "r" in the name, then it is oyster season in Louisiana. For many, oysters are best freshly shucked and served
cold on the half shell with cocktail sauce. But there are many other ways to enjoy oysters. You can batter and fry them, grill them over an open fire with garlic butter, serve them topped with Rockefeller or Bienville sauce, or tossed in
a seafood gumbo. More than a third of the nation's oysters come from Louisiana waters, so it's no surprise that chefs across the nation are using oysters in their kitchens. Chef Patrick Mould has concocted this delectable dish that combines fresh Louisiana oysters and andouille (a course grained smoked sausage).

Safari of Lights Thru 12/30, 5-9 pm, Zoo of Acadiana,
337-837-4325
Christmas at the Mouton House Thru 12/31, Tu-F 10 am-4 pm, Sa 10 am-3 pm, Alexandre Mouton House/ Lafayette Museum, 337-234-2208
Artistic Gumbo Thru 1/5, Tu-F
12-5 pm, Lafayette Art Assn. Gallery, 337-269-0363
Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries 

Thru 3/11, Tu-F 9 am-5 pm, Sa
10 am-6 pm, Su 1-6 pm, Lafayette Science Museum, 337-291-5544
Louisiana IceGators

12/26,30, 1/6,7,21,22,  

F & Sa 7:05 pm, Su 3:05 pm Cajundome, 337-704-4423
New Year's Eve Dance at Vermilionville   12/31, 8:30 pm-12:30 am, Vermilionville,
337-233-4077
Exhibits at the Hilliard 1/2-5/19, Tu-Th 9 am-5 pm, F 9 am-noon, Sa 10 am-5 pm, Hilliard University Art Museum, 337-482-2278
2nd Saturday ArtWalk 1/14, 6-8 pm, Downtown Lafayette,
337-291-5566
In Your Own Backyard Series  1/10, 6:30-8:30 pm, Vermilionville's Performance Center, 337-482-1320
Louisiana Crossroads - An Evening with Steve Earle  1/12-13, 8 pm, AcA's James D. Moncus Theater, 337-233-7060
Mid Winter Fair Rodeo   1/12-14, 7:30 pm, 1/15 2:30 pm, Blackham Coliseum, 337-515-9115
Elvis Lives!   1/19, 7:30 pm, Heymann Performing Arts Center, 337-291-5555
Performing Arts Society of Acadiana presents Elizabeth Futral 1/20, 7:30 pm, Heymann Performing Arts Center,
337-291-5555
Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival    1/25-29, Lafayette,
337-235-7845
Louisiana Bicentennial
Join in the fun as Lafayette marks Louisiana's Bicentennial in 2012 with festivals, exhibits, concerts and more - a celebration 200 years in the making. On April 30, 1812, the United States admitted Louisiana as the 18th state into the Union. Louisiana was the first state to have a majority Catholic French- and Spanish-speaking population, reflecting its origins as a colony under France from 1699-1763 and Spain from 1763-1803. Louisiana's distinctive French Catholic Creole culture eventually blended with the American English Protestant culture to create a distinct Creole-American society. Two hundred years after statehood, Louisiana remains one of the most unique states in the union. The state's rich Creole heritage is evident in the use of the Civil Code, the organization of parishes as local political units, and the celebration of Catholic traditions such as Mardi Gras. So as Louisiana commemorates this important bicentennial event, we can also celebrate the Creole-American culture that U.S. statehood has fostered. Click here for information on Lafayette's Louisiana Bicentennial celebration.
Book a Room
1-800-346-1958 US | 1-800-543-5340 CANADA