USM’s menu got some local flavor peppered into the mix on Tuesday when WMPG held their 14th annual Cajun Cookin’ Challenge.
The familiar strains of New Orleans jazz, and dangling strands of beads brought out the “Fat Tuesday” atmosphere, and the spicy dishes warmed up a student body in the thick of a Maine winter.
Chefs from some of Portland’s favorite eateries, and a lone amateur, cascaded upon the Woodbury Campus Center, spice racks in tow, to compete for the title of Cajun Cookin’ Champ, and raise money for WMPG.
Back-to-back champions Bayou Kitchen brought the heat with their spicy gumbo, and won style points for their glistening ice carving bearing the restaurant’s name. “I liked Bayou Kitchen’s” said one discriminating pallet “it started spicy, and got to be kind of sweet.”
Forest Ave favorite The Great Lost Bear returned for their third year competing in the Challenge. With a table featuring a jackolope festooned with an impressive collection of beads, the chefs offered up a seafood gumbo, along with GLB’s signature dirty rice and beans.
Chowders are a regular menu item at GLB, and the spiced up gumbo put a N’awlins flair on a New England classic.
“It’s nice to be part of things like this in the community” said Chef Dough MacConnell Jr, who likes to pair his spicy food with a Long Trail Ale.
WMPG Station Manager Jim Rand was a standout in the amateur competition. His “Land of the Lost” jambalaya, named after his weekly radio show, was the lone entry in the category, and took home the trophy for the fourth year in a row.
Aramark’s spicy pork was a surprise favorite among the crowd, featuring a chili-laced kick that many thought was sorely missing among some of the other entries. “It was the only spicy one,” agreed USM student John Wise Jr.
First year competitor Silly’s Restaurant seemed undaunted by the Cookin’ Challenge, and added another dimension to the cook-off by serving up a vegan Cajun item.
“We try to cater to different dietary needs,” said Silly’s owner Colleen Kelley, who ended up walking away with the Challenge’s top prize for best Cajun dish.
Chef Jeff from the Whole Foods Market ladled out the seafood gumbo and described the recipe as “a real team effort” from the Whole Foods team.
“We asked every store department for input,” said Chef Jeff “one employee had even lived in New Orleans for a while.”
Meanwhile, Whole Foods’ Barbara Gulino educated tasters on the Canadian roots of the Cajun culture.
The Cajun culture might be most commonly associated with the bayous of Louisiana, but it can actually trace its roots to the groups of exiled French-speaking settlers of Southeastern corner of what is now Canada.
With this lineage in mind, the Whole Foods team came up with a recipe featuring fresh Maine shrimp, and nitrate-free sausage.
The Fat Tuesday festivities continues that night with Sylvain and the Cajun Aces at the Empire Dine and Dance from nine until Ash Wednesday rolled in.