TESTIMONIALS

Charles Kuralt, "Charles Kuralt America"

"In a three-hour class, Kevin Belton cooks for a roomful of adoring out-of-towners...They were cultivated folk and probably pretty good at coking the food of wherever they came from, but Kevin, a missionary posessing Holy Orders, approached them all as aborigines in mortal need of enlightenment. He wound himself up and started preaching the true gospel, beginning with the Louisiana Trinity - onion, celery and green pepper. His sermon was so fervent that I started making notes myself."

S. Faulkner, Lancaster, England

"Dear Michael, My husband and I attended your wonderful demonstration...The Cookery, view and background information about New Orleans was excellent. I have rarely been to a talk that I did not want to end..."

J. Sinks, Louisville, KY

"...attended one of your wonderful classes last summer...had a great time and learned a lot...doubled your recipe for bread pudding and fed an entire medical floor (staff & patients) and received many paraises, perhaps due to the extra rum I used in the sauce."

G. Bullock, Greensboro, NC

"Dear Sir, I certainly enjoyed the class I atended...I aspire to become a good chef when I retire from truck driving in five years."

J. Burskirk, Talkeetna, Alaska

"My mother and I attended your class...it was the day you dropped a huge pan of bread pudding - remember? Ooops! You're so funny!"

Jay Bowen, Winter Haven, Fl.

"First I would like to say what a great time we had at the class on 5/28. You made three hours seem like less than one. My mother and I attended your class and had a great time. The food was incredible and what we learned was invaluable....

I would like to share with you what happened after we got home though. You see, I remember you saying to use lard and all purpose flour for the roux. If I remember correctly you emphasized it several times. Well let me just say that my mother, being the ever conscious health food fanatic that she is decided to mess with what Mother Anne told us….That's right, she decided to substitute lard for Smart Choice shortening and Spelt Flour instead of all purpose flour. While standing over the stove I just shook my head, knowing in my recently christened Cajun heart that it wouldn't work. But being the good son I continued, stirring and whisking, whisking and stirring, as the concoction that developed in my skillet can only be referred to as Roux Poux (pronounced like roux but with a p). I have seen better looking poux in a baby's diaper. Suffice it to say I wouldn't serve it to my dog, who was sitting on the floor looking at me and shaking his head as well. I tried to get him to lick the spoon but he decided his nether regions would probably taste better and you can imagine what he did to prove it.

Next came the Smart Balance and all purpose flour and guess what? More Poux. Finally after the experiments ceased I finally convinced her that we needed to go back to what Mother Anne taught us and use the centuries old, tried and true method of making proper roux. Shazam!!!! Roux was created in manner in which to make you proud. It now sits, resting gently in the fridge awaiting the remaining ingredients, so that we may wow and amaze friends and family with what we have learned.

So, the next time those cauliflower hugging, tree loving, non meat eating participants from California attend one of your classes, please feel free to tell them of our experience and that all flours are not created equal.

Live to eat,
Your humble and more learned Student
Jay Bowen
Winter Haven, Fl."