Famous Louisiana Chef John Folse is a deep, warm voice. And when he speaks about Louisiana food, there is no doubt where his heart is.

“Eating in Louisiana is a faith ; it is not just about nutrition,” Cook Folse claims. “It’s an in-gathering ; it’s celebratory; it’s a prayer of thanks for all we have been blessed with from the swamp.”

John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mother as a young boy. His pop raised six boys and 2 girls as a single parent. One of the things Mr. Folse felt he needed to teach his kids was to be good cooks.

And their first lesson was that only the freshest foods yield their true tastes. “He really taught us to refuse anything less than great taste,” Chef says.

To serve the freshest foods, you want to know what is in season. “When it’s brown shrimp season, you eat brown shrimp. When it’s white shrimp season, you eat white shrimp. When it’s strawberry season, you eat strawberries,” Cook giggles.

Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season starts in May and runs till fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you must know the way to know the way the absolute best quality.

Well-taught cooks only purchase entire, in-shell, raw shrimp when they are shown on a thick bed of fresh ice-not melting-under a cover. The shrimp meats must be firm to the touch, not soft. The shells must be translucent and moist, not lifeless or dry.

Learning to capture the legendary taste of brown shrimp also implies learning a feeling of timing. “A lot of people are worried they will undercook shrimp,” Cook asserts, “but the genuine crime would be to overcook it and boil out all of the flavor and texture.”

Follow these tips and your shrimp are sure to yield their true Louisiana flavours.

So, celebrate Bonne Crevette with Chef Folse’s Shrimp Scampi. “Try this dish. It’s an easy, traditional shrimp recipe. And it’s one of my favorites.”

Chef explains that though scampi is a term used some place else to explain a species of shrimp, in America it refers to an Italian dish. This simple recipe is superb when served over pasta, fish or chicken.

For a brilliant wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a glass of wonderful Alice White Chardonnay.

Chef John Folse’s Shrimp Scampi

11/2 pounds (20-25 count) Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup flour

Salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Tabasco Pepper Sauce to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh oregano

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

In a bowl, mix flour, salt and peppers. Dust shrimp lightly in seasoned flour and set aside. In a big saut pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sauté 1-2 mins or till edges turn golden. Blend in shrimp, shallots, basil and oregano. Using a slotted spoon, turn shrimp occasionally until pink and curled. Add mushrooms and parsley, then deglaze with white wine. Serves 4.

To get more recipes and cooking ideas, visit cooking101.org and while you are at it, you might also want to have a look at how to make shrimp salad.