The Annual Crawfish Boil is coming up on May 17th, and we are excited to start cookin! Crawfish boils are a long-time tradition in Louisiana, a time when family and friends gather to celebrate spring, sun, and food. But when did crawfish boils begin?
Native Americans first fished for mudbugs using reeds covered in deer meet. The Houma Tribe were described in French documents in the early 1600’s as using the red crawfish as their symbol; the feisty crawfish, who raises their claw in defense instead of backing down, symbolized the Houma Tribe’s resilience and power.
In the 1700’s, Acadians, now Cajuns, arrived from Canada and settled along bayous. Crawfish were eaten mostly of necessity, as the poor man’s food was cheap and readily accessible. By the 1800s, the Acadians were modifying lobster recipes from the Canadian roots to suit the smaller crustacean. According to the Louisiana Office of Tourism, “Creole restaurateurs in New Orleans caught on, and once it took off in the Big Easy, the secret was out: Crawfish became synonymous with Louisiana cooking.”
By the 20th century, crawfish boils became a spring tradition in Louisiana. In 1980, the legislature crowned crawfish as Louisiana’s state crustacean.
Now, thousands of neighborhoods, friends, families and more host their own crawfish boils across the state. The Jefferson Chamber’s Annual Crawfish Boil is in its 22nd year; the event attracts hundreds of attendees, bringing together business owners, entrepreneurs, CEOs and more for fun, food, and crawfish!
Join us from 5:30-8:30 on Friday, May 17 at 3421 N. Causeway Blvd. Tickets are available for purchase at the event!
