Author: Emily Gautreaux

Tasso and Butternut Squash Make This Risotto Extra Savory

Creamy risotto makes an inviting base for the savory flavors of this Pan-Seared Butternut Squash and Tasso Risotto, adapted from Louisiana Cookin’. Tender Arborio rice is finished with Parmesan, thyme, and half-and-half, while a separate skillet of golden butternut squash and crisp tasso brings contrasting texture and smoky depth. The result combines a rich, creamy rice dish with a hearty topping that feels especially fitting for cooler weather.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped tasso and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are browned and crisp around the edges. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tasso to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered drippings in the skillet.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the butternut squash to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and lightly browned. Letting the pieces sit against the hot skillet for short periods helps them develop golden, caramelized edges.
  3. Add ½ cup coarsely chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Stir in the sliced garlic and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for another 2 to 3 minutes. Return the browned tasso to the skillet and toss everything together. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
  4. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or braiser, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the remaining ½ cup chopped yellow onion and the minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the Arborio rice and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains are lightly toasted.
  5. Stir 1 cup chicken broth into the rice, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  6. Heat the remaining 4 cups of chicken broth with the remaining 1 ½  teaspoons of kosher salt until hot. Add the broth to the rice 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow most of each addition to absorb before adding more. Continue cooking for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite.
  7. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ to ½ cup half-and-half, thyme, black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Mix until smooth, creamy, and loose enough to spread gently across a plate.
  8. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and top with the warm squash and tasso mixture. Finish with chopped green onion and garnish with additional Parmesan and fresh thyme, if desired.

Creamy, savory, and full of contrasting textures, this risotto balances tender Arborio rice with caramelized butternut squash and crisp, smoky tasso. The Parmesan and thyme add richness and freshness, while green onion brightens each serving at the end. Serve it warm as a hearty main dish, or pair it with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables for a well-rounded meal that highlights the comforting flavors of the season.

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The Worldwide Connections Behind 16 Major Southern Cities

A trip abroad can sometimes reveal an unexpected connection to home. Across the South, major cities maintain formal relationships with communities thousands of miles away, creating international partnerships centered on cultural exchange, education, economic development, tourism, and cooperation, as per this article from Southern Living. These relationships are part of Sister Cities International, a program whose roots date to 1956, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower encouraged citizen-to-citizen diplomacy as a way to strengthen understanding between countries. Today, the organization connects hundreds of American and international communities, representing more than 1,800 southern cities, counties, and states in over 140 countries.

Some of these connections feel especially natural given New Orleans’ long history as a port city shaped by French, Spanish, Caribbean, African, and Latin American influences. Cap-Haïtien, for example, represents another historic Caribbean city with French colonial roots, while Orléans provides a direct connection to France. These relationships reflect New Orleans’ identity as a place where international influences have long blended into local architecture, music, food, and traditions.

Historic Charleston maintains sister-city relationships with Spoleto, Italy; Panama City, Panama; Speightstown, Barbados; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Doha, Qatar; and Flers, France. Charleston’s relationship with Spoleto is particularly fitting because the South Carolina city is closely associated with the performing arts through the annual Spoleto Festival USA, which was established as an American counterpart to the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy. Charleston’s relationships with Speightstown and Freetown also connect the coastal Southern city to places across the Atlantic whose histories intersect with broader stories of maritime trade, migration, and the African diaspora.

Nashville may be internationally recognized for music, but its sister-city program reaches far beyond that identity. Its partners include Edmonton, Canada; Caen, France; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Mendoza, Argentina; Kamakura, Japan; Magdeburg, Germany; Taiyuan and Chengdu, China; Tamworth, Australia; and Erbil, Iraq. Tamworth stands out as an especially interesting match. Like Nashville, the Australian city is strongly associated with country music and hosts major events celebrating the genre. Belfast also brings another music-rich cultural connection, while the broader network gives Nashville opportunities to share educational, artistic, and civic programs with cities across several continents.

Atlanta has built one of the most expansive sister-city networks in the southern cities. Its partners include Salzburg, Austria; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Lagos, Nigeria; Toulouse, France; Taipei, Taiwan; Brussels, Belgium; Ancient Olympia, Greece; Nuremberg, Germany; Fukuoka, Japan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and several additional cities. Atlanta’s position as a major transportation and business hub helps explain the international scope of these relationships. The city is home to one of the world’s busiest airports and has developed extensive connections in commerce, higher education, culture, and international affairs. Partnerships with cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Lagos, and Taipei reflect the global reach of a Southern city whose influence extends well beyond the region.

Florida’s largest city by area, Jacksonville, maintains relationships with Bahia Blanca, Argentina; Changwon City, South Korea; Curitiba, Brazil; Nantes, France; Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in South Africa; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Yingkou, China; and other international communities. Jacksonville’s position on the Atlantic coast gives several of these relationships a maritime connection. Like Jacksonville, cities such as Nantes, Yingkou, and Nelson Mandela Bay have histories shaped by ports, shipping, and access to major waterways. The partnerships illustrate how coastal cities separated by enormous distances can nevertheless encounter similar questions involving commerce, development, transportation, and waterfront identity.

Sister-city relationships are more than symbolic pairings on a map with southern cities. They can support student exchanges, cultural programs, economic development, tourism, disaster assistance, and community events that introduce residents to traditions from another part of the world. For travelers, they also provide an intriguing reminder that cities with very different landscapes and languages may still share surprising cultural, historical, or economic connections.

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Two Louisiana Coastal Leaders Honored for Careers Protecting the State’s Wetlands

Louisiana’s coast and wetlands has been shaped not only by massive restoration projects and scientific research, but also by people who have spent decades studying, protecting and explaining the landscape. According to this article from The Advocate, this year, two longtime coastal advocates are receiving special recognition for careers devoted to that work. The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana will honor David Muth and Mark Shirley with Lifetime Achievement Awards during its 30th annual Coastal Stewardship Awards on September 17 in Baton Rouge.

Although their careers followed different paths, Muth and Shirley have each spent decades working across Louisiana’s wetlands and coastal communities. Muth became a prominent voice in large-scale coastal restoration, while Shirley built a career around marine extension, wildlife management and hands-on coastal education. The coalition described the pair as representing some of the best of Louisiana coastal stewardship, with work whose influence is expected to continue long after their formal careers have ended.

For Muth, a New Orleans native, that career included roughly 30 years with the National Park Service at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. He eventually oversaw natural and cultural resources there, including work connected to the Barataria Preserve. His time with the park stretched through Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon disaster, two events that dramatically increased attention on the vulnerability of Louisiana’s environment. In 2011, Muth joined the National Wildlife Federation as its Louisiana state director and later served as director of its Gulf Restoration Program.

Muth also participated in development of Louisiana’s 2012 Coastal Master Plan, an ambitious framework that identified 109 projects representing about $50 billion in proposed coastal protection and restoration investments at the time. He became a strong supporter of using the Mississippi River’s water and sediment to help sustain disappearing wetlands. Some major sediment diversion proposals have since been discontinued amid concerns involving costs, fisheries and impacts on nearby communities, but Muth has maintained that the river remains one of Louisiana’s most important natural tools for rebuilding delta landscapes.

Shirley’s career developed farther west, where his work connected scientific knowledge with the people who live and work along the coast. After beginning at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, he joined Louisiana Sea Grant and the LSU AgCenter in 1984. He spent more than four decades as a marine extension agent, working with residents, producers and landowners in areas including Cameron and Vermilion parishes. His expertise eventually ranged from coastal ecology and fisheries to crawfish production and Louisiana’s alligator industry.

One of Shirley’s most enduring contributions, however, may be Marsh Maneuvers, an immersive coastal education program he helped establish during the late 1980s. Participants travel into Louisiana’s marshes to examine wetlands, wildlife, water-control structures and restoration practices firsthand. The program has introduced generations of Louisiana students to coastal ecology, and some former participants have gone on to careers involving science and restoration. Shirley also continued mentoring individual students, encouraging them to develop research questions and conduct their own scientific work.

The September 17 ceremony will recognize several other Louisiana coastal leaders, including Todd Baker of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Ioannis Georgiou of The Water Institute, Kristina Peterson of the Lowlander Center,Glass Half Full founder Franziska Trautmann and Louisiana Sea Grant law and policy director Jim Wilkins. Austin Rapbaum will receive the Emerging Stewardship award, while Alexius Reign will be recognized as Volunteer of the Year.

Together, the honorees reflect the many forms coastal stewardship can take—from research and restoration planning to education, community involvement and wildlife management. For Louisiana, where wetlands influence everything from ecosystems to communities and local economies, preserving coastal knowledge is nearly as important as building restoration projects themselves. The careers of Muth and Shirley demonstrate how decades of steady work can help keep that knowledge moving forward.

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Smoky Andouille and Shrimp Gumbo With Fresh Okra

Few dishes build flavor as patiently as a good pot of gumbo. This Shrimp, Andouille, and Okra Gumbo, adapted from Louisiana Cookin’ layers smoky andouille sausage, fresh vegetables, tender shrimp, and sliced okra into a deeply flavored broth anchored by a dark roux. Served over hot rice with green onion and hot sauce, it makes a hearty Louisiana-inspired meal with plenty of texture and savory flavor in every bowl.

Ingredients for Shrimp Gumbo:

  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced crosswise
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined large fresh shrimp, tails left on
  • 3 cups fresh okra pods, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • ¾ cup chopped celery
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5½ cups chicken stock, warmed
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Hot cooked rice and hot sauce, for serving
  • Chopped green onion, for garnish

Directions for Shrimp Gumbo:

  1. Begin by heating a medium cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced andouille and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sausage is lightly browned. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the flavorful drippings in the pot.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and add the vegetable oil. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the oil and whisk until smooth. Continue cooking the roux for about 30 minutes, stirring constantly so the flour cooks evenly without scorching. It should gradually deepen to a dark brown color. A dark roux supplies much of gumbo’s characteristic roasted, nutty depth, so this step should not be rushed.
  3. Stir the onion, red bell pepper, and celery into the roux. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Slowly whisk in the warm chicken stock. Using warm rather than cold stock helps the liquid incorporate smoothly into the ro  ux and reduces the chance of the mixture separating or forming stubborn flour clumps. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves and bring everything to a boil.
  4. Return the browned andouille to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the Dutch oven, and simmer for about 50 minutes, stirring frequently. During this time, the broth thickens and the flavors of the sausage, vegetables, herbs, and roux come together.
  5. Add the sliced okra and continue cooking for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the okra is tender. Finally, stir in the shrimp, kosher salt, Creole seasoning, and black pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the shrimp are pink and firm. The USDA recommends cooking fish and shellfish to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F.
  6. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving. Spoon the gumbo over hot cooked rice, add hot sauce to taste, and finish each bowl with chopped green onion.

Leftover gumbo should be cooled promptly and refrigerated in covered containers. According to USDA leftover-safety guidance, cooked leftovers are generally best used within three to four days. Reheat the gumbo gently until steaming throughout, adding a splash of stock if the roux has thickened considerably in the refrigerator. With its dark roux, smoky andouille, tender okra, and shrimp added just before serving, this gumbo rewards patient cooking with layer after layer of flavor. A scoop of rice and a few simple sides are all it needs to become a satisfying Louisiana-style meal.

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Mountains, Waterfalls, and Brilliant Fall Color Make New Hampshire a Natural Wonder

New Hampshire may be one of the smaller states in the country, but its landscape packs an extraordinary amount of natural beauty into a relatively compact corner of New England, as per this travel blog article from Travel + Leisure. Mountain peaks rise above seemingly endless forests, waterfalls tumble through rocky gorges, and rivers wind between small towns and wilderness areas. Add in brilliant fall foliage and some of the Northeast’s most dramatic scenery, and it becomes easy to understand why the Granite State has earned such a strong reputation among outdoor lovers.

That beauty recently received national recognition when New Hampshire claimed the top spot in a Holafly ranking of America’s most naturally beautiful states. Researchers compared all 50 states using factors including mountain elevation, river mileage, forest cover, national parks, volcanoes, and waterfalls. New Hampshire earned an overall score of 90.83 out of 100.

At the center of it all is Mount Washington. Rising 6,288 feet, it is the highest peak in the northeastern United States and dominates the Presidential Range. The mountain is famous for its rugged terrain and notoriously unpredictable weather, but it is also one of New Hampshire’s defining natural landmarks. Visitors can experience the mountain through hiking trails, scenic overlooks, the historic Mount Washington Auto Road, or the Mount Washington Cog Railway.

Yet New Hampshire’s beauty is hardly limited to its tallest mountain. The broader White Mountain National Foreststretches across hundreds of thousands of acres, protecting forests, streams, mountain passes, and recreation areas. Scenic roads weave through this landscape, giving travelers access to impressive views without requiring a strenuous hike.

One of the best-known routes is the Kancamagus Highway, a scenic stretch of road that crosses the White Mountains between Lincoln and Conway. Along the way, travelers pass mountain overlooks, forest trails, rocky rivers, and waterfalls. The drive is spectacular throughout much of the year, but autumn transforms the surrounding mountains into layers of red, orange, yellow, and gold.

Then there are the forests themselves. With trees covering more than four-fifths of the state, New Hampshire often feels defined by the woods. In summer, dense green forests surround roads and trails. Autumn brings one of the country’s most celebrated displays of fall foliage. Winter replaces the color with snow-covered evergreens and frozen mountain landscapes, while spring brings rushing waterfalls fueled by melting snow. That seasonal transformation may be one of New Hampshire’s greatest strengths. Rather than having a single signature landscape, the state continually changes. A mountain overlook visited in October can feel completely different beneath February snow or surrounded by deep summer greenery.

But New Hampshire’s appeal goes beyond statistics or rankings. Its beauty comes from how closely so many landscapes exist alongside one another. Towering mountains can give way to waterfalls, forested valleys, rivers, and lakes within a relatively short drive. For travelers, that compact geography means a trip through New Hampshire can include a surprising variety of scenery without crossing an enormous state. A morning might begin beside a quiet lake, continue along a forest-lined highway, and end with views from one of the highest mountains in the Northeast.

For a state nicknamed the Granite State, New Hampshire is remarkably green, blue, and colorful. Its mountains may provide the drama, but the forests, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, and changing seasons fill in the rest of the picture. Together, they create a landscape that proves natural beauty is not always about size. Sometimes, it is about how much scenery can fit into one small place.

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Breaux Bridge, Louisiana Named Prettiest in State by Leading Publication

Louisiana’s beauty takes many forms, from cypress-lined waterways and coastal wetlands to historic downtowns shaped by generations of distinctive culture. In Architectural Digest’s recent look at the prettiest town in every U.S. state, one Acadiana community stood out for combining several of those qualities in one place. According to the article from The Daily Advertiser, the publication selected Breaux Bridge as the prettiest town in Louisiana, highlighting a destination where Cajun culture, historic streets and the natural landscape of Bayou Teche come together.

Located in the heart of Cajun Country, Breaux Bridge has long been associated with a slower-paced version of Louisiana life. Its compact downtown features historic buildings, locally owned shops, restaurants and architectural details that give the community a character noticeably different from larger cities. A stroll through the downtown Breaux Bridge area also brings visitors to one of the community’s most recognizable landmarks: the steel bridge spanning Bayou Teche, topped by a painted crawfish that leaves little doubt about the town’s most famous culinary connection.

Breaux Bridge is widely known as the “Crawfish Capital of the World,” a title that has become an important part of the community’s identity. Crawfish appears throughout local food traditions, public imagery and the annual Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, held each May. The longtime celebration brings Cajun food, arts and crafts, carnival attractions and Louisiana music together in one of the city’s signature events. Although the festival draws visitors from well beyond St. Martin Parish, crawfish culture remains visible in Breaux Bridge throughout the year.

That cultural identity extends far beyond food. Breaux Bridge is closely tied to the Cajun and Creole traditions that have helped define Acadiana, particularly through music. Cajun sounds and zydeco remain a recognizable part of the area’s cultural landscape, while the town’s restaurants, shops and community events provide other ways to encounter regional traditions. Rather than separating its history from everyday life, Breaux Bridge has retained elements of its past as part of the present-day community.

The town’s appearance is also connected to the waterway that helped shape it. Bayou Teche runs directly through Breaux Bridge, adding a distinctly Louisiana backdrop to the downtown district. Visitors interested in exploring the community on foot can use the city’s Breaux Bridge walking tour to see historic structures, the bridge and views along the bayou. Antique shops and other small businesses add to the experience, making downtown an easy place to spend time without needing a packed itinerary.

Just beyond the downtown streets, the scenery changes from historic storefronts to wetlands. Lake Martin, one of the best-known natural areas near Breaux Bridge, offers the cypress trees, waterways and wildlife commonly associated with south Louisiana’s swamp country. Local swamp tours give travelers another perspective on the region, allowing them to explore landscapes that are as much a part of Breaux Bridge’s appeal as its architecture and cultural traditions.

That combination helps explain why Breaux Bridge fit Architectural Digest’s definition of a beautiful Louisiana town. Its appeal does not depend on one grand landmark or dramatic skyline. Instead, the scenery comes from the relationship between the town and its surroundings: Bayou Teche passing beneath the crawfish-topped bridge, historic buildings lining downtown streets, nearby swamps and waterways, and Cajun culture remaining visible in everyday life.

For Louisiana travelers, the recognition also offers a reminder that some of the state’s most memorable destinations are smaller communities where local history and landscape remain closely connected. Breaux Bridge may be internationally associated with crawfish, but its latest distinction celebrates something broader—a uniquely Acadiana sense of place that can be found in its streets, waterways, music, food and enduring cultural identity.

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