I'm just outside of Baton Rouge and nearly dead center of this map from yesterday's heat index. My brother lost AC 3 weeks ago and the part he needs has to be special ordered from the factory. We did borrow some window units, but it is still about 85F in the house and I'd say the humidity inside is probably about 50%. Current heat index is 112F. Good thing I've been mostly staying at my parents but their internet sucks. A quality connection for trials trumps heat exhaustion though so I'm back in the heat till tomorrow.

I remember that time we had a crawfish boil at your folks' house and their a/c went out. There's nothing like having crawfish smelling sweat.

I've never eaten crayfish. What does it taste like?

From what I remember, more or less like shrimp, but a little more "earthy." It's been a long time, though.

Kinda between lobster and shrimp. They have their own unique flavor. They key for me is the boil, i.e. the spices they're boiled in. You can get a lot of that flavor by sucking the heads. I like a really spicy boil. If you like spicy food, you'd enjoy it. Just don't bother unless you're in Louisiana or southeast Texas. You have to get them fresh or they're not good at all. Up here in Nashville I haven't found any that I liked.

Gator, on the other hand, tastes just like tough chicken. You're not missing much.

Just don't bother unless you're in Louisiana or southeast Texas.

Add Mississippi to that list. People do crawfish Louisiana style there.

Gator, on the other hand, tastes just like tough chicken. You're not missing much.

I've always thought gator was pretty good. Like a fattier chicken. But then I only eat it deep-fried.

Gator, on the other hand, tastes just like tough chicken. You're not missing much.

I've always thought gator was pretty good. Like a fattier chicken. But then I only eat it deep-fried.

Well, yeah. Everything tastes better deep fried.

Well, yeah. Everything tastes better deep fried.

If you can ever manage it somehow, come to Iowa during the State Fair.

Well, yeah. Everything tastes better deep fried.

If you can ever manage it somehow, come to Iowa any southern state during the State Fair.

We know deep fried.

Well, yeah. Everything tastes better deep fried.

If you can ever manage it somehow, come to Iowa any southern state during the State Fair.

We know deep fried.

We're America. We all know deep fried.

Shit, I mean even in Canada, they have Beaver tails which are fantastic, and Scotland has deep fried everything. It's hard to screw up deep frying.

Not all at once. Usually.

Thankfully, it's sausage.

Now Mars bars...

It's congealed pigs blood with herbs, spices and fat.

Also, you can get battered+fried Mars bars, snickers and even icecreams all over the UK.

It's congealed pigs blood with herbs, spices and fat.

I honestly don't know how that differs from a sausage.

Also, you can get battered+fried Mars bars, snickers and even icecreams all over the UK.

How the hell do you deep-fry ice cream?!

It's congealed pigs blood with herbs, spices and fat.

I honestly don't know how that differs from a sausage.

Sausage is actually the meat of the animal, black pudding is only blood.

Also, you can get battered+fried Mars bars, snickers and even icecreams all over the UK.

How the hell do you deep-fry ice cream?!

Like so:

Deep fried s'mores are the best.

Fried ice cream.

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Crawfish is/are a mix of Shrimp and Lobster, but it's really unique. It's all about the spices though. I boiled 160 lbs for my brother's housewarming party and it turned out perfect. The spice was just right, great flavor but not too hot. They peeled easy too. Two 80 qt pots going at a time took about 4 hours total.

Dem some good mudbugs der!

While you can get crawdads in several southern states, I'd agree Louisiana is king. I grew up in southwest Mississippi on the river. But even as far north as I was, it just wasn't/isn't the same. The craws are so much bigger and better down in the deep bayou areas, and the cooks know the best techniques. We never "shocked" crawfish back home. Shocking is the method of immediately cooling the pot after boiling. It keeps them from overcooking, and the sudden decrease in temp seems to draw in additional seasoning. I've also learned to throw in a stick of butter and lemons to help ease the peeling process.

I'd really like to Cajun boil a pot of lobsters! I had fresh lobster seaside in Gloucester, Mass and was kinda disappointed. Maybe we went to a bad place, but it was busy. Who knows. But if we could have cajunized it though, delicous I GAWRonTEE!

It's congealed pigs blood with herbs, spices and fat.

Also, you can get battered+fried Mars bars, snickers and even icecreams all over the UK.

It's basically extra parts, i.e. pig snout, ears, tongue, liver, feet, etc. Mixed with spices and cooking into a loaf. Great on crackers or as a sandwich loaf. Not great for your human parts, i.e. heart, liver, stomach, etc.

It's not so much that you can screw it up, but truly great deep frying requires imagination. There are people whose entire existence is devoted to coming up with something new to fry at each year's State Fair.

It sounds truly disgusting. But, in the international aisle at my local supermarket, there's a pretty good section of English food that I've been trying. Unfortunately, it's limited to what can be boxed and canned.

Despite looking, I can't find a place that even MAKES black pudding near me. I'll need to look harder.

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Haggis is a personal favorite, as long as it's prepared properly.

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Boil it, Fry it, Broil it, Bake it, you literally can't go wrong with Haggis.

Unless you mean the actual process of making it, in which case yeah, you gotta make sure you get good haggis. Anyone can stick organs in a sack (yum!), but the right blend of herbs is very important.

It's congealed pigs blood with herbs, spices and fat.

I honestly don't know how that differs from a sausage.

Also, you can get battered+fried Mars bars, snickers and even icecreams all over the UK.

How the hell do you deep-fry ice cream?!

Sammy used to live right next to a Chinese place that had the absolute best fried ice cream anywhere ever. It may or may not have contributed to how often I'd visit her, huehue...

Sadly, a shakeup in the restaurant ended with them cutting it from the menu over a year ago, and I've never gone back. Other restaurants that sell it just don't measure up; this thing was topped with shredded almonds and everything...

Sammy used to live right next to a Chinese place

delicous I GAWRonTEE!

This guy is legit.

delicous I GAWRonTEE!

This guy is legit.

I think Red is a little more old school. Justin Wilson was the best.

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