What’s cooking?

Published 12:30 pm Thursday, June 16, 2011

By KARMA CHAMPAGNE, THE DAILY IBERIAN

Gigi Kerns, left, and Kenneth Morrogh offer a toast of good luck to each other for the 2011 Cajun/Creole Cookbook competition. The two New Iberia cooks submitted recipes for the first time in last year’s competition and captured awards. Both are hoping to be invited back this year. Kerns was sampling Morrogh’s award-winning Spicy Cajun Shrimp dish.

The Teche Area has three main ingredients setting it apart

from any other place in the country — good food, Southern

hospitality and a passion for entertaining. Add a fourth ingredient

— superb cooks with creative and innovative talents — and the end

result reflects a melting pot of culinary styles and cultural

influences creating a perfect blend of cuisine.

Utilizing the supply of succulent seafood from the nearby

waters, wild game and fresh produce from the fields, local cooks

have used their creative  talents to create many time-honored

recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Others are destined to become all-time family favorites. 

Area cooks will have the opportunity to showcase some of their

favorite recipes in the annual 2011 Cajun/Creole Cookbook presented

by Cajun Sugar Co-op and The Daily Iberian and at the same time

join in a friendly cooking competition to help benefit the

endeavors of United Way.

This year’s competition will include an added award for the

best dish by a first-time submitter. 

Gigi Kerns, a first-time contestant, swept up four awards in

the 2010 competition.

Kerns said she is proof that top winners are not always the

seasoned cooks who have repeatedly submitted recipes for the

contest. Kerns took two first-place awards and two second-place

honors in the four categories she was selected to compete in for

the annual cookoff competition. 

“It was my first time to submit recipes for the contest, but

it felt great to be selected as one of the top cooks. There is a

rivalry among the cooks, but it is a friendly one. It’s all about

having fun with the competition and still helping to benefit United

Way,” she said. 

Kerns said she plans to enter again this year in the seafood

division, but will be watchful of competitor Kenneth Morrogh, who

claimed a second place award in the seafood category last

year. 

Morrogh said it was also his first time to submit recipes for

the cookbook and was doubtful as to whether any of his recipes

would make it to the final cookoff competition.

 “Only one point separated Gigi and I from last year’s

competition, so I plan to make a big comeback. If we’re in the

final competition, I’ll be ready for her this year,” said Morrogh

laughingly.

Morrogh said he and Kerns meet during last year’s completion

and have developed a little friendly rivalry and now often compare

cooking tips. Both are hopeful they will be invited back for this

year’s cookoff.

“It’s all about having fun. Getting the top award is nice, but

just being selected to compete is quite an honor. It’s fun and it

doesn’t matter if an award is garnered or not,” said Morrogh.

“Food judging is so subjective, so how one places isn’t really

of importance. I think the acknowledgment of a job well done is

reward enough.”

Kerns, who submitted 14 recipes last year and Morrogh, who

entered 19 recipes for the competition, agree the cookbook is a

great way to share and swap recipes from the Teche Area. 

Morrogh is a great believer in comfort food and plans to

submit one of his favorites, a macaroni and cheese recipe, for this

year’s competition.

Morrogh said when he submitted recipes for last year’s

cookbook, he didn’t have the original intention of competing.

“It turned out to be such a fun experience. I guess I am just

passionate about food and the new food trends,” he said.

Cooks can compete for awards in eight categories which include

vegetables, salads, appetizers, soups and gumbos, desserts,

meat/fowl, rice and jambalaya and seafood. Deadline for submitting

recipes is June 30.

Besides a good recipe, The Daily Iberian is also interested in

hearing about local cook’s best cooking tips, which will be

included in this year’s cookbook.

In addition, a drawing will be held among all who submit

recipes for a chance to win $250 in groceries — $150 first prize,

$50 second prize and two $25 third prizes.

Recipes can be dropped off at the Daily Iberian office,

emailed to dailyiberian@cox.net or mailed to P.O. Box 9290, New

Iberia, LA 70562. Recipes can also be faxed to 367-9640.

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