Donald Alexander, a member of the McIlhenny Tabasco Cooking Team was busy preparing a sample jambalaya he will cook for the showdown.

There’s going to be a showdown in Grand Marais, but there will be no weapons at the faceoff – just cooking spoons as area cooks battle for the bragging rights as top cooks of the Grand Marais Mardi Gras Association’s first Southern Soul Food Showdown on Oct. 22.

While many local Teche Area residents have their own interpretation of the true meaning of soul food, most agree it is a comfort food that nourishes the body and soul, set apart from any other. It is a food that evokes memories of a table piled high with good home cooking and family and friends gathered round.

“When I think of soul food, I think of food that you cook with your heart and soul,” said Donald Alexander, who will be cooking with the McIlhenny Tabasco Cooking Team.

“I think of hearty foods like mustard greens, fried chicken, ham hocks, jambalaya and red beans.”

Angela Broussard, chairman of the event, said the Grand Marais Mardi Gras Association was looking for a fundraiser that would be fun and family oriented. While most festivals and fundraisers are based around food, Broussard said the group knew if they were to hold a cookoff competition, it had to be one with a different type of food if it is to be successful and have the potential to grow through the years.

“When I think of family gatherings, I think of soul food. At least once a month, my family gets together for a meal and soul food is what we enjoy at our gatherings. Soul food brings together families, so we thought a soul food cooking competition would be perfect for our fundraiser because the residents of Grand Marais are like a close-knit family,” said Broussard.

Her husband, Herman Broussard, will be among the cooks at the competition vying for the bragging rights as best cook in the open category with a pork and sausage gravy served over rice.

“Soul food is cooked at a slow pace to enhance the flavor of the food,” he said.” I enjoy cooking for crowds and soul food is one of my favorites.”

It will be Nelson Boutte’s first soul food cooking competition, but he has plenty of experience cooking for crowds. Boutte will be cooking for the Nel’s Creole Connections cooking team in the professional category.

“Soul food is a comfort food. It is all about getting all the flavors and seasonings to come together,” he said.

Soul food has a history of its own, Angela Broussard said.

Much of the of the origins of the food can be traced back to Africa. Many of the foods now enjoyed and considered soul food were common in West Africa cuisine and were introduced to Americans as a result of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Broussard said.

“It is believed to have originated during the slave days when slave owners tried to feed workers as cheaply as possible using hearth dietary staples, she said. “The slaves would often use the leftover and waste foods or whatever ingredients were on hand to prepare their meals.”

Pork and ham hocks were used for flavoring vegetables, gravy and sauces. “Chitlins,” the cleaned and prepared intestines of pigs, were often slow cooked with a vinegar based sauce. Corn, okra, turnips, cabbage and various greens soon became a vital part of African-American cooking.

Since it was illegal in many states for slaves to learn to read and write, many of the soulood recipes and cooking techniques were not documented, but passed down verbally.

Karen Bonnet and her sister Kristy Lee grew up eating soul food and still prepare many of those same dishes for their families.

“When I think of soul food, I think of southern fried chicken or fish, jambalaya, black-eyed peas, mustard green, okra, cornbread, sweet potatoes and grits,” said Bonnet.

Bonnet plans to cook an eggplant dressing in the open dish category and Lee will be preparing a gumbo in hopes of claiming the Best Gumbo award.

Leeanna Cormier, a member of the association, said the all proceeds of the event will benefit the association’s endeavors to promote Mardi Gras festivities for the Teche Area.

“We’re hoping to get the support of all the surrounding communities. It could turn out to be a big event and we want it to continue to grow each year,” she said.

Categories to be judged are the best in fried chicken, fried catfish, jambalaya, red beans and rice, gumbo and wild game. First, second and third place honors will be awarded in the open dish category. Some of the foods included in the category, but not limited to, are shrimp and crawfish etouffee, shrimp and grits, soups, po-boys, smothered chicken, pork chops and turkey necks served over rice.

Music and entertainment begin at 11 a.m. Oct. 22 at Club Mon Ami in Grand Marais. Judging of food and booths begins at 1 p.m. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m. The festivities continue throughout the evening with music and an after party from 9 p.m. until.

Entry fee for the competition is $100 for amateurs and $200 for professionals. Entry fee for “Desserts Only” booth is $150.

For more information on entering the competition, contact Angela Broussard at 365-8185 or 380-3424 or email at angela1227@aol.com.