It was 10 years ago this summer, in June of 2009, when I first submitted a food story to The Daily Iberian. That story, which would become a monthly food article, had the title “Red or Green, a Colorful Choice.” In the story, I wrote of a recent trip my husband and I had taken to Albuquerque, New Mexico to attend a national school nurse conference. When eating out at area restaurants, the local cuisine was accompanied by the question, “red or green?’ These were the colors of the sauces used to garnish dishes such as enchiladas, tamales, green stew and other menu items not easily recognizable, but which I gamely tried.

Today I find myself again writing about the colors of red and green, not in sauces, but in the Christmas decorations seen displayed in downtown New Iberia during the filming of the Lifetime Channel Christmas movie. With visitors from Hollywood and the West Coast, along with those from around the country —including the southeastern Louisiana town of Hammond — the cuisine of south Louisiana is taking center stage.

Sandy Gachassin, owner of Sandy’s Place restaurant in St. Martinville and The New Pelican’s on the Bayou in New Iberia, along with her husband, Warren Gachassin Sr., had the pleasure of feeding cast and crew at their New Iberia restaurant this past weekend. Serving ham and cheese and fried chicken po-boys, they fed 75 cast and crew members on Friday night and 185 crew members, actors and locals who participated in the filming done at their restaurant location on Bayou Teche. Though weather delayed some of the scenes, and the manufactured snow on the Joe Daige Memorial Bridge quickly dissipated with the onset of the warm steamy rain, the Gachassin family was able to take pictures with the actors. Sandy was told by members of the movie crew that they found New Iberia to have the friendliest people, with the best food. Warren Sr. took me to a nearby tree on which was carved a heart with the initials, “D + T.” It’s significance to the story will be revealed when the movie is shown on the Lifetime Channel this coming fall.

Feeding a film crew and local extras three meals a day, including snacks, for several weeks while on location, comes with many challenges. Along with the occasional meals which the members of the film have enjoyed at our local downtown restaurants. The Lakehouse Restaurant and Catering company from Mandeville has played a major role in keeping all fed at all hours of the day and night. Chefs Eric Breland and Jeff Svendson have been lending their talents during 24-hour days to see that all involved in the making of this Christmas film are fed. With their full-service kitchen on wheels, they have spent the past two weeks catering to cast and crew by providing mouthwatering meals.

Examples of a few of the dishes expertly prepared are blackened catfish, chicken Marsala and favorite local dishes such as jambalaya. They also have to cater to specific preferences of the cast — and focus on cast members’ desires for Hollywood food, while trying not to serve the same food twice. Options for vegan and gluten-free dishes are popular with some of the actors.

Chefs Eric and Jeff arrived in New Iberia on short notice having just completed work on the set of a remake of the movie “Bill and Ted’s Great Adventure,” starring Keanu Reeves. These two tireless and talented chefs will be in town through Aug. 31 when the film is set to be completed. While cooking over hot burners and pots during our hottest August days, they have brought a holiday spirit to all involved with the deliciousness of their mouthwatering meals.

The following recipe dates back to my first food story in June 2009. It could be perfect to eat while watching New Iberia’s own Christmas movie in the cooler days of fall.

MEXICAN CASSEROLE

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 Tablespoon melted margarine

1 pound lean ground beef

2 15-ounce cans Trappey’s Red Kidney Beans in Chili Gravy, do not drain

1 17-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

1 16-ounce can tomato wedges, drained

1 8.5-ounce package corn muffin mix

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Saute onion in margarine until tender. Brown ground beef,drain. Stir in kidney beans in chili gravy, corn and tomato wedges, mixing well. Spoon mixture into 2-quart casserole. Prepare muffin mix according to package directions. Add cheese, stirring well. Spoon muffin mixture over chili mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Serves 6-8.

Note: If you enjoy more of a cornbread topping, you can use two boxes of the packaged corn muffin mix, made according to package directions.

Catherine Wattigny, 

CATHERINE WATTIGNY embraces the “joire de vivre” as a wife, mother and grandmother, inspired by her prior nursing experience with a new focus on good mental health for all.