Famous Louisiana Chef John Folse is a deep, warm voice. And when he speaks about Louisiana food, there’s no doubt where his heart is.

“Eating in Louisiana is a faith ; it isn’t almost nutrition,” Chef Folse claims. “It’s an in-gathering; it’s celebratory ; it is a prayer of thanks for all we’ve been blessed with from the swamp.”

John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mummy as a young boy. His pop raised six boys and 2 girls as a single parent. One of the things Mr. Folse felt he wanted to teach his children was to be good cooks.

And their first lesson was that only the latest foods yield their true tastes. “He actually taught us to refuse anything less than great taste,” Cook says.

To serve the freshest foods, you need to know what’s in season. “When it’s brown shrimp season, you eat brown shrimp. When it’s white shrimp season, you eat white shrimp. When it’s strawberry season, you eat strawberries,” Cook laughs.

Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season begins in May and runs until fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you must know the way to know the way the absolute best quality.

Well-taught cooks only purchase entire, in-shell, raw shrimp when they’re displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice-not melting-under a cover. The shrimp meats must be firm to the touch, not soft. The shells must be translucent and moist, not dull or dry.

Learning to capture the mythical taste of brown shrimp also means learning a sense of timing. “A lot of people are worried they may undercook shrimp,” Cook asserts, “but the real crime would be to overcook it and boil out all the flavor and texture.”

Follow these tips and your shrimp are sure to yield their true Louisiana tastes.

So, celebrate Bonne Crevette with Cook Folse’s Shrimp Scampi. “Try this dish. It’s an easy, traditional shrimp recipe. And it is one of my favorites.”

Chef explains that although scampi is a term used some place else to explain a species of shrimp, in America it refers to an Italian dish. This easy recipe is superb when served over pasta, fish or chicken.

For a brilliant wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a tumbler of beautiful Alice White Chardonnay.

Chef John Folse’s Shrimp Scampi

11/2 pounds ( 20-25 count ) Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup flour

Salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Tabasco Pepper Sauce to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh oregano

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

In a mixing bowl, blend flour, salt and peppers. Dust shrimp lightly in seasoned flour and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sauté 1-2 mins or until edges turn golden. Mix in shrimp, shallots, basil and oregano. Employing a slotted spoon, turn shrimp occasionally until pink and curled. Add mushrooms and parsley, then deglaze with white wine. Serves 4.

To get more recipes and cooking ideas, visit cooking101.org and while you are at it, you might also want to have a look at grilled shrimp.