Ascension Parish, Louisiana
Ascension Parish is not called "Louisiana's Sweet Spot" just to be cute. It's nestled between the largest cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge. It also is where most of the state's sugarcane is grown and processed. And maybe it's because life here can be sweet when you factor in the food, drinks, entertainment, and overall relaxing lifestyle.
I was expecting to visit a former plantation for a simple historical walking tour, learning about the farm owners and enslaved people who lived and worked here throughout the course of history. What I found is a wonderland of historical items of all kinds, a menagerie of docile animals, intriguing statuaries, and dozens of experiences to be had. Houmas House Estate & Gardens has been owned by New Orleans businessman Kevin Kelly since 2003, and he occasionally roams the grounds to marvel at the weird and wonderful items he's collected from the world over.
I was shown the grounds which seemed unreal in its beauty. Swans, turkeys, peacocks, and other animals stroll the landscaping which has so many types of plants that even the gardeners can't keep track. There are species that I've never seen before. The historic and newer buildings hold rooms for events, wine cellars, bridal suites, and so much more.
Obviously, Houmas House is popular for weddings. The wedding parties love to prepare in the former groundskeeper quarters just outside of the main house, and the wedding guests can take up residence at The Inn's luxury cottages on the grounds. Community members and cruise ship guests take daytime refuge in the Carriage House Restaurant, a stately place made to resemble the original architecture of Houmas House with great, tall ceilings and an imposing room-length table in the center. Kevin's statues that resemble animals made out of vegetables preside over it.
A bowl of dragonfly-shaped biscuits arrived along with a special housemade sugarcane syrup and pecan-infused butter. Dragonflies both living and depicted are omnipresent at Houmas House because the owner adores them (almost as much as dogs). The dragonfly biscuits feel too adorable to slice into, but I did it anyway to taste this sweet butter. The flatware used here is replicated from flatware made for Houmas House a long time ago.
Carriage House's Executive Chef Jeremy Langlois had just returned from London where he participated in National Geographic's Traveller Food Festival. Chef Langlois' special Curried Pumpkin, Crawfish, and Corn Bisque seemed appropriate as fall was just about to descend. Surprisingly, it had the richness of savory qualities of an etouffee. I chose his Eggplant Napoleon for a main dish. It was a tower of deliciousness with crabmeat and saffron cream sauce. It can be difficult to get eggplant slices cooked right so that they're not mushy in the middle, but these were perfectly done.
After this decadent meal, I took an official tour of Houmas House to learn its story and how it became the veritable playground it is today. Notably, the main hall of Houmas House is a mural showcasing sugarcane fields with creatures peeking out from the stalks. Dogs live in this mural and all over the walls of this house; Kevin is a dog lover, obviously. You may catch one of his pets on a walk around the grounds like I did. These rooms also include such trinkets as a vampire killing kit, an 1847 map of plantations along the Mississippi River found buried in the attic's floor (to protect it from Union Forces), and original George Rodrigues paintings.
I closely admired a statue of President Abraham Lincoln looking rather lonely on one side of a bench and took some photos of it. Sadly, just days after I visited, news headlines displayed the tale of a heist at Houmas House. The beloved silver statue of Abraham Lincoln had been stolen by a group of thieves, cut into pieces, and sold to pawn shops. The thieves were caught and the statue remnants recovered, but the statue will likely never be the same.
Another area of Houmas House contains the Great River Road Museum. Fans of the bygone Musee Conti in the French Quarter will love to know that the wax figures live here now. You can even walk among them; the life-size figures are placed around the museum and almost seem like living people, gazing at the artifacts alongside you. This expansive space features snippets from life in Louisiana from ancient times to today. Don't be surprised if you feel like you're being watched when you enter the tobacco pipe collection; a wax figure is probably staring down at you from his perch. Christmas fans will enjoy the new ornament display donated by a local family, and you can visit the original Mr. Bingle!
It's easy to spend several hours just walking the grounds of Houmas House finding all of the fantastic nooks and crannies with fountains, flora, and fauna. Adding in the restaurants, Turtle Bar, and events that occur in the Amphitheater and Neptune Ballroom, you just may need to stay in a cottage overnight.
As a seeker of excellent craft beer, Gilla Brewing Company was on my list. The brewery is small in size and huge in flavor and community. Though it has changed hands and upgraded its equipment, Gilla Brewing Company is proud to celebrate six years in business as the parish's first brewery. I sampled the Bon Scotch (a loving tribute to a rock n' roll singer) while Head Brewer/Owner Bobby Hoyt showed off the behind-the-scenes operation and explained their process of getting draft beer out into local businesses. Back in the taproom, I was tempted to try just one more beer. My eyes widened when I sipped the sweet, sour Lush: Interstate Love Song, and I raced to my phone to catalog it on my Untapped catalog. A girl cannot live on craft beer alone, and it was time to hit up the local legend restaurant for dinner.
Mike Anderson's Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar was popping with people, and it wasn't even the weekend yet. The packed spot was established several decades ago; the restaurant's namesake Mike, an LSU footballer, first ventured into the restaurant business in 1975. People rely on Mike Anderson's Seafood to celebrate their birthdays, graduations, and holidays, or just to provide them with freshly-chargrilled oysters from the glass-encased grill.
I wanted to start off with a margarita made with Donaldsonville-based NOEL Distillery's tequila. The Cajun seasoning around the rim paired so well with the crispy whole fried okra that soon followed. There are so many options here, but seafood is obviously the way to go. The Guitreau signature dish sounded so appetizing, and it's one of Mike's personal favorites. The thick filet of grilled Mahi Mahi was a triumph of Louisiana cuisine with the generous amount of locally-raised crawfish and Gulf shrimp piled on. The dish was made more decadent with a rich, buttery white wine sauce coating every morsel.
The action had not slowed down at Mike Anderson's Seafood, but Sugarfield Spirits was too close to not visit for a nightcap. The small taproom had a few regulars watching sports and dabbling at the board games. Sugarfield Spirits boasts a massive collection of liquor, liqueurs, ciders, and wines now. But The Painkiller cocktail caught my eye; it's based with their rum, one of the first spirits that Sugarfield made. Foamy, smoky, and sweet, this is the perfect way to end a Louisiana night. I headed back to Home2 Suites By Hilton to rest for a busy day tomorrow. Though I didn't avail myself of the room's impressive kitchenette, I stashed my leftover okra in the refrigerator to be enjoyed for a late night snack.
Sorrento was my first stop of the day. Just across the street from The Ascension Parish Tourism Office sits a quaint group of old Cajun buildings called the Cajun Village. The Coffee House was buzzing with activity inside and out. The patrons and staff members discussed family news and current events slowly and happily over the counter before putting in an order. I had hot cafe au lait with a plate of French toast, bacon, and a beignet that comforted my soul. The old home's flooring creaked with each step the diners took, and the young sun's rays penetrated the windows and made the room glow in warmth. The rest of the Cajun Village started to wake up with activity. Tourists and locals alike lazily walked from home to home, checking out the wares and gifts available.
I crossed the Sunshine Bridge over the Mississippi River to visit the River Road African American Museum in Donaldsonville, and I learned so much about the city's history and culture. Things that I was not taught in Louisiana history classes. Donaldsonville is the third oldest city in Louisiana, and it was the state capital from 1829 to 1831. In fact, this city was booming before and after the Civil War, bringing in a diverse population. Donaldsonville citizens elected the country's first Black mayor Pierre Caliste Landry in 1868, and the city has one of the oldest synagogues still standing in the U.S.
The River Road African American Museum is temporarily in a renovated Rosenwald School until its permanent home is finished renovations. This building was actually located across the river but was moved here to help form a historic district. From this former school's windows you can see the soon-to-be renovated True Friends Benevolent Society Hall, and the pretty historic shotgun houses that line the street. A community garden sits in the yard which will eventually host cooking classes, and Julien Leonard's original patented sugar cane planting machine sits restored in a barn. We were also able to get a peek at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, a small but gorgeous church ensconced in a neighborhood. The church is an exhibit to the Georgetown University 272, enslaved men and women sold in Maryland to southern plantation owners to raise money to build Georgetown University.
Nothing in Donaldsonville is too far away to walk to. From this historic district, we went to Grapevine Cafe & Gallery on Railroad Avenue. The restaurant was lively, filled with happy guests who come here often enough to stop and chat with other tables. I thought a simple salad with grilled Ahi tuna would be a nice, light dish, but I was incorrect. The big plate had a garden of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, okra, peppers, and croutons on which a full filet of tuna sat. It was nearly too much, but also too delicious to pass up.
Dining at Grapevine, you can see change on the horizon for Ascension Parish. City officials dined with executives from the car steel manufacturing plant soon to exist here. This new era will be another chapter in Ascension Parish's fascinating industrious history.
The Cane Sugar Toffee Company just a few doors down from the cafe is excited for this new chapter. Signage welcomes those who are attached to the plant. Owner Lewis Savoie has led an exciting life all over the world, and he wanted to come back home to create amazing toffee with homegrown sugarcane. He often sells completely out of it even though he makes more than 1 ton at a time. When he does, the other confections like fig loaf, fig cookies, popcorn await the shop guests. I could not get enough of the brownies made by his wife Lynn. How can a baked brownie taste like brownie batter?
I sampled Cane Sugar's Dark Chocolate Pecan Toffee and White Chocolate Pecan Toffee which nearly melted when hot Community Coffee was introduced. The inherent depth of sugar cane sweetness was noticeable, and it made the toffee seem richer in flavor than other toffees made with conventional sugar. Community members that know the Savoies well popped in and out to grab some confections to take home for the family as I worked through the desserts.
For a day trip, night trip, or an entire weekend, Ascension Parish is the heart of Louisiana culture. The verdant oak trees and slow-flowing Mississippi River beckon you to unwind and relax. Sit a while at a coffee shop, restaurant, or in a lush green setting and take in some deep breaths. This truly is the sweetest spot in the state.
