Meals at Camp "Eat Out"

Jim & Layman Savoie in the Kitchen at Camp "Eat Out"

Camp Eat Out

One of the great rewards for me working in Grand Isle has been my friendship with Layman Savoie. I met Layman over 40 years ago and have spent may hours in the kitchen with him.
Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with him in our kitchen and talk about the 40 something years that we have been together. I have enjoyed so many meals that Layman prepared while we were working on the water, loading trucks or buying fish, shrimp and oysters in Grand Isle. He is one of the best "camp cooks" that I have had the chance to meet while working in south Louisiana.

Layman maintained and cooked at Camp "Eat Out" since it was built more than 30 years ago. Before that he looked after us and cooked at a house trailer we used for an office and living quarters. His camp management abilities and cooking skills are legendary in that area and his reputation is well know. He has cooked for so may people over the years that still ask me if Layman is still making his pies, biscuits, ham and grits. Layman's breakfasts and pies are what people always remember and looked forward to in the morning when waking up at the Eat Out.

In 2008 and in his 80's Layman still can be found around Camp "Eat Out" every day. He makes sure that everything there is perfect and our stay is as comfortable as being at home.

Layman worked for Texaco for 40 years before retiring. He ran Texaco's camp where the offshore oil workers lived and ate when they were working in the Grand Isle area. He told me " in those days everything was made from scratch and people knew what good food was and expected every meal to be great." He took care of Camp "Eat Out" while working for Texaco on his days off and when he retired we asked him to come with us full time. He has been with us since and I could not imagine being there without him.

My old friend Layman died this Monday morning, April 7, 2014 at 7:30 a.m.  I loved him and will miss our little talks at Camp Eat Out!  God Bless You Layman, you have always been a wonderful friend and a great man.

Louisiana Satsumas

In November when traveling to South Louisiana I always think of oysters and satsuma oranges and look forward to both while working in the area.
When in Louisiana during oyster season traveling near the coast, satsumas and navel oranges are sold at roadside stands along the southeastern river parishes and close to the Gulf coast.
The Louisiana satsuma, "the Brown Select", are superior to all that I have tasted and once you have eaten the "King of citrus," you will be hooked . The sweet juiciness and ease of peeling make this mandarin the most desired.

I love stopping at the roadside orange stand in Larose, LA, loading up my GMC with satsumas, kumquats and the fabulous navel oranges while working in South Louisiana. These wonderful citrus are seldom exported outside of Louisiana because they are mostly consumed by locals in the area.
If traveling through south Louisiana do yourself a favor and buy a sack or two of navels and satsuma oranges, an annual treat I always look forward to.

Oystering on The Captain Wilbert

Bushel of Oysters

"Captain Wilbert" with Camanada Bay Oysters

Capt. Wilbert and Jeff

The typical day for an oyster man is a long and arduous one. Usually they are up a couple of hours before the sun and during the winter months when daylight is short, they are driving home well after dark. The work is hard and when the demand is there his job is seven days a week.

Captain Wilbert was oystering on Thanksgiving day because he said "people were waiting in line and we can't get enough". He has always had a demand for his oysters and anyone that knows him will tell you he has some of the best around.

The Saturday my brother Jeff and I met Wilbert Collins the weather was perfect, sunny, cool and calm. He had a three man crew with him that day and fished for 10 hours. The oysters that were landed were salty, round and had mussels or eyes as big as fifty cent pieces and just as rare.

After the truck was loaded, the boat tied up, we watched the sun setting over Barataria Bay, and could see Wilbert was proud of the oysters he had caught that day.

We left with a couple of sacks of oysters and headed to camp "Eat Out" for a great oyster supper that night.

Oyster Sandwich

Fried Oysters on Bun

The day after Thanksgiving Diane and I headed to Grand Isle to get work done on camp "Eat Out". We had been needing to take care of things that were damaged as a result of Gustov and Ike but we secretly wanted to get on the oyster boat, check out the oysters in the bay and most of all eat some of the great Crassostrea Virginicas of Barataria Bay.

We had oysters on our mind and knew we could get a great oyster sandwich at the Cajun Twist. It's know in that area for their Fried Chicken, but I knew that they could pile oysters high on a bun.

After turkey and pork roast and all the great dressings the previous day, I could not wait to spend the next few days eating oysters and eating is what we did.