Every recipe that I create is filtered and stepped through two major life events. The first event was growing up in South Louisiana. I mean the heart of the Southern extremities. I had relatives that still hunted and trapped animals for a living. I had my own pirogue paddling deep into the bayous catching crawfish, killing (and eating) Racoons, catching frogs, Soccalet, Garfish, Aligators, Rabbits, Squirells, Blackbirds, climbing trees, making tree houses and eating coovient. Then the recipes are filtered either before or after or simultaneously through the major life experience of living in the Sicilian Countryside alongside the foothills of Mt. Etna (Europe's largest active volcano!)This South Louisiana boy is now fully immersed in the thick of Italian lifestyle. No microwaves, no freezers, No Wall mart, No air conditioning, no fast food! Every meal had to be cooked from scratch. Thank God for the generosity of the Italian People. These kind people literally took me by the hand and taught me how to develop from scratch recipes using garlic, olive oil, fresh herbs and ingredients to create the most flavorful, healthy dishes that I have ever tasted. These families literally affected and changed my life forever, and because of their gentle hands and generous heart, I am able to bring to you Alfreddeaux. Every new recipe is derived through the inspiration of living in south Louisiana and Italy. This book is intended to be practical, to give you real life experiences as seen through my eyes. What I have seen, heard, smelled and tasted I bring to you. I am a porponet of real people cooking real food. I am not a proponet of cheffy food. I've always thought my mission as a chef-teacher was to teach recipes that are duplicable, even for the beginner cook but interesting enough for the well-experienced cook. I don't want to impress you with what I can cook, but rather to give you the knowledge and inspiration.
