Louisiana Insider

To the great debate about which is more appropriate to accompany gumbo – sweet potato or potato salad? – Stanley Dry offers a great alternative, sweet potato salad. Dry is the Food Editor for Louisiana Life magazine. He had also written for Food & Wine , Travel & Leisure , The New York Times , The New York Times Book Review and is the author of "The Essential Louisiana Cookbook" published...

Asked which he prefers, alligators or crocodiles, and Dean Wilson did not hesitate. “Alligators,” he replied, “I can swim with them, but I can’t swim with crocodiles.” Wilson should know. He once spent four months alone in the Atchafalaya swamps' deep basin with only “a spear, a few hooks, a bow and arrows.” Fortunately, he lived to tell about it and to discuss his career of saving the basin. His...

Poverty Point is a pre-historic settlement dating back as far as 1700 years BC. Located in what is now Northeastern Louisiana, Poverty Point was the center of an indigenous culture that spread thorough the Gulf South. Archaeologists Diana Greenlee digs old things. As the resident researcher at the UNESCO designated World Heritage site, she is leading the way with innovative research into an ancien...

There are two things that many of us might like to have more of “faith” and “healing.” Mary Perrin can provide both. Perrin is a traiteuse, the Acadian equivalent of a faith healer. Working with herbs, plants and prayer traiteurs look to cure maladies. Perrin is also the Chairperson of the Jardin des traiteurs located at Vermillionville in Lafayette. She joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Lo...

Located in Keithville, Chimp Haven is the largest protected area for chimps in the country. Many of the residents were once owned by the federal government for research; others were pets. Now they all live a leisurely life, which everyone can see in the new National Geographic and Disney+ series "Meet The Chimps." Amy Fultz – Chimp Haven’s director of Behavior, Education and Research – joins...

"The Cajuns and the French History of Louisiana" Warren Perrin might be referred to as a Cajun Activist. The Lafayette Attorney once petitioned Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain asking for a British apology for the deportation of the Acadian people. (The British did not apologize but they acknowledged the incident.) He is one of the foremost authorities on Louisiana’s culture and even operates a re...

By law, the job of the Lieutenant Governor is not only to be ready when needed, but to also oversee the state’s tourism. COVID-19 has dropped many bombs on the industry and this week, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser talks about the twin challenges of rebuilding tourism and, because there are fewer restaurant customers, the seafood industry. Nungesser joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Lif...

Monroe, Louisiana is the town that put the pop in Coca Cola and is near prehistoric mounds and a crop duster service that turned into a major airline. Monroe and its sister city West Monroe are separated by the Ouachita river that wins accolades for being scenic.  Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life , along with podcast producer, Kelly Massicot join guest Sheila Snow of the Monr...

Lake Charles is close enough to Texas to the west to have a cowboy influence; close enough to the Atchafalaya to the east to have a Cajun influence and close enough to the swamps to the south to have once been a hangout for pirates. Unfortunately, it is also close enough to have been on the path of Hurricane Laura. This week’s  Louisiana Insider talks about grit and determination in Southwest...

He grew up listening to swamp pop music. The only difference was that his Pop was one of the swamp poppers. This week’s Inside Louisiana podcast is a fun romp through the music that echoed across Louisiana during the early days of rock and roll. Historian Shane Bernard has stories to tell not only about his dad, Rod Bernard, but about the music that echoed across Louisiana during the early days of...

Several times Lake Pontchartrain has faced serious pollution issues and each time it has survived largely because the lake, when given a chance, has had the ability to cleanse itself. Once closed to public swimming, folks these days are invited to jump it to an amazingly clean body of water. The sea life provides more proof. Carlton Dufrechou knows the lake probably better than anyone. He is the d...

There are more legends about life along the Mississippi river than there are curves in its path. (Well, almost as many.) This week’s “Louisiana Insider” podcast examines the legends and the dynamics of the mightiest of rivers. Mary Ann Sternberg, who has written extensively about River Road, is our guest this week. Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life Magazine, along with podcast prod...

The best of what is new in Louisiana is the subject of the latest edition of “Louisiana Insider.” This week Melanie Spencer, managing editor of Louisiana Life Magazine , joins us to celebrate the winners of La Nouvelle Louisiane awards as announced in the September/October edition of Louisiana Life . The magazine selected the best of the new around the state in several categories including events...

This week, Mark Romig, chief marketing officer for tourism development at New Orleans & Company, joins host Errol Laborde to explore one of the world’s most colorful cities – New Orleans. They talk about the future, tourism, the Saints and Pelicans, traditions, hard times and good and things to do. There are even song interludes including the first commercially recorded jazz record, an Indians...

This week Jeremy Alford, the publisher and editor of LaPolitics Weekly , joins host Errol Laborde to explore the state’s capitol city. They talk about politics, LSU, favorite haunts and things to do. Enjoy songs, stories about Earl and Huey Long are recalled and wicked comments from Mark Twain of why he disliked the old state capital.

In this week's episode, listeners will hear from Elvis, early blues singer Leadbelly and stories about Hank Williams. The latest episode is about Shreveport, which was once the site of the Louisiana Hayride, a Saturday night country music show in the style of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. Winston Hall, a Shreveport musician and musical historian, brings a clip of the night when 19 year old Elvis Pre...

In the first episode of "Louisiana Insider," Errol Laborde and Cheré Coen travel to Lafayette, Louisiana. There's music, food and a whole lot of history! -- Cheré Dastugue Coen is an award-winning journalist and author living in Lafayette, Louisiana. A native of New Orleans, Cheré began her career in communications at the 1984 World’s Fair. She has worked for or currently writes for Variety magazi...