Crawfish are in short supply this spring in the wake of last year's drought followed by extended periods of freezing temperatures this winter. If you're lucky enough to have some in the freezer from last year, good for you. I don't, unfortunately, so I'll have to bite the bullet and pay a premium.

For the recipes this week, I selected a recipe using Vaucresson Sausage, a New Orleans-based company that is a local favorite. It includes crawfish tails and is served over pasta; better yet, it's on the table in about 30 minutes. Next, in honor of Pi Day coming up next week, a couple of pies; I intend to make both of them on the 14th. The chicken pot pie is from cookbook author Pam Anderson, who went through many iterations in the development of the recipe to yield one she deemed perfect. And finally, from the editors of America's Test Kitchen, a deep-dish apple pie that is a winner.

Enjoy the recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. 

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

Last week's recipes:

• Parmesan-Crusted Flounder

• Crab and Shrimp Salad

• Black-Eyed Peas Salad

Vaucresson Creole Sausage & Crawfish

Vaucresson sausage is a beloved New Orleans company that, until the fall of 2022, locals could only enjoy when the company participated in festivals around the area as a food vendor. They now have a retail location in New Orleans, so it's available year round.

Simple Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe is from noted cookbook author Pam Anderson, excerpted from her book The Perfect Recipe. She tested a dozen or more versions of the pie to achieve perfect success; sure to be a winner on any table.

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

This is from the excellent cookbook The Perfect Pie from America's Test Kitchen. They tackled lots of problems in the development of the recipe, and the end result is a towering pie absolutely packed with apples. It's a project, as the apples need to be pre-cooked and cooled, but well worth the effort.