ANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / September 27, 2000

The bowl of fresh fruit sits on the table in the breakfast room of Catherine and Joe Accardo Jr’s. home in LaPlace. Catherine shares quite a history withit; therefore it has a special spot in her home. It is Aunt Mae’s bowl, thesame bowl Catherine sat and stirred butter and sugar in for “what seemed like hours” when she was a child. What made that especially difficult andmemorable was that the mixture had to be stirred in one direction only.

Spinster aunts Mae and Molly and friend Lizzie used to bake all the time, Catherine said. They made coconut cake and pound cake at Christmas andwould sell some. Catherine had to go to their house and stir and will neverforget stirring in that one direction. People would come from all over to buyAunt Mae’s cake. Because she used the egg whites for white coconut cake,she found a use for the yolks in pound cake. Regardless of what kind and howmany cakes were made, Catherine sat there and stirred. And stirred.A native of Des Allemands, Catherine’s own fondness and knowledge of cooking began at an early age. Her dad had died when she was 4 1/2 yearsold, her mom worked, and she was the oldest of three girls. Helping her mom,the late Garnet Simoneaux, Catherine started cooking and used the same recipes at home that were used in her home economics class at school. At13 she liked making shrimp creole.

Catherine cooked every day while her children were growing up. A schedulewas a little more difficult after her husband became state representative when Amie was 2 and Joseph III was born two weeks after his dad was sworn in. Campaigning curtailed her cooking schedule, but she had help from thelate and beloved Mrs. Mamie Rollo, who baby sat and helped with the cooking. Later, Mrs. Elise Edler helped out.For about four years of Joe’s service the family lived in an apartment in Baton Rouge and came home to LaPlace on weekends. Catherine didn’t cookbig meals in Baton Rouge since they had to go out so much, and when they were home during the summer they mostly ate at her mother’s house.

Sundays were spent at the home of Joe’s parents, Louise and Joe Sr.

It is to the senior Mrs. Accardo that Catherine gives credit that her friendsconsider her a good cook with people really liking her tomato gravy. SinceLouise is such a “great cook,” Catherine is highly complimented if father-in- law Joe Sr., asks for more of what she serves because “then you know youdid exceptionally well.” Also, it was from Louise that Catherine learned to docomplete meals and that dessert was a part of it, especially for Sunday dinner.

There is absolutely nothing pretentious about Catherine Accardo. In fact,even when Joe was a state representative for 24 years their lifestyle preference was simple. Whenever they were not required to attend politicalsocial functions, which wasn’t often, the couple had their own favorite form of activity. When, Amie, Joseph III and Justin were growing up they weretaken out on Friday nights while the parents made it a twosome only on Saturday night, a tradition Joe and Catherine continue today.

Nonetheless, Catherine acquired a taste for formal settings, much in evidence in all the elegant little touches in her home. She recalls that hermom always served coffee with cup and saucer, thus enticing Catherine to develop her own sense of elegance and graciousness. Using table clothes,good china, silver and cloth napkins is another habit inherited from her mother, and Catherine always sets her table that way when her family gathers. Also, a visitor in her home may be served water from a crystalpitcher, which just happens to be sitting right there on the counter.

There are interesting china patterns in the Accardo home, but one has an interesting history. At about age 6 Catherine went to Maison Blanche withher mom and admired a china pattern, Flamenco by Castleton. It was stillavailable when she was to marry Joe, so she chose it, but six months later it was discontinued. She only has six place settings after all these years, butits history is almost as meaningful as is Aunt Mae’s bowl.

Joe, an attorney who now serves as executive director for the Port of South Louisiana, is so very easy to please when it comes to eating, but not the offspring, according to Catherine. Catherine had to have fresh snap beansfor them, not out of the can or frozen, and she cooked them with pickle meat, potatoes and lots of onion, which she feels releases the flavor. It isunanimous in her family, though, that they like Catherine’s lasagna with eggplant with Joe being especially fond of her fried eggplant.

Grandchildren include Kailyn and Lauren Accardo and Chloe and Rick Krake, and Catherine always cooks when they come over even though their favorite food is Blue Runner red beans out of the can and rice. When the Accardosvisit they have to bring six cans of the red beans and six of the white. Onething that most probably won’t be brought anywhere for a long time, though is Aunt Mae’s bowl. It can still be used to stir mixtures, but don’t askCatherine to do it! You can, though, try some of these recipes:

AUNT MAE’S COCONUT CAKE 1 box white cake mix 1 can Ancel coconut Seven minute frosting

Make cake according to package. Spread coconut between layers. Sometimes I divide the layers into four thin layers. This can be messy.

FROSTING 2 egg whites 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar (on damp days I use a little more)1/3 c. water1-1/2 c. sugar (on damp days use a little less)1 tbsp. almond extract

Combine whites, sugar and water in top of double boiler. Beat well beforeplacing over boiling water. Beat mixture with electric mixer for sevenminutes or until frosting stands in peaks. Remove from boiling water. Add 1tbsp. almond extract. Beat until thick enough to spread.

LASAGNA WITH FRIED EGGPLANTYour family’s favorite red tomato sauce (we like a sweet sauce) Box of lasagna pasta 1/2 container of Ricotta cheese Mozzarella cheese, sliced Eggplant slices, fried

To assemble, follow directions on package of pasta. Fry eggplant. Sliceeggplant lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt. Mix 2 -3 eggs with milk. Soakeggplant in mixture. Dredge slice in breadcrumbs. Fry in oil. Alternatelayers of fried eggplant with layers of pasta.

GREEN BEANS (serves 8)80 whole green beans 8 slices bacon, partially cooked 8 toothpicks

In well-seasoned water, partially cook beans. Secure 10 beans in a bundlewrapped w/bacon and fixed with a toothpick. Place on foil. Bake 400degrees until bacon is done on all sides (approx. 10-15 mins.) Very simple,but delicious.

VEGGIE CASSEROLE1 – 21 oz. bag mixed veggies. Cook and drain. Mix: 1 c. chopped celery1 c. grated yellow cheese2 cups mayo 1 small onion, chopped

Pour veggies in a 9×13″ pan. Spread above mixture evenly over veggies. Melt one stick butter. Crumble one sleeve of Ritz crackers (more if needed). Combine butter and Ritz. Sprinkle over mayo. Bake for 30 minutes at 350degrees.

JOE’S FAVORITE CAKE1 box yellow cake mix 1 can crushed pineapple

Follow cake box directions. Cook pineapple down a little to reduce juice. Spread pineapple between the layers.

FROSTING: 1/2 c. powdered Hershey cocoa1 box powdered sugar 1/2 stick butter 2-3 tsp. vanillaCoffee or cream, enough to make frosting spreadable

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