MANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / August 22, 2000

Talking to Steven “Buggy” Lemoine and Dale “Zip” Zimmer and experiencing their wit is so much fun. Probably almost as much fun as the two have when they gettogether (which is all the time) to cook. Theirs is an easy going, comfortable andfamiliar relationship. And why not, since the two have lived near each other justabout all their lives. The men were raised together almost as one family, as theirfathers, Herman Lemoine and the late Eddie Zimmer worked and played music together while their mothers, Gert Zimmer and the late Jeanette Lemoine belonged to the same organizations.

At one time, Buggy and Zip, Lutcher natives, worked together for more than 10 years and today they are both salesmen for different companies. Their commonbonds are many, including the fact that even after marriage, they are once again neighbors living in Grand Point and still cooking, at home all the time and often for different causes or organizations.

Each man discovered a love for cooking early in life. Buggy worked at Quick Snackduring high school and became manager. Zip’s brother and sister-in-law started theCatered Affairs business and in their early 20s, both men went to work for them.

As cooks they made jambalaya, sauce piquant, fried chicken, fish or whatever the people wanted. Sometimes they did steak dinners. Buggy has also worked for BigMix Catering owned by his brother, Mickey.

Zip and wife, Sally, have two children, Robert, 12 and Mya, 10 and both offspring are dealing with cystic fibrosis. At least 13 years ago Zip and Buggy startedraising money for the cystic fibrosis fund-raising walk, doing the cooking with Veron’s, Buggy’s employer, generously providing the food for that and other events. Zip happily reports that the children are doing quite well and the men arevery dedicated to working for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Also on the list of causes they are dedicated to and offer their cooking talents for are the American Cancer Society, school functions, the Muscular Dystrophy Organization and those raising money for specific purposes, such as the recent golf tournament and Pattifest on behalf of Patti Amato of St. James Parish. Buggy and Zip say they have never cooked as much in one weekend as they did for that fest but at the same time confess that if they had to do it all over again the following weekend, they would. Again this year they plan to cook for the Lutcherand Riverside football players.

“We don’t hunt, we don’t fish and we don’t play golf,” they say, “but we have pots so we cook for the fishermen, hunters and golfers.” Each is the chief cook in hisown home and started off like that because they get home before their working wives, Suzanne Lemoine who is an accountant and Sally Zimmer, a teacher in St.

John Parish. Buggy would rather cook gumbo, soups or “Burger King or Sonic” athome. They have Steven, Jr., 13, and Shelbi, 8. Zip likes to cook anything, but”especially what the kids want. “My kids like stews, gumbo and jambalaya,” he says,and goes on to tease, “When mama cooks, its hamburger helper.”They say their families won’t come for parties unless they “cook big” so they can’t just cook hot dogs and hamburgers. A party for them can cost from $200 to $300so Zip says they find it’s cheaper to go to Chucky Cheese to which Buggy adds “we are waiting for our CDs to mature before we have any more parties.”Accustomed to cooking for the St. James Boat Club and for political events, Buggyand Zip had no problem agreeing to travel, at their own expense, and for room and board only, 1,800 miles to cook for the National Juvenile Justice Convention in Washington, D.C. Louisiana was the host state so the theme was Mardi Gras with alot of Cajun cooking. Traveling there pulling a U-Haul, “we looked like the BeverlyHillbilles,” says Buggy.

Both families have campers and use them every month. In winter, it’s corn soup orgumbo and in summer, barbeque and sandwiches. “That’s when we let the womencook,” they say. They look forward to cooking for events in the future that involvetheir children. Having the same thought, Buggy and Zip say “when you cook for abunch of people and you see a smile on their faces and an empty plate, you know you accomplished something.” Although Buggy says “there is one thing aboutcooking – you never trust a skinny cook.” Perhaps their recipes will make us want to empty our plates too:

BUGGY’S RECIPES:

CHICKEN & ANDOUILLE GUMBO (Use a 12-qt. pot; serves 16 to 20 people)1 fryer or hen cut up and seasoned well 2 cups diced celery 1 cup all purpose flour 3/4 cup diced bell pepper 1 cup cooking oil 1/2 cup green onions (shallots) 1 lb. andouille, sliced1/2 cup minced parsley 1 lb. smoke sausage, sliced1 tsp. minced garlic3 cups diced onion salt and pepper

Brown seasoned fryer or hen in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Make a goldenbrown roux with the flour and oil. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic to roux.Saut until wilted. Add andouille and smoke sausage. Smother 10 minutes. Add agallon of water. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, totaste. Turn off fire; skim off excess oil. Serve over hot rice.

QUICK ANDOUILLE DIP 1lb. andouille, 1lb. Velveeta Cheese, 1 small jar of salsa or picante sauce Chop andouille in food processor. Put in microwave dish. Microwave 2 minutes. Addcheese. Simmer in microwave until melted. Stir often. Add salsa or picante sauce.Stir. Serve hot. Excellent with chips, Triscuits or crackers.

JAMBALAYA (Use a 5-qt. pot. Serves 15-20 people)6 slices bacon, cut small 1 cup chopped celery 1lb. andouille, sliced4 cups long grain rice 1lb. smoke sausage, sliced4 chicken bouillon cubes 1lb. lean cubed pork4 cups water 3 cups chopped onion salt and pepper 1 cup chopped bell pepper

Fry bacon until brown using medium/high heat. Add pork to bacon and season withsalt and pepper. Brown pork about 20 mins. Add onions, celery and bell pepper. Cook until wilted. Add 4 cups water, chicken bouillon cubes, andouille and sausage.Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Add rice. Let it come back to a boil for 8minutes; cover and lower heat to lowest setting for 20 minutes. Stir after 20mins. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!

ZIP’S RECIPES:

CORN SOUP WITH SHRIMP (for 50 people) 16 ozs. oil1 can tomato sauce 1 lb. flour2 cans Rotel tomatoes 3 lbs. onions1 can cream of celery soup 1 pk. shallots15 cans corn (mixed; white, yellow, Mexican) 2 bell peppers 6 lbs. shrimp1/4 cup celery 1/2 cup parsley Make roux with oil and flour until golden brown; add onions, bell pepper and celery until translucent. Add shallots, parsley, tomato sauce, Rotel, cream of celery soupand corn. Cook for about 45 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for another 20minutes. Add water if too thick.

SHRIMP FETTUCCINE (for 25 people) 3 lbs. onions1-1/2 pts. half and half milk1/2 cup celery 1/2 cup flour 1/2 jar garlic 4 lbs. shrimp3 bell peppers 1-1/2 lbs. jalapeno cheese2-1/2 sticks butter 1-1/2 lbs. cheddar cheese2 pks. shallots1/2 cup parmesan cheese 2-1/2 lbs. fettuccine noodles1 can sliced mushrooms 1 can diced Rotel

Melt butter; add onion, celery, bell peppers; cook till clear. Add flour. tir. Coverfor 10 minutes. Add parsley and shrimp. Cover for 20 minutes. Add half and half,cheese, garlic, shallots; mix well. Add seasoning to taste. Boil noodles. Add cookednoodles to mixture. Put in roasting pan, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake ina 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 mins.

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