ANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / October 4, 2000

“He spends more time in Manchac than anywhere else,” Nell Oberschmidt says of her husband, Al. In turn, he says she really is the better cook, usingrecipes from her Cajun mother. It is Al, though, the avid sportsman, who hasbecome especially skilled in cooking wildlife dishes like sauce piquantes using alligator, turtle, deer, rabbit and squirrel.

Nell, good at cooking seafood, doesn’t cook in big quantities as her husband does. Al does a bit of cooking for the Manchac Crab Factory, with his mostrecent venture being a cookout of oyster jambalaya for the crab fishermen.

It is the business’ tradition of giving something back to the fishermen as they sell their crabs after coming off the boats.

Being around the camps, Al believes, made it necessary to know how to cook.

It started at least 20 years ago. The men have developed a tradition ofgoing hunting whatever is in season, and instead of dividing the kill immediately they meet once a week to cook it. Then they divide the cookedportions for everyone to get a share, ready to eat or freeze, needing only to cook the rice when ready.

At home Al only cooks when he has to, leaving the rest to Nell. He cooksquite a bit for outside occasions, though, such as friends’ weddings. He willbe cooking for the wedding of Dale Trepagnier’s son in October, making a chicken, pork and sausage jambalaya. Competing in cooking contests is afavorite activity, such as the Hog Cracklin Contest in Grandpoint, the Gumbo Contest in Lutcher and jambalaya contests all over. The Manchac Fall Fling isno more, but he cooked for that, too.

If the name Oberschmidt is familiar in the community, some of the reason may be that they have lived in LaPlace over 30 years. And the rest of it maybe because of their daughter, Kristen, an all-around athlete who excelled in athletics, especially volleyball, at St. Charles Catholic and who is continuingthe tradition at Southeastern. Kate is also at Southeastern with theremaining four of the six offspring being Albert in Birmingham, Ala., Eric inHammond and who likes to cook, Hans in Houston and Eve in Hester. The fourgrandchildren are Samantha, Savanna, Shea and Payton.

Cooking for the Fox Hound Field Trials and Beagle Hound Field Trials all over the state (and the chased animals are never caught, just chased, by the way) can also be added to the list of Al’s cooking experience. Son Albert (calledAlby), is involved in arm wrestling tournaments, so Al takes his pots to those events, too.

Since retiring from DuPont, Al keeps busy not only with cooking activities, but also as a commercial fisherman. He especially enjoys teaching his sonsand other young boys how to cook, naming Danny Madere of Grand Point as one of them. As to what they are going to cook, Al quotes somethinglearned from Nell’s mom: “Give a Coon A_ _ anything and they can make a meal out of it.” You can make a meal out of the following recipes:

FOR COOKING BONELESS FISH OR ALLIGATOR (5 LBS.)

Make a roux using 6 to 8 oz. flour5 med. onions2 large bell peppers 1 bunch parsley 1 stalk celery 1 pod garlic 1 – 29 oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes w/chili peppers3 – 15 oz. cans tomato sauce2 – 10 oz. cans golden mushroom soup1 – 5 oz. Lea & Perrins3 or 4 oz. Cajun Garlic Sauce1 lemon (sliced extra thin 1/2 moon slices) 6 or 7 bay leaves 2 tbls. yellow mustard1 – 10 oz jar salad olives (use juice and olives)

Season the fish or gator with salt, red and black pepper and paprika. Cut in1-inch squares.

The above gravy can be served over rice or noodles or eaten with French bread.

Crayfish, shrimp or boneless chicken can also be cooked in this gravy.

Always season the seafood or chicken with a generous hand so there is no need to add seasoning to the gravy later.

If you prefer the gravy to be a little browner rather red, cut back on tomato sauce, add water and Kitchen Bouquet. If you don’t like making a roux, simplysaut chopped vegetables in about 29 oz. tomato paste and increase othertomato products and a little water.

MANCHAC HUSH PUPPIES

3 cups self-rising flour 1-1/2 cups corn meal (yellow regular) 2 eggs 3 tsp. baking powder1 cup chopped shallots (extra fine) 2 cups chopped onions (extra fine) Taste: Garlic salt, black pepper, red cayenne pepper, milk (buttermilk)

Mix all ingredients and add milk slowly while mixing until batter is firm (not runny). Using a teaspoon, drop batter into hot grease in skillet. Cook untilpuppies float, flipping occasionally to insure cooking all the way through.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

AL’S BRAND NEW SURSHOT JAMBALAYA (Guaranteed to Succeed or You Get Nuthin’)

Marinade: juice of 4 lemons, salt and pepper to taste, Lee & Perrins, Worchestershire sauce to taste AND mos’ impotant, da’ Tiger sauce (une batta)

10 lbs. rice (long grain)Lea & Perrins Sauce 10 lbs. sausage10 lbs. pork butts10 lbs. chicken (quartered & boned)1 bottle Kitchen Bouquet 10 lbs. onions (chopped)3 cans Rotel tomatoes 1 bunch celery (chopped) 3 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup 2 bell peppers 3 cans mushrooms 2 bunches shallots (chopped) 3 cans Dawn Brown Gravy 1 large bottle Tiger Sauce

Marinade pork 24 hours ahead of time. Fry the sausage down and removethe sausage grease. Place sausage on side to drain. Cook down the pork untilit starts to stick to the pot. Add the fat from the chicken and cook until fatis rendered. Add the chicken pieces and brown, dark but not burnt. Addsausage, onions, celery and shallot whites. Let simmer until onions are clear. Add all the rest of the ingredients, except the shallot greens and rice and let simmer on low fire. About 10 minutes before adding the rice, add the greens. Add equal amounts of rice and water (rice bag can be used to measure the water), and bring to a boil. Boil the water out, stirring while boiling (smallvolcanoes will form in rice until water is gone). Lower fire, cover pot andsimmer for 25 minutes. Turn off fire, lift cover and roll mixture over severaltimes. Cover again and let sit for 10 mins. before serving.

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