Meeting planners who want to spice up attendees’ goodie bags with a take-home taste of Louisiana are in delicious luck. From Cajun treats to Creole sweets, the state offers unlimited ways to make your gifts lip-smacking good.
- Aunt Sally’s Original Creole Pralines (504.944.6090; www.auntsallys.com): Pralines originated as candy-covered almonds in 19th century France. The French Creoles replaced the almonds with Louisiana’s native pecan, added a little cream to the sugar coating and created the world-famous New Orleans Creole Praline. Aunt Sally’s has sold this sweet treat since 1931 and now also offers a delicious line of ice cream toppings, coffees and other gourmet Louisiana products.
- Cajun Treats (504.367.3900; www.cajuntreats.com): For centuries Cajuns have navigated South Louisiana’s thick bayous on pirogues (pee-rows), narrow, flat-bottomed boats. Cajun Treats offers replicas of these “Cajun canoes” overflowing with Louisiana food products—hot sauces, seasoning mixes, Louisiana rice, coffee with chicory, and more. Each pirogue is hand-painted with a bayou scene and comes in sizes ranging from 12 inches to four feet.
- French Market Foods (337.477.9296; www.fmfoods.com): Though its origins are in dispute, the turducken owes its popularity to famed Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme. A deboned turkey stuffed with a deboned chicken stuffed with a deboned duck and layered with a series of savory dressings, the turducken has become a popular Thanksgiving alternative throughout Louisiana and beyond. French Market Foods prepares 700 per day and ships them throughout the country. The company has also teamed up with famed Cajun spice maker Tony Chachere to offer several gift packs for non-carnivores.
- Old New Orleans Rum (504.945.9400; www.neworleansrum.com): In 1993, a group of artists and musicians, led by renowned New Orleans painter James Michalopoulos, decided to tap into the rich regional sugar cane crop to distill their own brand of rum. Fifteen years later, Old New Orleans Rum has won numerous tasting awards, and the Celebration Distillation distillery is fast becoming a popular venue for off-site events. The company sells several types of rum.
- Tabasco (800.634.9599; http://countrystore.tabasco.com): Invented in 1868 by Edmund McIlhenny in Avery Island, La., Tabasco is synonymous with Louisiana cooking. Still run by the McIlhenny family, the company offers unlimited options for corporate gifts—from personalized Tabasco bottles and pepper jelly collections to golf balls, ties and even a Tabasco pepper-growing kit.
- The Savvy Gourmet (504.895.2665; www.savvygourmet.com): The culinary mavericks behind the successful New Orleans cooking school, The Savvy Gourmet, offer unique gift baskets filled with locally produced gourmet items, including Steen’s Cane Syrup Vinegar, Zatarain’s Creole Mustard, Arnaud’s Remoulade Sauce, and Ellis Stansel’s Popcorn Rice.
- Zapp’s Potato Chips (800.468.2447; www.zapps.com): Cajun Crawtator, Spicy Creole Tomato, Hotter ’n Hot Jalapeno, and Cajun Dill are just a few of the finger-licking flavors of Louisiana’s favorite potato chips. Fried in peanut oil and marketed with Cajun flair, these chips come in all sizes to suit your event. Specialty packages for groups can be arranged.
