WebMaster's Note: Patricia Talorico wrote about Cajun Kate's on December 12, 2008, in an article entitled "Stuff Your Face." Excerpts appear below. Click on the link to read the entire article.
"If you know what it means to miss New Orleans, then a visit to Cajun Kate's at Booth's Corner Farmers Market (1362 Naamans Creek Road, Boothwyn, Pa., [484] 947-8914; www.cajunkates.com) is in order.
"This tiny stall, with only six counter seats, is run by chef-owner Don Applebaum. (His wife, Kate, is the executive chef at Harry's Seafood Grill, on the Wilmington Riverfront.)
"Since the space is so small, takeout is highly encouraged. Get there early. Cajun Kate's ran out of its terrific jambalaya during one of my recent Saturday visits. (Better still, call ahead and place an order.) I wish the stand were open daily instead of just during the market's hours, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays.
"Applebaum, a Pennsylvania native, may not be Louisiana-raised but he has an impressive resume that includes stints at Emeril Lagasse's Cafe NOLA in the French Quarter and as a chef at New Orleans' Aquarium of the Americas. He also worked for Chef Fritz Blanc at Philadelphia's late great Deux Cheminees and as a sous chef at the former Sonoma in Philadelphia's Manayunk section.
"This is a man well-acquainted with red beans and rice, the beloved Monday "laundry day" dish created by thrifty and busy Louisiana housewives, who needed a long-simmering dish that could cook with little attention and make use of a ham bone left over from Sunday's dinner. Applebaum's creamy red beans are true to their Louisiana roots but get kicked up -- to steal Lagasse's catch-phrase -- with generous helpings of sliced, smoked beef sausage.
"The gumbo of the day, also served with rice, changes weekly. During one visit, we got a quart of the deep-flavored and fork-tender smoked beef brisket, which was similar to a pot roast. Not to be missed is Applebaum's luscious, thick and creamy tomato-garlic Parmesan soup. The delicious pumpkin-colored soup, which could easily double as a sauce, comes with buttery, homemade garlic-flavored croutons. Jambalaya, studded with tiny shrimp and hunks of chicken and smoked sausage, has a sneaky, but manageable, heat. (Need more fire? Shake on hot sauce.)
"...Applebaum will provide sample cups of any of the stand's foods. The round rolls used for the muffaletta sandwich are baked by Elsmere's own Serpe & Sons bakery, and he also has shrimp, catfish, or gator po'boys (all are $6 for a half sandwich, and $11 for a whole one.)
"Takeout quarts of the soup, gumbo, jambalaya and red beans and rice are $11 each...."
WILMINGTON NEWSJOURNAL Patricia Talorico, NewsJournal Food Editor November 10, 2008
WebMaster's Note: Patricia Talorico mentioned Cajun Kate's on November 10, 2008, in an article entitled "Big Food, Good Deal," and promises more about the stand in the near future.
"Don't miss Cajun Kate's which offers everything from a gumbo of the day to jambalaya to po-boy sandwiches. There's only counter seating available, so take-out isn't a bad idea here.
"More is coming soon about Cajun Kate's food. Stay tuned."
WebMaster's Note: Craig Laban mentioned Cajun Kate's on November 6, 2008, in the Restaurants & Food section of the printed edition, in an article entitled "Bargains on the Menu."
"A two-pound tub of the region's best jambalaya, gumbo or red beans ($11) is ready to go from Cajun Kate's, which serves authentic Louisiana fare two days a week at the Booth's Corner Farmer's Market (1362 Naaman's Creek Rd., Boothwyn, 484-947-8914)."
PHILADELPHIA MAGAZINE Critic's Notebook: The Little Easy by Joy Manning October 2008
"...there’s some Mardi Gras caliber magic happening at Cajun Kate’s."
Cajun Kate's on the 10! Show! September 12, 2008
HollyEats at Cajun Kate's and Rates the Experience 5 Grease Stains (That's "Outstanding!") September 2008
"Tears of Joy, Not Stinging: Cajun Kate's, a tiny Delco stand, has a bead on genuine New Orleans fare."
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Restaurant Chat with Craig Laban, Inquirer Restaurant Critic August 19, 2008
WebMaster's Note: Craig Laban mentioned Cajun Kate's in his online chat on 8/19/08.
". . . I did quite enjoy the funky, homespun Louisiana cooking served at Cajun Kate's, a surprising little stand in the Booth's Corner Farmer's Market, which is only open two days a week (Friday and Saturday, I believe.) Both the husband and wife are New Orleans restaurant vets (Cafe NOLA, Bayona) and they really cook here - great jambalaya and crawfish pies, one of the best soft-shell po-boys I've had since Uglesich's closed (though I understand their smoked brisket po-boy is also awesome.) The big hit, though, was the deep fried mac n' cheese stuffed with crab and tasso. . . ."
MINXEATS
Waxes Rhapsodic About Don's Gumbo - Again!
August 9, 2008
PHILADINING Discusses the Cajun Kate's Experience on the eGullet Forums and Reviews Cajun Kate's here. August 2008
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Craig Laban, Inquirer Restaurant Critic July 27, 2008
WebMaster's Note: Craig Laban mentioned Cajun Kate's on July 27, 2008, in the Image section of the printed edition, on page M6, in a sidebar titled "Or Try These."
"CAJUN KATE'S Booth's Corner Farmers Market, 1362 Naamans Creek Rd., Boothwyn, 484-947-8914. Pull up a counter stool at this po-boy stand in a Delco farmers market (open only Fridays and Saturdays), where two vets of New Orleans restaurants turn out some of the region's best Louisiana fare, from hearty jambalaya to crawfish pies, dark gumbos, and fried crab-and-tasso mac 'n' cheese. Visited July 2008."
WebMaster's Note: Craig Laban, the Inquirer's Restaurant Critic, mentioned Cajun Kate's in his online chat on July 15, 2008. Excerpts appear below.
". . . awesome soft-shell crab po-boy (with a side of deep-fried crab-and-tasso mac n’ cheese) . . .
". . . this place is worthwhile.
. . . "Cajun Kate's in the Booth's Corner Farmer's Market in Boothwyn- open only Friday and Saturday, but worth a visit. . . ."
DELAWARE COUNTY DAILY TIMES Cajun Kate's Named Among Top Four Cajun Restaurants June 2008
WebMaster's Note: Cajun Kate's was nominated by Daily Times readers as one of the Top Cajun Restaurants in the Delaware County Region. Don & the gang would like to thank everyone who voted for Cajun Kate's. We couldn't do what we love without your patronage and support. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
MINXEATS
Names Top Ten Dishes of 2007 December 31, 2007
MINXEATS Visits Cajun Kate's and Reviews Don's Gumbo August 25, 2007
THE NEWSJOURNAL/SPARK MAGAZINE
Cooking With Kelly: Cajun Kate's Muffaletta Sandwich
Kelly Housen, Spark Staff June 27, 2007
Bam! It's cajun cooking this week, and that always makes me think of
Emeril and New Orleans. Our chef this week, Don Applebaum of Cajun
Kate's in the Booth's Corner
Farmers Market on Naamans Creek and Foulk Road, knows both well.
He lived in New Orleans for seven years, and worked at Emeril's NOLA
Restaurant for more than five, where he learned all the secrets of real
Cajun and Creole cuisine. Don shared some of those secrets with me,
including how to make a real, authentic, New Orleans classic, the
Muffaletta sandwich.
In New Orleans, there's a large Italian population, which helped
inspire this classic sandwich. There's no lettuce or any other flotsam
and jetsam between the bread – just meats, cheese, olive oil and an
olive salad. When you're eating the sandwich, the oil should be running
down your arms. Real New Orleans residents know not to wear a good
shirt when they're eating their Muffaletta.
A key part of the Muffaletta is the round bread. Don has their bread
made especially for Cajun Kate's by Serpe's bakery. Instead of spending
your days trying to convince your local bakery to make it, save some
time and substitute a round foccacia.
The other key to the sandwich is the olive salad. Sure, you could look
for a recipe online, but Don orders his olive salad directly from New
Orleans. And, he sells it by the pint and the quart, just for you.
Don says this is
one sandwich that gets better overnight, as the olive oil penetrates
the bread and it picks up all the flavors of the olive salad.
TIPS
If you're looking for one cajun
cookbook, it has to be Paul
Prudhomme's. He is the king of cajun cooking. There's nothing about cajun food
that you can't learn from Paul Prudhomme, the man who invented the
turducken.
Seasoning is key to cajun cooking
and Don says the best recipe around
for cajun seasoning (besides his own, which is kept under lock and key)
is Emeril's Essence.
EMERIL'S ESSENCE (from foodnetwork.com)
2 1/2 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
MUFFALETTA SANDWICH
Ingredients:
1 round loaf foccacia
Mortadella
Cappicola
Genoa salami
Provolone cheese
Olive salad
Olive oil
Directions:
Slice the foccacia in half longways, and pour olive oil onto the bread.
Rub it in with your hands and spread it all over the bread.
Start with the mortadella and make a layer of meat covering all of the
bread. Continue the single layering with each meat and the provolone.
Spoon and spread the olive salad on top of the provolone, completely
covering the layer of provolone.
www.CountyPressOnline.com/www.AllAroundPhilly.com
Focus on Dining: Cajun Kate's
Margie Royal Fall 2006
Cajun Kate's is a recent addition to Booth's Corner Farmer's Market in Boothwyn, PA. The menu features New Orleans' specialties like Cafe au Lait, Pralines, and Beignets served with powdered sugar. Other delicious sweet specialties include a terrific Bananas Foster Bread Pudding, sure to impress dinner guests.
Cajun Kate's also fixes Cajun entree specialties such as Gumbo, Red Beans with Rice and Smoked Sausage, and Jambalaya with Chicken, Shrimp, and Smoked Sausage. I highly recommend the Cafe au Lait, Bananas Foster Bread Pudding, Beignets, and Gumbo!
Also on the menu are Muffaletta and Po' Boy Sandwiches and other regional specialties like Gator on a Stick, Catfish Fingers and Cajun Popcorn Shrimp or Crawfish. They also offer Zapp's Potato Chips, flown in along with many of the other specialty items and ingredients, directly from New Orleans.
Cajun Kate's is open 9 am - 9 pm Fridays and 9 am - 8 pm Saturdays. Call 484-947-8914 for more information.
