By Cici

There are seasons for creating… and there are seasons for living.

Over the last few months, I’ve admittedly been quieter than usual here at Bella Creole Life. I’ve looked at my camera roll more than once and thought, I really need to post that.

Then another incredible experience would happen.

Another family gathering.

Another pilgrimage.

Another conversation with an elder.

Another story I didn’t want to forget.

Before I knew it, I had hundreds of photos, pages of notes, voice recordings, and enough stories for months of blogs and podcasts.

The truth is… I’ve been busy living the very life this project was created to celebrate.

Bella Creole Life was never meant to be just another food page or travel blog.

It was born out of a desire to preserve the stories, faith, food, family traditions, and history of Louisiana Creoles before they disappear. Somewhere along the way, I realized I couldn’t just tell those stories from behind a computer screen—I had to keep going out into the world to experience them myself.

And what a season it has been.

This spring took me across Italy on a pilgrimage with my mom, my aunt, my uncle, and our dear friend Mr. John. Together we prayed in Assisi, Loreto, Monte Cassino, Monte Sant’Angelo, San Giovanni Rotondo, Pompeii, Rome, and so many sacred places I had dreamed of visiting for years.

We celebrated Mass at the tombs of saints who have inspired me for decades.

We stood before the humble resting place of Pope Francis.

We attended a General Audience with Pope Leo XIV—the first American pope, and a pope whose Creole ancestry makes that moment even more meaningful to me.

Along the way, I also carried Blessed Father Seelos with me through Italy, sharing his story and inviting others to discover the humble Redemptorist priest whose life continues to inspire so many in Louisiana and beyond.

Back home, the journey didn’t stop.

I attended the beautiful celebration of Our Mother of Perpetual Help with New Orleans’ Filipino community—a reminder that the traditions we cherish as Creoles often echo across cultures. Different languages. Different histories. The same deep roots of faith, family, food, and celebration.

I spent time at St. Joseph Abbey with the Benedictine monks on the Northshore.

Visited the peaceful grounds of St. Helena Catholic Church in Amite.

Then, over the Fourth of July weekend, I flew to Chicago for the Cane River Creoles Family Reunion. There is something incredibly powerful about standing in a room full of people connected by history, by ancestry, and by a shared commitment to making sure those stories continue long after we’re gone.

Those moments reminded me why Bella Creole Life exists.

And yes… somewhere in between all of that, I still have the 9-to-5 that keeps the lights on. Bella Creole Life has always been a labor of love, squeezed into evenings, weekends, airports, and late nights after work. I know many of you understand exactly what that feels like.

One of the greatest blessings during this busy season has been watching my nephews, Ian and Drew, step into this mission with me. Seeing the next generation not only learn about their Creole heritage but become storytellers themselves has been one of the proudest moments of this entire journey. They remind me that preservation isn’t just about looking backward—it’s about equipping those who come next.

And we’re just getting started.

In the coming months, you’ll see all of these stories shared through blogs, reels, podcasts, and photo essays.

You’ll come with us through Italy.

You’ll meet remarkable people whose lives shaped Creole history.

You’ll hear family recipes and family stories.

You’ll explore churches, festivals, cemeteries, and communities that continue to keep our culture alive.

And perhaps the adventure I’m most excited about…

I’m beginning the journey to trace another branch of my family’s story—back to Canada.

Many Louisiana Creole families have roots that extend far beyond Louisiana, and I’ll be documenting my research as I work to establish Canadian citizenship through ancestry. I’ll share the genealogy, historical records, surprises, and lessons I learn along the way in hopes that it encourages others to begin tracing their own family stories.

Because that’s really what Bella Creole Life has always been about.

Not simply preserving the past.

But discovering who we are because of it.

Thank you for staying with me, even when life pulled me away from posting.

Thank you for cheering on Ian and Drew as they carry this mission forward.

Thank you for believing that our stories matter.

There is so much more to come.

We’re just turning the page to the next chapter.

With gratitude,

Cici

The post I’ve Been Busy Living the Bella Creole Life appeared first on Bellacreolelife.

In Creole culture, food is more than nourishment—it’s our history on a plate, our love served in a bowl, and the way we pass down traditions without even realizing it. The flavors of Creole cuisine are as diverse as the people who make them, shaped by where we live and the generations who cooked before us.

From the inland prairies and farmlands of North Louisiana to the bayous and Gulf waters of South Louisiana—and everywhere in between—our food tells the story of migration, adaptation, and community.

Regional Influences

• North Louisiana & Inland Communities – Spanish influences brought us the Natchitoches Meat Pie, a savory fried pastry that has become a symbol of the region. In communities like Isle Brevelle and Cloutierville, women mastered the art of making hot tamales, wrapping seasoned meat in corn masa and husks, simmered in rich broth.
• Coastal & Southern Louisiana – French roots gave us étouffées and couvillions—delicate yet flavorful seafood stews served over rice.
• African Contributions – Gumbo, with its rich roux and layers of flavor, and stewed okra and tomatoes remain staples that link us to African food traditions brought here centuries ago.

And then there are the sweets—tea cakes that melt in your mouth, hand pies filled with fresh berries, apples, pears, or sweet potatoes, and pralines that carry the aroma of toasted pecans and caramelized sugar through the air.

Food as Family and Fellowship

For me, food is tied to my earliest and happiest memories. I remember:

• Cooking with my grandmother – measuring flour, stirring pots, and sneaking bites when she wasn’t looking.
• Picking berries for pies and cakes, and collecting pecans with my grandfather that would become pralines in my mother’s kitchen, cane syrup candy in my father’s hands, or pecan cake baked by my grandmother.
• Helping in the family garden – harvesting peppers, onions, okra, tomatoes, and squash, which would be turned into hearty dishes like stewed okra and tomatoes.
• Learning from the church ladies – spending days in our parish hall making hundreds of dozens of meat pies and tamales, cooking gumbo, and preparing dressing for plates sold at our annual church fair.

These weren’t just meals—they were lessons in patience, love, teamwork, and pride in who we are.

Keeping the Tradition Alive

On the Food page of Bella Creole Life, you’ll find:

• Recipes from across Louisiana’s Creole communities
• Video tutorials on cultural food traditions
• Spotlights on cooks, chefs, and home kitchens keeping these recipes alive
• Seasonal food stories, from harvest to holiday tables

And here’s the best part—you can be part of it. Submit your family’s treasured recipe, record your grandmother making gumbo, or write a guest post sharing the food traditions that shaped your childhood.

Food is the expression of our heart, our joy, and our heritage. It’s how we say “I love you” without words. Let’s make sure the flavors that built our culture are never forgotten.

From Me to You ❤️

If I close my eyes, I can still smell my grandmother’s kitchen—the warmth of bread baking, the steam rising from a pot of gumbo, the sweetness of pecans roasting. I can hear the sound of laughter as cousins and aunties moved around each other in that kitchen like they’d been dancing together all their lives.

I didn’t realize at the time that I was being taught more than recipes. I was learning about generosity, patience, and pride in the work of my own two hands. I was learning how food connects us—how one dish can carry memories from generation to generation, across miles and decades.

I’ll admit, for all the time I spent around these incredible cooks, I probably should know more about cooking than I do! But every time I step into a kitchen, I feel their presence—my grandmother’s watchful eye, my grandfather’s smile, my parents’ hands passing down their knowledge.

I want Bella Creole Life to be a place where we preserve that feeling. Where recipes aren’t just written down, but where the love, stories, and laughter behind them are remembered, too.

So share your gumbo secrets, your Sunday dinner traditions, your berry-picking memories. In doing so, you’re not just feeding a body—you’re feeding a culture.

With love,
Christie

The post The Flavor of Creole Life appeared first on Bellacreolelife.