Community Corner

Why Michael Broussard is Psyched To Cook 2,500 Pounds of Crawfish

Michael Broussard is getting set to cook 2,500 pounds of crawfish his parents are bringing to FishHawk "straight out of a swamp in Louisiana."

 

Rotarian Michael Broussard is getting set to cook up another batch of crawfish for an annual event that draws more than 1,000 people to FishHawk in May.

Following the April 29 meeting of the FishHawk-Riverview Rotary Club, Broussard talked about his role in the upcoming, Crawfish Festival at FishHawk Ranch. This year the festival is scheduled to run Saturday, May 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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"From pond to park" is how Broussard describes his club's major fundraiser, in reference to the 2,500 pounds of crawfish his parents will be driving to Lithia the day before the festival, "straight out of a swamp in Louisiana."

Broussard's job is to cook the crawfish — which comes from a wholesale company his high school classmate owns — and for that the Rotarian is well-suited.

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"My wife's from Albuquerque and I'm from Louisiana," Broussard said. "A blend of spices from Albuquerque combined with spices from Louisiana and you can't go wrong."

This will be Broussard's third time cooking for the annual festival, now in its third year.

"I don't use recipes," he said. "Everything just comes from the head and the heart."

Also, from memory.

Growing up, Broussard said, he learned how to cook "by watching my mom and dad and my whole family cook."

Out of school, Broussard said he also worked in several restaurants. From 1994 to 1999, he ran Broussard's Cajun Cafe and Catering in Austin, Texas.

On the menu May 18 in FishHawk will be chicken and sausage gumbo, red beans and rice, crawfish etouffee, hot dogs and hamburgers, nachos and other kid-friendly food.

For information about the Third Annual Crawish Crawfish Festival at FishHawk Ranch, visit the FishHawk-Riverview Rotary Club online.

The club meets weekly on Mondays at noon at Beef 'O' Brady's in Valrico, at 4330 Bell Shoals Road.


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