Mudbugs and Mayhaws

This year for Memorial Day weekend,  Jason and I flew down to Louisiana to visit my aunts and Grandma.  Our time there is always full of lots of good food and this visit was no different. 

We began our weekend at the Mudbug Madness festival in Shreveport. 

Mudbug=crawfish for all you non-Louisiana readers. 

Jason enjoying his gator on a stick.  Looks like the lady in green would like a bite too.

Dad with his fried crawfish

There was a crawfish eating contest where the winner ate just over 15 lbs in 15 minutes.

And what LA festival would be complete without mardi gras beads?

Sure-Jell- $3.37

12 Jelly Jars- $7.50

2 quarts of Mayhaw juice- $20

Grandma's mayhaw jelly- PRICELESS

For any deprived people out there who have never had mayhaw jelly, I am truly sorry.  It is one of the South's most precious commodities.  I grew up enjoying it only at my Grandma's house.  The mayhaw is similar in appearance to a crabapple.  It's jelly tastes like the most delicious combination of grape, apple and plum. 

I hadn't had any in years until a co-worker of mine from GA gave me some for my birthday last year (he's from the mayhaw capital of the South).  Once my passion was rekindled and Jason was hooked, I was determined to make some jelly on this trip.  Before our arrival to LA, my dad had located a lady who had mayhaw juice in her freezer extracted from this year's crop.  So Sunday afternoon we set out on an adventure to buy our juice.  2.5 hours later we were back home and Jason and I got to work making our jelly.

Sure-Jell, sugar, mayhaw juice and careful measuring...that's all it takes!

I'm lucky to have married such an experienced canner. 

He can prepare and seal jelly jars like it's his job!

Now we just have to wait for my dad to drive back to LA later in the summer to retrieve our 12 jars of deliciousness!  There's no better topping for a warm biscuit. 

Let me know if you want a taste; I might can spare a spoon full:).