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Bisques, Étouffées, and Gumbos — What’s the Difference? 🥣

Cajun cooking has a way of wrapping you up like a warm hug — rich, soulful, and layered with flavor. But if you’ve ever stood at our trailer menu wondering what sets a bisque apart from an étouffée (and where gumbo fits in), you’re not alone. These dishes may share a common Louisiana heartbeat, but each one brings its own personality to the table. Bisque: Smooth & Silky A bisque is like comfort in a bowl — creamy, velvety, and rich. Ours starts with a slow-simmered stock, layered with aromatics and fresh cream. Into that base go tender shrimp and sweet kernels of corn, creating a balance of sweet and savory in every spoonful. It’s the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out, silky enough to sip but hearty enough to fill you up. Étouffée: Smothered Goodness The word étouffée means “smothered,” and that’s exactly what you get. Crawfish, shrimp, or sausage are nestled into a roux-based sauce that’s cooked low and slow until it turns deep, rich, and full of flavor....
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The Journey of a Prestige Oyster 🦪

Not all oysters are created equal. Some are small and briny, some are buttery and mild—but every once in a while, you come across an oyster so fresh, so perfectly balanced, that it feels like the ocean itself is on your plate. That’s what we found with Prestige Gulf Oysters . Their journey starts deep in the Gulf waters, where they’re raised in nutrient-rich tides that give them their bold, clean flavor. Each one grows to a hefty 3 to 4+ inches , making them some of the biggest, most beautiful oysters you’ll ever see. From there, they’re carefully harvested, packed with care, and begin the long trek north. We make the trip ourselves, bringing Prestige oysters straight from the Gulf Coast to the Purple People Feeder in the San Juans. And when they hit your table—whether freshly shucked on the half shell or packed up to-go—they carry that same salty breeze and ocean taste that made us fall in love with them in the first place. For us, serving Prestige isn’t just about bringing in an ...

Purple Skies, Cajun Spice & Live Music at the Pagosa Springs Concert Series 🎶🌅

One purple and amber sky set the stage this past Saturday at Yamaguchi Park. The rain teased but stayed away, leaving us with a cool mountain evening that felt tailor-made for music under the stars. The Pagosa Springs Concert Series brought the energy, the views, and the neighborly vibe that makes this town feel like one big front porch—and we were thrilled to be part of it.   The Scene Kids chased balls across the grass, couples swayed to the rhythm, and friends stretched out on blankets with cold drinks in hand. The mountains framed the horizon, glowing in the last light of summer, while live music carried across the park like an old friend’s laugh. The Music Rex Peoples & X Factr opened the night with powerhouse blues and soul, setting a warm groove that pulled folks right up to the stage. High Country Hustle took it from there with foot-stomping bluegrass that kept the dancing going. Closing out the evening, Blessing Chimanga headlined with vibrant, high-energy rhyt...

Maw Maw’s Apple Cake: A Slice of Home 💜✨

People ask me all the time if our apple cake is really my great-grandmother’s recipe , and I can resoundingly say— yes, it absolutely is . I’ll never share the recipe (that’s staying in the family vault), but I can tell you this: it’s been made with love, laughter, and just a touch of chaos across generations, and every bite feels like home . Growing up, we didn’t have the means to buy Christmas gifts for friends, neighbors, or coworkers. Instead, my mom would spend days baking apple cakes to share. It was a true labor of love , and she often drafted us kids into service to peel, slice, or mix —though most of the “helping” turned into squabbles over who got to lick the bowl or the beater . Even when we were sent off to bed, I’d wake to the smell of cinnamon and apples and hear Mom quietly swapping cakes in the oven at 2 a.m. She had the sharpest internal alarm clock I’ve ever known. That smell— warm apples and cinnamon —would fill the whole house. To this day, it’s the kind of scen...

Big Al Burns Bright: Gatorfest 2025 at Columbine Roadhouse 🐊

Gatorfest 2025 lit up Silverton, Colorado this summer with music, Cajun food, and the unforgettable burning of  Big Al . Hosted at the legendary  Columbine Roadhouse in Silverton , the festival drew locals and visitors alike for a weekend packed with community, flavor, and tradition.  This year’s 40-foot wooden gator was decorated in full Mardi Gras colors—bold purple, green, and gold—with a giant big-top hat and beads hanging from his paws. He was the centerpiece of the weekend and the symbol of letting go, with a “troubles slot” in his belly where folks slipped in worries and regrets to be burned away. Friday and Saturday featured live music from the South Austin Moonlighters , whose soulful harmonies and tight rhythms filled the mountain air. Festival goers jumped into stick horse races and cherry stem tying contests, laughing and cheering under the San Juan sky. On Sunday , the tradition continued with the crowning of gator royalty before the grand finale. As the sun...

Welcome to the Dixie Dish — Where Louisiana Flavor Meets Colorado Fun

If you’ve ever wandered past a big purple trailer in the mountains, caught a whiff of spicy Cajun boil in the air, and heard a little zydeco mixed with laughter, chances are you’ve found The Purple People Feeder . Our grand opening included 6 inches of snow. That’s us — Dixie Farms Crawfish & Seafood . We rolled into the Four Corners with a 40-foot trailer, a head full of Southern hospitality, and pots big enough to feed a small town. Our mission? To bring bold Louisiana flavor to the mountains of Colorado and beyond. From steamin’ crawfish boils to Alaskan Bairdi snow crab feasts , boudin & gumbo to Mawmaw’s Apple Cake , we’ve got something for every appetite. And if there’s a festival, farmer’s market, or live band in sight — we’re probably parked nearby. What You’ll Find Here This blog will be your inside scoop on: 📅 Where we’re headed next – Pop-ups, festivals, and surprise boils. 🍤 Menu spotlights – The stories behind our dishes (and the recipes Mawmaw won’t let ...