Two great classics
When you say Louisiana, you say carnival! Beads, masks, costumes and accessories of all kinds are easily found in stores at any time of the year. New Orleans being the epicenter of the Mardi Gras festivities, there are many options here to bring back a colorful souvenir. In fact, if you're planning to visit the Mardi Gras World float shop, you should know that there is a boutique on site.
Another must-see is the voodoo and hoodoo items. But beware, many stores are not worth the money and sell trinkets for tourists instead. Our best address is Crescent City Conjure in the Faubourg Marigny. Here you can get your hands on herbs and roots, Gris-Gris, incense, oils, candles, divination items and tutti quanti, which offer protection, love, prosperity, luck, etc.
Gourmet basket
A gourmet destination par excellence, it is impossible to leave the state without bringing back some local flavors. The famous Cajun spices are at the top of the list and the Red Magic brand from Cajun Cowboy Kitchen is particularly popular with Louisianans. Hot sauces are also a must, and there is a wide range of choices here, from Slap Yo Mama Cajun Hot Sauce to Crystal Extra Hot Sauce to the must-have Tabasco (don't miss the Tabasco Factory on Avery Island). There is also the alligator and its by-products, notably the jerky which consists of dried and spiced meat cut into strips. As for sweets, although the origins of pralines come from Europe, those from Louisiana have a reputation here and there are many good addresses, especially in New Orleans (Aunt Sally's, Leah's Praline, Loretta's Authentic Pralines, Southern Candymakers...).
Louisiana is also famous for its delicious artisanal spirits, including the famous Sazerac cognac and rye whiskey - not to be confused with the cocktail of the same name - which you can purchase at The Sazerac House in New Orleans. Craft beers are also to be discovered, now ubiquitous throughout the state and the country.
Art & craft
There is no shortage of galleries and art markets in Louisiana. Several renowned artists are to be discovered such as the photographer Frank Relle, the painters Jean-Jacques Audubon, Alvin Batiste, Clementine Hunter, James Michalopoulos and George Rodrigue, or the sculptor Clyde Connell. In New Orleans, stop by Julia Street, famous for its art galleries, or one of the city's arts and crafts markets (Arts Market New Orleans, Secondline Arts & Antiques, Zele NOLA). For funkier works, we recommend Dr. Bob and his folk art (his studio is in the Bywater neighborhood). Mention should also be made of the Baton Rouge Arts Market and the Bossier City Makers Fair.
Music
Music is everywhere in Louisiana, from New Orleans jazz to the zydeco that makes Cajun country vibrant.
Record stores are numerous in Louisiana's largest city, from Louisiana Music Factory on Frenchmen Street, a store renowned for its wide selection of local and independent music, to Euclid Records, a place where you can find some old gems, to Lagniappe Records, our best independent address in Lafayette. We must also mention Floyd's Record Shop, although this record shop is now only present online. Based in Ville Platte, it offers the best selection of Cajun, zydeco and swamp pop music (for info and orders: flattownmusic.com/floyds-record-shop). You can also buy directly from the artists who perform in bars, on the street, at festivals, etc.
Good idea: don't miss the famous Record Store Day which takes place everywhere in the country on the3rd
Saturday of April, an event equivalent to Disquaire Day in France. It takes place in independent record stores in partnership with artists and labels. It's a great opportunity to get your hands on limited editions, reissues and previews. Bonus: there are often live performances by artists to mark the event. Another souvenir to take home that is typically Louisiana: the washboard, called a scrubber or washboard by the Cajuns. This traditional zydeco percussion instrument is worn in the front like a breastplate and the best ones are made by Tee Don Landry (keyofzrubboards.com), son of the metalworker Willie Landry who designed the washboard as we know it today in the 1940s.Readings
If you like to read, several books are recommended: Good Times Rolled: In Vanished Black New Orleans, 1979-1982 by Bernard Hermann, featuring the melting pot of cultures and the intermingling of music, colors and flavors in New Orleans, with never-before-seen images of the "Old Creole Queen"; New Orleans and South Louisiana by Gabriel Vitaux, a portrait of the city and Cajun country including some 730 photos; Up From the Craddle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II by Jason Berry, Jonathan Foose, and Tad Jones, one of the best books on the subject and also includes other musical styles such as hip-hop; The New Orleans Voodoo Handbook by Kenaz Filan, to learn all about this rather secretive religion, from its origins to the recipes for concocting magical oils; Chained to the Earth : Voices from the Cotton and Sugar Cane Plantations by Lynette Ater Tanner, tales of former slaves on Louisiana plantations; The Plantation Road by Charlotte Dubois, a beautiful book that delves into the pomp of that bygone era.
And food lovers will not want to miss a book of recipes by John Besh, Ryan Boudreaux, John Folse, Paul Prudhomme, Susan Spicer or Isaac Toups, celebrity chefs who share with you the best of Louisiana gastronomy.
