Red Beans and Rice Day is a real thing…in Louisiana at least. Through a proclamation on Monday, Governor John Bel Edwards will declare October 24, 2022, as Red Beans and Rice Day. The governor’s announcement is part of a campaign that’s one-half promotional and one-half charitable. Louisiana based companies Cajun Country Rice and Camelia Red Beans will be donating a portion of the proceeds from sales of their products to Second Harvest Food Bank and Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. The goal of their donation is to supply enough money for the food banks provide 100,000 meals to families in need.
Red beans and rice is a dish you can find in blue collar households and also high-end restaurants in New Orleans. It clearly has mass appeal, but it’s safe to say people there’s not clear consensus when it comes to what goes into the red beans and what to serve with them. Is it fried chicken? Smoked sausage vs. hot sausage? Then there’s the “can consideration”. Do you like canned red beans? For such a simple dish, we can get pretty picky about red beans and rice. As we observe Red Beans and Rice Day, I visited a chef and some local Louisianians to explore the history of this dish and why its appeal has lasted for almost than 200 years.