From the Kitchen of The Cypress House, Sept. 8, 1981:

This year’s shrimp are so good it’s hard to get your fill. We’ve had them boiled with new potatoes; we’ve made shrimp creole; last night we fixed them with eggplant in a delicious casserole. And, of course, several times we’ve fixed Bill Ramsey’s barbecued shrimp.

But this past weekend we fixed a new shrimp recipe that rivals all the above. It’s from “The New Orleans Cookbook” and is a speciality of the Pontchartrain Hotel. It resembles Bill’s recipe but it is not so highly seasoned. We thought it was well worth passing on to readers: hold on to this even if you don’t have shrimp in the freezer. We guarantee it!

Shrimp Sake

2 pounds fresh shrimp

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Peel (and devein if you like, but it isn’t necessary) shrimp, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large shallow baking dish. In a saucepan melt 1 cup butter; add pepper, salt, cayenne and paprika. Mix and pour evenly over shrimp. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 6 minutes; remove pan from oven. Heat the broiler unit and when hot, place pan about 4 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown and crisp at edges. Meanwhile melt the butter and lemon juice and mix. Serve shrimp on platter with the lemon butter sauce for dipping.

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From the Kitchen of The Cypress House, July 15, 1981:

We deserted the Kitchen of The Cypress House this past weekend for a swim meet in Shreveport, but the substitute cooks came up with a super new recipe idea. We sampled the leftovers and ’twas really good. This quick cheese fondue can easily be a main meal when served with a salad, a glass of wine and a hearty dessert. And it’s such fun!

Story’s Fondue

2 cans condensed Cheddar Cheese soup

2 cups shredded Swiss

1 bunch green onions

1 clove garlic, minced

Cayenne pepper to taste

In a fondue pot, saucepan or chafing dish, heat soup and cheese over medium heat, stirring occasionally until cheese is melted. Stir in onion, garlic and cayenne. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in a small amount of white wine or beer. To serve the fondue, cut dippers into bite-size pieces and dip into hot cheese mixture.