Cajun 102, Ahnvee and other Words

Category: Cajun Sayings and Stories | Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:47 am

In my gumbo blog Pondlady asked "What is an ahnvee." Ahnvee is Cajun for a craving or a hankering. I had and ahnvee for a gumbo, that is why I made one and ate it for 3 days. Here are a few more:

Bouree' (boo-ray) a Cajun card game in which the loser of the round must match the pot whether anyone has won it or not. BTW, I have made grown men weep playing this card game.

Fais Do Do (fay doe doe) a party featuring Cajun dancing usually in the street or outside. The literal translation is "to make sleep", but you won't find any snoozing at a fais do do.

Beignet (ben-yea) a square shaped donut, deep fried, and generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Mom made them from scratch using yeast bread dough.

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pondlady wrote on Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:49 am:

I knew the rest after almost 40 years in NO, but ahnvee was a new one.

cajunbelle wrote on Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:55 am:

I forgot the pronunciation on that one, ahnvee (awn-vee). It is one of the few words, besides the more well known ones, that I remember. We were not taught the language bc Grandma and the aunts liked to gossip. That way we could not know what they were saying. It is a language that is slowly dying out. I really need to learn it.

glendann wrote on Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:55 am:

I would probably enjoy eating Beignet as I love that sort of sweets.In my
prime I would have enjoyed
going to a Fais Do Do.I do love a good time more so when younger.I have played Bouree at my cousins house once .I really enjoyed but can't remember how it was played.

cajunbelle wrote on Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:25 am:

Glendann, you sound like the kind of person who knows how to have a good time. A friend of mine does demos at WalMart. No matter what she is demoing she has a good time doing it. I'll bet you are just like that.

jubabe296 wrote on Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:02 am:

Cajunbelle beignets sound very tasty!! My grandmother on my mother's side made homemade kolaches and they
were very good!! Her family was from Germany and she could cook great!! Her kolaches were square with fruit preserves in a little well in the middle!! Nothing like the ones you find in the local donut shop!!Oh how I wish I could have another one of them. She also made the best homemade buttermilk biscuits, people would come from miles around and ask for one of her hot fresh biscuits!! She passed away in 1988 and boy do I miss her so much!!
BTW I have a friend named Lindy who lives in Baton Rouge and I've heard her say ahnvee before but never questioned her about it!! I'll have to tell her I know what it means!!LOL!!!

eileen wrote on Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:20 pm:

Julie I've actually tasted home-made kolaches would you believe!!!! I can't remember much about the woman who made them though as I was quite young but I DO remember the taste - mmmmmmmmmm - delicious.

cajunbelle wrote on Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:55 pm:

Oh gosh Julie those sound wonderful. I know about missing your grandma. My grandma on Dad's side made the best tea cakes in the world. What I wouldn't give to taste those again.