Charolette and Ellis Moore moved to South Florida about eight years ago, when a new job tempted Ellis away from his native New Orleans. They intended to return to the Big Easy, then Hurricane Katrina hit, flooding vast swaths of the city.
"After that all of our plans changed," Ellis said.
Charolette long had a side business putting together gift baskets stuffed with rich New Orleans pasties, pies and cookies. She was also, as Ellis said, "one hell of a cook."
Their signature dessert are Angel Delights, a pastry with a homemade cookie cake bottom and assorted pie toppings.
When the opportunity to take a stall in Hollywood's Yellow Green Farmer's Market popped up in 2010 they leased two and called Big "Umms Cajun Cuisine. One of the spaces is a makeshift kitchen, where you can hear Charolette singing to herself as she whips up orders of etouffe, with either shrimp or crawfish in a savory tomato sauce, jambalaya, gumbo and even Yaka Mein, a Creole take on a fast, simple Asian noodle dish.
Across from the kitchen is an open stall that serves as a seating area, a rarity at the Yellow Green Market. Most vendors have one space, leaving customers struggling browse the market and eat with one hand at the same time. The makeshift dining room is covered in purple and yellow decorations, the traditional colors of Mardi Gras. Strewn across the walls are gold-and-black accents, a nod to the New Orleans Saints.
Ellis said business has been good, particularly from customers who pick up jambalaya and other stews in containers temperature and save them for lunch and dinner later in the week.
We suggest you stop by and grab a bite while they're still they. "We want to open a small shop," Ellis said, and you'll want to be one of the people who said you first ate their food way back when.
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