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ORAL HISTORY
Tiny Prudhomme
Tiny Prudhomme’s House of Meat
Damon Prudhomme, known by everyone as Tiny, comes from a family with deep traditions in the kitchen. His uncle was Paul Prudhomme, the legendary chef of K-Paul’s in New Orleans. His aunts and uncles co-authored The Prudhomme Family Cookbook, which shared as much family history as it did kitchen secrets.
Despite the family tradition, Tiny didn’t go into the food business initially. He worked in sales for many years before opening his specialty meat store in 2005. Today, he runs his business in a former Subway restaurant, specializing in boudin, sausages, stuffed chickens, rice dressings, and other prepared foods.
Also, despite his nickname, Tiny’s not a small guy. He’s a big guy, with a big personality. He’s jolly and seldom serious, except when he’s talking about his food. What’s the secret to his delicious boudin? He doesn’t include liver. The flavor can be too strong, he says, and his customers prefer the omission. The secret to his other specialty meat offerings? Tiny limits the spices. Too often, he thinks, people equate Cajun food with hot food. Instead, he prefers to make foods with layers of flavor, limiting the hot spices. His recipes keep customers happy. Late afternoons are the busiest hours of the day, as locals stop by on their way home to pick up a quick-cook dinner.
Tiny Prudhomme’s House of Meat is now permanently closed.