When revellers arrive at the National Trust's Bourbon Street and All That Jazz fund-raiser on February 25, they will experience the true flavour of New Orleans cuisine -- thanks to the volunteer efforts of chefs from the Island's major hotels, a local delicatessen, and Curious Cook Mr. Edward Bottone.

Working with food donated by the MarketPlace, and catfish flown in from Louisiana, chefs from The Princess, Southampton Princess, Sonesta Beach and Marriott Castle Harbour hotels, Newstead, The Reefs, White Horse Tavern and Duffy's Deli are preparing such well-known Cajun and Creole favourites as Red Bean Soup, Muffalata, Jambalaya, Pan Fried Catfish and bread pudding.

"Everybody is doing a piece of the menu. On the day and evening I will be there making the pizzas and supervising the rest,'' Mr. Bottone explained.

Months of planning have gone into catering for an expected 500 guests, and Mr.

Bottone has been overseeing the culinary arrangements for what promises to be an exceptional night.

From a menu devised by the National Trust organising committee, he first developed the recipes -- including his own Cajun Pizza -- and then set about co-ordinating the various elements required to bring such a large undertaking to fruition.

Lengthy discussions with the chefs mean that everything but the pan-fried catfish and pizzas will be prepared in advance and delivered to the Front Street site.

As Mr. Bottone's right-hand helper, Mrs. Joanne Ingham has worked closly with him on the project.

"She is tireless,'' he said of her efforts.

Since the plan is for guests to stroll from booth to booth tasting a variety of foods, which they can eat as they stroll or retire to the central garden to enjoy, what Mr. Bottone calls `street food' will be among the menu choices.

These will include Muffalata -- a sub or hoagie-style sandwich; catfish fillets fried in corn meal; and his Cajun Pizza.

"Muffalata calls for crispy Rustico bread filled with layers of Italian cold cuts, topped with melted provolone cheese, and slathered with olive relish,'' Mr. Bottone explained. "The relish is the key, as is the quality of the bread. If the bread is boring it negates everything else.'' Two hundred pounds of catfish fillets, breaded in corn meal and deep-fried, promise to be "a rare treat''.

"Catfish is very tasty stuff,'' Mr. Bottone assured. "Although it is not something people here are used to, Bermudians do enjoy bottom-feeding fish -- like rockfish -- and catfish is a bottom feeder.'' Desserts will include the New Orleans favourite, Bread Pudding (made on this occasion by Duffy's Deli), and pralines made on site by Rocky Mountain Chocolate.

No matter what they eat, Mr. Bottone promises the guests a piquant and memorable taste experience.

"Part of what makes Cajun and Creole cooking interesting is the palette of flavours. All cuisines have a palette of flavours which identify them,'' he said.

Explaining how New Orleans cuisine evolved, Mr. Bottone said: "In New Orleans they enjoyed the Spanish influence, which predominated; the Creole cooking and the influence of the Acadian trappers, who came to Louisiana from the North West Territories in the 18th century. So there is a cross-over of flavours.

"It is very basic, good, down-home cooking. There are many cities in America which are thought of as food cities, but certainly New Orleans is among the top three.'' Spices and "heat'' are important in this kind of cookery.

"However, they should not be the only things you taste,'' Mr. Bottone said.

"Good New Orleans cooks give you both of these things, but they also give you the flavour of the meat or fish they are working with.'' Turning to the background on some of the Bourbon Street and All That Jazz dishes, Mr. Bottone said: "Jambalaya is basically a chicken, sausage and shrimp stew. Like other regional dishes such as bouillabaisse and minestrone, everybody thinks theirs is the most authentic recipe. The same thing goes for Creole Gumbo. Everybody has a recipe. They call Creole Gumbo a soup in New Orleans but we would think of it as a stew because it is so hearty.'' He explained that a lot of Creole and Cajun cookery included either fresh okra or fil me powder, which is derived from the sassafras leaf.

"They are both natural thickeners. Some cooks say you should not use okra and fil me in the same dish while others say to use them together, so who knows ...'' Creole cooking also favours using a dark roux (flour and fat mixture well browned).

"Cooks want the sauces to have that caramel, chocolately colour,'' Mr.

Bottone said.

Mr. Bottone described Cajun cooking as "down-home, accessible and fun'' -- which fits perfectly with the intent of Bourbon Street and all that Jazz.

"That's what it's all about -- good fun and a good cause,'' Mr. Bottone said.

THE EYES HAVE IT! -- Mr. Edward Bottone gives the wink to his piquant Cajun Pizza, created especially for the National Trust's Bourbon Street and All That Jazz fund-raiser.