Tri Sigma Foundation

Gamma Mu members raises over $1,000 making strawberry beignets at a local Strawberry Festival each spring

The South is known for delicious and unique cuisine. In an effort to re-create that, the Gamma Mu Chapter at Southeastern Louisiana University incorporates beignets in one of its spring fundraisers. Each year Ponchatoula, which is on the outskirts of Hammond, Louisiana, hosts a Strawberry Festival. Games, rides, music, and entertainment are offered, but the most anticipated are the ample ways strawberries are served as dishes.

Gamma Mu makes strawberry beignets from scratch! They use Café Du Monde beignet mix, along with flour and water, to formulate the dough. From there, members stretch, knead, roll, and cut the dough. After allowing time for the dough to rise, they drop each beignet into the fryer until a golden-brown coat appears. Then members pass the beignets for the toppings: a strawberry glaze and powdered sugar.

“The overall process of making the beignets is exciting and rewarding,” member Phoebe Castro said. “Seeing what was once just mix transform into a delicious sweet treat is remarkable.”

The chapter sells three beignets for $3, and they have raised over $1,000 each weekend over the past few years.

“This weekend is always anticipated in the Spring semester,” Phoebe said. “It is a weekend filled with making memories with one another while enjoying decadent dishes, music, and entertainment.”