Even though I was in my cold, winter apartment when tasting Adam Tregre's Cajun food for the first time, my taste buds were telling me I was on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, dancing with the locals on the sunny streets while the trumpets blared and half-naked women wanted the beads around my neck. I know, a bit of a stretch, but what can I say? The guy knows how to cook up some tasty, authentic Cajun grub.

Every Thursday home game, Tregre will be cooking for The Mallards. So yes, hot dogs and hamburgers are great baseball food, but on Thursdays, why not try some Gumbo?

I asked Tregre a few questions via email about cooking for The Mallards.

What are you cooking opening day?

Chicken and andouille (a kind of cajun sausage) gumbo. Most likely, that will be what we make each time.

Not to give away too much away of your secret recipe, but what is in the dish you are preparing?

All the normal stuff, chicken, andouille, bell peppers, onions, celery, garlic, roux. Nothing weird.

What is your process upon cooking the food?

Brown the chicken & andouille first. Then make a roux & saute the vegetables, then mix it all together, with some
stock. Pretty standard.

How did you get into cooking?

I got hungry, and nothing was made. So I made something.

Being from down south, have you ever made/or eaten squirrel pie?

Eating pastry is bad for maintaining my girlish figure.

Who cooks more dinners at home, you or your wife, Wild Berry Punch (Captain of The Unholy Rollers)?

Definitely me. I do pretty much all the cooking. Except for eggs. Man eggs are gross. Just this big, quivering, pale
yellow mass. She has to make those herself.

How does having a PHD in Physics help you become a better chef?

In all seriousness, it had an impact, albeit tangentially. It might sound trite, but when I first moved here, one of my
biggest worries was that I wouldn't be able to get a good gumbo/jambalaya/poboy, etc. When I got to my office, though,
I saw that there was a New Orleans restaurant across the street. However, without naming any names, I soon realized
that if I wanted any of that stuff, I was going to have to make it myself. So, here we are. And, I'm not a chef. I'm
just a hungry baseball fan with some time on his hands.

How do you think your food will elevate the already spectacular Mallards experience?

Honestly, the Mallards are probably my favorite thing about Madison. I've had tons of fun every time I go there. When
the idea of me cooking at the ballpark came up, what ultimately made it seem a good idea to me was that I'd be
doing something for them. Kind of a payback, you know? Everyone there does an awesome job making sure all of the
fans are having a good time already. If I can in some small way help with that, I'll feel pretty good.

Could you teach me how to cook like you?

I could try, but I'm not a very good teacher. Just ask my students.