5 comments about Best of the Best from Louisiana.

1. Excellent collection of real recipes from real locals. Captures timeless flavors. Straight format of recipes makes reading and reference very handy. The title is true.



2. All the recipes I've tried from this cookbook have been great.



3. I've had this cookbook for 2 years now and have tried many of its recipies...They are SO GOOD! This cookbook gives a wonderful variety from many southern references of traditional and some contemporary creations. This is the most used cookbook I own. Really great!!



4. Although I haven't cooked any of the meals from this book I can't wait to try them. They all look delicious and easy to make. Definately worth the cost plus some!!



5. I have had this book for years and also the Best of the Best from Louisiana II. This is a great book (and set) to own. I have many friends out of state and out of the country and I always use this book for personal gifts. Everyone is always thrilled to receive it. I live outside of New Orleans proper and the recipes are authentic and delicious, a great combination of most of the best recipes of the state. This book is truly the Best of the Best!

3 comments about The Commander's Palace New Orleans Cookbook.

1. As a proud owner of literally hundreds of cookbooks, it's always a wonderful surprise to discover a terrific book that I've never seen or heard of before. The Commander's Palace New Orleans Cookbook is just such a book. This book was recently used as the basis of two recipes in a gourmet cooking class I attend once a week, and the results were outstanding, to say the least. We started the meal with Commander's Garlic Bread which was served with Creamy Tomato Bisque with Lump Crabmeat and a Chiffonade of Fresh Basil. The main course, grilled salmon and barbequed mouth watering smoked spare ribs, were simply out of this world ... with a sauce inspired by this book's suggestions. But when we got to the dessert! We made Bananas Foster, a favorite dessert in New Orleans, and one of the most rich and wicked desserts you'll find anywhere - flambéed with banana liqueur and rum, and served over vanilla ice cream. This recipe alone will transport you to another world... a world that will have your taste buds swirling for days and leave you hankering for a trip to New Orleans to visit the Palace yourself.



2. COMMANDER'S IS A WELL-KNOWN RESTAURANT IN NEW ORLEANS THAT IS A PART OF THE HISTORY AND FABRIC OF THIS CITY...I LOVE THE RECIPES IN THIS COOKBOOK, AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DINING THERE USING IT. YOU CAN MAKE THE DELICIOUS DRINKS & APPETIZERS WHICH ARE GREAT FOR TWO OR A PARTY...OR YOU CAN MAKE A WONDERFUL COMMANDER'S DINNER TO DESSERT! IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE RESTAURANT YOU MUST GO....BUT THE COOKBOOK HELPS GET YOU THERE IF YOU CAN'T COME TO NOLA. I'M SO GLAD COMMANDER'S HAS REOPENED, BUT IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THEIR COOKBOOK SO I CAN ENJOY THE FOOD ANYTIME.



3. I bought this expecting to be blown away, but was disappointed. I knew it was an older cookbook... so I blame myself to some extent. I guess I was looking for the food I know from the more recent chefs there. Though I am an adventurous cook, I found many of these recipes weren't very approachable. Enjoyed the stories, but wish I had found more recipes that are do-able outside a restaurant kitchen.

5 comments about New Orleans Cookbook.

1. My husband received this cookbook for his birthday, by my sister, some 15 years ago. But I am the one that used and took it over!!! I didn't even know how to really cook, but was able to make superb dishes, without fail, everytime. And since then, this cookbook has been well used!!! There are stains and pages slipping out from frequent use!!!



2. 10 years I lived on the Gulf Coast and spent
   many, many days in New Orleans. When the time came I knew I was eventually going to leave, I spent months searching for a book which would allow me to take the food I loved with me. This is the book I chose & have loved it for years!!!!!!!!!!
   It is authentic New Orleans food.....pre-Paul!!!!
   You can open this book and trust that any recipe you choose will be successful.....except for the Red Beans & Rice which has too much meat to be the REAL LOCAL AUTHENTIC version.
   I am a Chef & I can't imagine being without this book. It's REAL New Orleans food!!!!!! This
   book is a REAL WINNER!!!!!!!!!! A CLASSIC!!!!!
   
   Thank-you Rima and Richard Collin!!!!!!
   K & Roo & Tessa TOO!!!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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3. I've got the Eighth, July 1980 printing. On page 40, The Collins' indicate that the Oyster & Sausage Jambalaya is their favorite. Use the cast iron for preparation, follow the directions explicitly (You'll use a little "elbow grease" on this one), and you won't be disappointed. It's my favorite Jambalaya, too !



4. "New Orleans Cookbook" By Richard Collin is a terrific introduction to the cajan and creole cooking styles that NOLA is known for. To be able to understand how typical New Orleanians cook, one must attempt to understand both the culture and the region of Southern Louisiana. The recipes within this cookbook resonate with the traditional and innovative varities. Anything and everything that has come out of that area is easily found within these pages. The layout of the book is charming, and is very readable. The directions are not overcumbersome, and the reciepes are all simply preparable. A novice or an experienced chef will appreciate this cookbook.



5. Origional New Orleans recipes! Easy to work with and helpful hints for substuting what you have on hand. How to make the special seasonings that make Cajun/Creole food unique! Spicey does not necessarily mean, hot! Great history of the different folks and festivals that make New Orleans special. Great place to visit and taste the food for yourself. Or buy the cookbook and cook it for yourself.

5 comments about Justin Wilson's Homegrown Louisiana Cookin'.

1. I used to watch Justin Wilson's cooking show on PBS. His wit made the show worthwhile. The recipes in this book make it worthwhile. I haven't made them all, but the ones I did make are outstanding. My hat's off to Justin. Jus' add a little wine wit dat and den it's did.



2. I had only recently heard of Justin Wilson. My husband and I love cajun food and I wanted to learn how to make it at home. Someone told me about him and a new fan was born!!! My husband bought me this book and another of Justin's to start out with.

   The recipes are simple and delicious. I had no trouble making them, even as a first-timer. You can interchange a lot of the different kinds of meat as well - for example with the crawfish etoufee, we have made with shrimp as well as petite lobster.

   The little stories in his book are entertaining as well. If you enjoy eating cajun, you will love this book!!!




3. I love this book! Can't wait to try out some of the recipes. I really enjoy the pictures and stories also! Worth the cost!



4. Excellent cookbook. Easy to follow receipes. My husband pours over that book and tries a new one each week. He cooks on the weekends. I am more of a meat and potatoes eater but I have liked everything he has tried so far.



5. I acquired this cookbook when it first came out and harbored high expectations for the content. At this point, they are all pretty much dashed.
   
   I cook every day and have for years. The best of these recipes is mediocre. On one occasion, I clearly recall preparing yet another of Justin's dishes and, just as it was nearing completion, my wife strolled into the kitchen with a wrinkled nose and said, "What stinks?" Sadly, she was right.
   
   I DID give the book an extra star here because I loved the homegrown photographs which were snapped by Justin's pretty wife. I thought that they were really good and quite reflective of his regional cooking.
   
   If you really want an outstanding cajun cookbook, grab a copy of Paul Prudhommes, "Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen":
   
   Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen
   
   I actually did love old Justin and I think his cooking show was more fun than any other which ever aired on television -- but you can safely skip these recipes.

5 comments about Tom Fitzmorris's New Orleans Food: More than 225 of the City's Best Recipes to Cook at Home (New Orleans Cooking).

1. I am a native New Orleanian and find this cookbook very, very good. I have tried many of the recipes thus far and have been please with each. Quite a few of these recipe's have resulted in reminding me of my grandmother, mother, and aunt's cooking during the time I was growing up in the New Orleans area (this was an unexpected but pleasant surprise).
   
   Mr. Fitzmorris begins each recipe with historical background and/or recollections of his mother preparing the dish. I have found that the recipes are easy to follow, have sufficient detail, and list the ingredients in the appropriate/logical order (not found in many cook books).
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in preparing authentic New Orleans meals.



2. This is a great cookbook! New Orleans is one of my favorite places, and I have been greatly impressed by the recipes included in this book.



3. The best recipes to cook at home? I found them a bit complicated for 'home' recipes. And I had hoped for more of NOLA traditional fare knowing the authors roots & connections to the NOLA scene.
   
   I grew up in NOLA as did my mother and her family going back generations, but my mom's home recipes were more in the american chop suey vain...she would have told you her best meals were eating out ;-)
   
   Although more 'authentic' than my mom's recipes I just wasn't overwhelmed. Reading through the book, I didn't say - wow, I want to make this...
   
   Books by Leah Chase or the Commander's Palace cookbooks inspired me more. Sorry, I went in with high expectations...
   
   Flip through it at a book store before purchasing it online to ensure you really want to purchase it.



4. Tom Fitzmorris is the foremost expert on food in New Orleans. With his meaty three hour daily radio show that has been going for years, he has a tremeneous amount of experience under his belt along with the best of New Orleans cooking. What a pleasure it is to see him with a book about New Orleans food!
   There is no one better to show the world how the best of New Orleans cooking can be done by anyone once they have this book.
   
   -Lawrence Kennard



5. Although I haven't had this cookbook very long, I love it! It is simply a great read! I know enough about cooking Creole and Cajun food to know that the recipes are authentic and will "work"...but at this stage I am so enjoying the 'notes' before each recipe!
   
   Fitzmorris is a man that truly loves New Orleans food and can write about it! Its a very good read even if you didn't make a single recipe, as written, but used the book as an inspiration for your own concoctions.
   
   The "whys and wherefores" that he made this or that substitution are very well explained. This makes it easy for the cook to make substitutions when they can't get certain ingredients in their particular neck of the woods!
   
   I know it is kind of strange to review a cookbook without actually cooking anything in it...but I swear you'll just love reading it!

5 comments about The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine.

1. What a gift this was. Was delivered by accident two doors down, and my eldery lady neighbor had it loaded in her car to deliver it to me. Really. I was recovering from neck surgery and had to drag it inside my house. Must weigh 100 pounds. The wonderful part is all the history. The best part are the recipes. Trust me, they work. It is Chef's attitude and touch that comes through for me. It affirms and validates my cooking, moreover it gives me great techniques and ideas. Buy it for the history, relish it for the flavor. If you need a Creole/Cajun Cookbook, this is it.



2. This is the most impressive book yet on cajun/ creole cooking. Outstanding in every way (except perhaps the cornbread, all of which had sugar in it, and grandma would whop him over the head with her iron skillet for THAT). Can't wait to cook from this.
   
   The recipes, history, festivals, photos, and everything else make this HUGE book indeed an encyclopedia. Impressive that the Italian and German settlers to the state were included in the history and recipe tradition as well, as they generally seem to be left out.



3. Like it says its a Encyclopedia, theres a bit of history in the front that makes for great reading. The best part is the recipe's which are varied and very good. My Wife's a great cook and has well over a 100 cookbooks already but she uses this one quite often.



4. My friend had this book and from the moment I laid eyes on it, I thought "I have to have one for myself" I am addicted to it. I read it every night. I can picture the finished recipes in my head, when I read them. The best thing that I love about the book is that it brings you back into history on when, who, and how the recipe was, first, created. If you love Louisiana food and the Louisiana way of life, you will be obsessed with it. Christina Laborde, Marksville, Louisiana.



5. This book is unbelievably impressive. After four years, I finally got my copy. This book is roughly 800 pgs. About 100+ are dedicated up front to the story of the seven nations that make up Cajun and Creole cuisine. I love this insightful info. Does it help you cook any better know, but if you like a little background info with your cookbooks, this over-achieves.
   
   What I thoroughly enjoyed was the brief explanation of the difference between Cajun and Creole cuisines. It was only a couple of paragraphs, but I appreciated the plain English. (It's the little things that make me happy.)
   
   The recipes, as expected, are voluminous and accommodate a range of skill sets. Each recipe has a short comment. I would've liked a little more information about the origin of the particular recipe, but I'm greedy like that. (For instance, are these Folse's recipes or a particular family's recipe, etc.) The recipes are organized into the following chapters:
   
   -Roux, Stocks & Sauces
   -Breakfast & Lunch
   -Appetizers & Hors d'Oeurves
   -Soups
   -Salads
   -Veggies
   -Seafood
   -Poultry
   -Meat
   -Wild Game
   -Desserts
   -Breads
   -Dairy
   -Beverages
   -Festivals
   -Plantations
   -Holiday & Special Occasion Menus
   -Lagniappe
   
   Now here is why four instead of five stars: this is a definitive text (which should have earned a James Beard award), but the photography leaves a lot to be desired. There is a ton of it, but it is poorly lit. It and the graphic design of the book give the entire thing an `80s feel. This was first published in 2004! Although this is a classic reference on Southeastern Louisiana cuisine, the photography makes it feel slightly less than polished. With that said, it is still more than worth the cost of ownership.
   
   In the past, I spoke about my love for Williams-Sonoma New Orleans: Authentic Recipes Celebrating The Foods Of the World (Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World). It is still a valid text because it is a great quick reference. The photography is drop-dead gorgeous. However, if you want comprehensive and in-depth, this encyclopedia is for you.
   
   Thank you, John Folse, for this epic undertaking. Any other cookbook you purchase for this cuisine will simply be for collector's purposes. Trust me, you don't need anything else!

5 comments about Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table.

1. I learned of this book from Jonathan Yardley's review in the Washington Post. We were out of ideas for our son's Spring Break and we hit on New Orleans: an eating vacation with Sara Roahen as our guide. I studied the book on a stationery bicycle as I tried to lose 15 pounds to get into shape for six great meals at Commander's Palace, Herbsaint, Bayona, Palace Cafe, Antoine's, and Galatoire's (listed in order, from greatest to merely great). Plus a few po' boys, lesser meals, and snacks, constrained only by our appetites.
   
   This is a delightful and worthy book. It is organized around New Orleans' principal food groups with chapters on gumbo, red beans and rice, po' boys, etc. For each Roahen researched vintage cookbooks to trace origins, variations, and controversies. She uses this framework to interweave stories of her life in New Orleans and her experiences with the food and the people who make it, eat it, and live by it. She is a good writer, and her book served my purpose well. Every meal tasted better because of the context she provided.
   
   That said her "menu-item framework" is awkward for the story she is telling. The book needs introductory chapters to describe New Orleans cuisine today, its evolution, and why it is unique (and superior!)
   
   The introduction should follow easily from her careful research, but she doesn't even take up the fundamental distinction between Cajun and Creole until a chapter about poisson meuniere amandine, 159 pages into the book. The introduction should lay out the basic taxonomy of New Orleans food purveyors from the traditional five star restaurants, through contemporary innovators, to cafes and po' boy shops and street vendors. It would be a logical place for some of the personal vignettes of people who influenced her life in New Orleans which are awkwardly shoe-horned into chapters about food (e.g., the restaurant critic, Tom Fitzmorris in le boeuf gras) with which they have only a passing association.
   
   Finally, I question her choice of menu items. There is a boring chapter on Vietnamese cuisine and another on a Mardi Gras coconut-trinket that I would gladly have traded for some missing chapters on traditional New Orleans cuisine: hot sauce, jambalaya, bread pudding. What is New Orleans without hot sauce?



2. Gumbo Tales is a passionate, expansive, and highly personal look at the food culture of New Orleans. And it's this food culture that makes New Orleans like no other place in America.
   
   Sara Roahen has gone well beyond the superficial descriptions of restaurants and recipes, and she features both the famous and less known in equal helpings. Best of all, she has added the most important element - the people who make New Orleans and its food extraordinary. This book should inspire any reader to want to follow some of her footsteps and get to know the city on its own terms.
   
   Sara's observations are wonderful and have great depth. I found every page to be "delicious" and thank her for a brilliant presentation. I highly recommend Gumbo Tales!!!



3. I'm always searching for books about and related to New Orleans which can put me in a New Orleans state of mind even from the Northeast. It was fortuitous, then, that I selected Gumbo Tales as my most recent reading material.
   
   I fell in love with the city of New Orleans on my first visit four years ago, and I try to visit as often as possible. When I can't, a book or a movie is the next best thing, and I eventually plan to call New Orleans my home. Gumbo Tales provides the perfect window into the culture of New Orleans, and I was sad the book was over when I finished.
   
   One of the things I liked most about the book is that it's from the perspective of a non-native New Orleanian such as myself. That I could really identify with, moreso than I can with books and stories written by people who were born and raised. I identified with the process of coming from the outside, becoming enchanted, and wanting desperately to be part of the culture. I identified with Roahan's first experiences of New Orleans traditions as a newbie. I cackled out loud reading about her crawfish mishap. I cried several times because of the book, especially when she wrote about the city's struggling spirit in the wake of the events of 2005.
   
   Besides the sentimental feelings the book gives you about the city, the descriptions of food are really the main ingredient here- and they are brilliant.
   
   Roahan's book was the perfect find for leaving-town-reading, for keeping the feeling of NOLA going even when you're far away. Gumbo Takes made me feel not alone in my New Orleans experience and stubborn love for the place. I recommend this book to anyone who calls New Orleans home, once called it home, plans to call it home, or just wishes they did.



4. If you read only one book about New Orleans, it should be this one. Sara Roahen's love of the the city's food is exceeded only by her love of the people who make it and their creation of a unique culture. Her love of the food is the more convincing by being hard-won -- a struggle against mid-Western roots and west coast vegetarianism. But her natural curiosity (and the exigencies of being thrust into the role of restaurant reviewer) leads her far beyond the cliches of gumbo and crawfish into the exotic realms of the mirliton and turducken, to name just a couple. For those who fuss about the absence of jambalaya and bread pudding in these pages, I too would like to read her treatment of other local specialties, but I'm thankful she has saved something for another book!



5. What a fun book. I live in Houston, and know New Orleans from several over-eating visits. Sara really brought you right back there and so far beyond in the history and fun details. I'm looking forward to going back. Her writing style is playful and fun, perfect for her topic. She hit just the right balance with Katrina details - since it will never be the same, yet will always be the same.

5 comments about Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux? (Book 1): A Cajun / Creole Family Album Cookbook.

1. I'm a displaced cajun from Lafayette, Louisiana . . . this book is 100% authentic, from the recipies to the stories she tells. Reading it is just like being back there. I received this as a gift from another cajun, and I've given it as a gift many times. I haven't made a single recipe from this book that came out bad, quite the opposite actually, everything is as good as my Mamam makes or better . . . it's such an unfair advantage at potlucks, these yankees don't stand a chance! : )
   If you're considering buying it, just do it. You'll be so happy you did. Don't forget when you make your roux: it takes a long time (30min+) of constant stirring. I usually pull up a chair to the stove and grab a newspaper or turn on a movie. Flat wooden spatula-type stirrers are my personal favorite, as you can scrape the bottom really well. After years of making cajun food my favorite pots are Le Creusets. I don't own stock in them or anything, they are just the next best thing to traditional cast iron pots. Also, when you're ready to add your onions, bell pepper, and celery to the roux, unless you have a state-of-the-art venting system, I recommend going outside. The smell is potent and may linger in your kitchen for much longer than you'd like.



2. I'm pure Louisiana. This cookbook has authentic cajun/french recipies. The stories are delightful and has brought back many memories of my own family gatherings. The phrase we've heard all of our lives, you have used for a title. How clever. I bought books for both of my daughters to help keep up the Louisiana way of cooking and our wonderful Southern traditions. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys great food.



3. I AM CREOLE AND I LOVE TO COOK. I NORMALLY DON'T USE COOKBOOKS, BUT ONE DAY I WAS AT MY SISTERS HOUSE AND I STARTED READING THIS BOOK. I SAW MYSELF AND MY FAMILY LIFE GROWING UP IN A LITTLE PARISH CALLED CHURCHPOINT. I COULD NOT PUT THE BOOK DOWN AND I LITERLY DIDN'T. WHEN I MOVED TO THE NORTHEAST I WAS DEVISTATED BECAUSE I COULD NOT FIND MY COOKBOOK NOT THAT I NEEDED IT ANYMORE I JUST WANTED IT. I AM SO GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO BUY THE BOOK AGAIN. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE THAT LOVES TO COOK AND WHO LOVE THE SIMPLE LIFE OF A CREOLE WOMAN.



4. I've wanted this one for years, since I lived in N'Awlins for 15 years or so. Excellent cookbook with some great little vignettes into the life of the author.
   Delivery was within the stated time period and I have no complaints.



5. This is a great gift to give friends who are not from cajun country. I just ordered two more and realized I need a new one for myself. I have one of the first ones that came out and the new one is even better. Thanks Marcell for all the memories.

5 comments about Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen.

1. I ordered this book for my sister who doesn't have a computer. She was thrilled that I found this cookbook for her "used" at such a reasonable price; she had enjoyed some of the recipes as a guest at a friend's house and wanted to own the cookbook. The quality of the book was better than expected and Amazon provided excellent service.



2. This is the best cajun cookbook. It's asy to read and follow. All the recipes are great. This is actually my third copy. I've had to give away the first two to family.



3. This is Cajun/Creole cooking at its best! Paul Prudhomme is the master. I've spent hours reading through this book and I still find myself coming back to it. Recipes are perfect as they are but are also easily modified to suit different tastes. It's hard to find redfish in my area but I blacken other fish to substitute using Paul's method and it is always delicious (I cook professionally so I know what I'm talking about). This book is both practical and entertaining and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to expand their knowledge of Louisiana cuisine.



4. This is Louisiana food at its best. I follow the recipes with conplete condifience to be simply wonderful and they never fail.



5. Good. Authentic. Full fat, full flavor (no 2% milk, "fat-free" sour cream, or "non-fat" chicken broth here)!
   
   Great tasting recipes. 'nough said!

5 comments about Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans.

1. Susan Spicer is the best in the US, bar none! And her restaurant in New Orleans, Bayone, has been one of my favorites. (I loved in the Big Easy from 1992 to 2000) and when i return to the city, i never miss a meal there. The new cookbook has all her "secrets" and while i will attempt them at home, i will still jump at the chance to visit Bayona.



2. I travel a lot in the USA and abroad and naturally have to eat out a lot. I think Bayona Restaurant in New Orleans is the best that I have ever visited. That's Ms Spicer's flagship restaurant. She shares some of her recipes from Bayona along with other of her restaurants and some that are just "personal" I think. The recipes are generally not overwhelming to make and belive me - anything with this lady's touch is worth tasting. It's a no-brainer of a buy.



3. My wife says this is the best cookbook she's used this year. And I love the pictures.



4. I received this book about three weeks ago, and have cooked almost exclusively from it since it arrived. Not one thing has disappointed. I sent my daughter a copy, since she spent most of a visit copying recipes from mine. We did the shrimp boil while she was here (delicious) with the epiphany lemon tart for dessert. Since then, my husband and I have enjoyed the shrimp with green chile cheese grits, and the Madeira mushrooms over goat cheese croutons. I've been reading it like a novel in bed at night, anxiously awaiting the next meal I can make from it. The photographs are beautiful, the writing approachable. Buy it.



5. Amazing sophisticated flavors! Nobody would ever guess most of the recipes are so straightforward, taking much less time and effort than so many other cookbooks. I've never bought my mom a cookbook, and this will be the first! I can't wait until Susan Spicer publishes another book!