5 comments about Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie, File Gumbo: Cajun and Creole Cuisine.

1. The Pasta St. Pierre on page 28 is worth the price of the book, by itself. And the author suggest you throw in some candlelight and a good bottle of wine. Another recipe that was outstanding is the Hushpeoples, on page 94 (hushpuppies so hot they hush people too)We also really enjoyed the Coonass Cornbread!



2. I laughed out loud at a lot of the commentary in this book. One really funny example is the recipe on page 110 "Hotter Than Hell Sabbath Dip" (From a drag queen in New Orleans who claims to be the original Creole Lady Marmalade) Very campy, very southern, other recipes make reference to Tennessee William's "A Streetcar Named Desire" and there are so many with that distinctly New Orleans flair. This book shows the city and its cuisine from a new, refreshing angle and not the same old boring "BAM!"



3. The White Bean Creole Soup is good and so is the Mud Bug Salad. Nice collection!



4. Delicious recipes, humor, and insightful remembrances are just a few of the components that have made this book a top-seller for more than 5 years now! The "Hushpeoples" are terrific... "Hushpuppies so hot they hush peoples too." The "Fleur de Lis Chicken" & the "Pasta St. Pierre" are two more outstanding offerings in this celebrated and mouthwatering collection. I first discovered this title when it was featured in Cooking Light Magazine for a Crawfish Story, that included some of the Cajun Recipes from "Jambalaya," there was also a great review in the San Francisco Chronicle a few months back. And what a bargain too! At this price you can have all of the famous flavors and local color of South Louisiana without breaking the proverbial bank!



5. You get a lot in this little book. Dozens of great recipes that include the essentials you likely are looking for as well as some creative recipes you won't get anywhere like his pasta st, pierre. In addition we get nice commentary, a bit of wisdom and some great poetry.
   
   What runs through this book most of all is passion. This guy is passionate about his culture and his food! He is not just sharing recipes but a piece of himself and always with good humor.
   
   He provides a great dry spice recipe that beats emeril's and is used often here and his shrimp creole that proclaims to be the "best ever" probably is!
   
   The title is correct for gumbo and jambalaya are the heart of this book but instead of the typical gumbo-jambalaya recipes you may already own there are some you definitely don't own. Try the beef gumbo cooked in red cabernet. Out of this world..

5 comments about Frank Davis Cooks Naturally N'Awlins.

1. This particular Frank Davis inspired me to be a better "cajun" cook and it was simple enough to understand for cajun-newbies like myself. He has responded to my emails before and is great to his fans. I would LOVE to see a new cookbook because I'm wearing this one out. The previous reviewer who gave Frank 1 star is OUT OF HIS MIND. Frank may not be originally from New Orleans but neither is Emeril Lagasse. You don't have to be born in Louisiana to be a great cook...I'm from there and it's Frank's book that helped me tremendously. BY THE WAY, THE PASTA RECIPES ARE GREAT!!! Keep writing Frank!!



2. Frank Davis is well-known in the N.O. area and all of Louisiana for that matter. He has a number of cookbooks, but this is one of our favorites, and have used it for years. We made this purchase to begin restoring the cookbook collection of family members who have lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina. When I thought of the one book they would most like to have back, this is the one I immediately knew had to be on the list. It has authentic, "regular people" recipes (not high-falutin' gourmet chef recipes) that we can and do cook in our home kitchens. Frank Davis does "N'Awlins" food in a laid back, easy to duplicate style and the results are always good.



3. HAVING GROWN UP IN NEW ORLEANS AND SEEING FRANK DAVIS ON TV NUMEROUS TIMES AM VERY PLEASED WITH THIS ITEM AND AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MANY GREAT MEALS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. VERY PLEASED WITH PRICE AND SHIPPING.



4. This is my third Frank Davis cookbbok. I love it as much as my others. The recipes are easy to follow and use ingredients that are readily available here in the South.



5. Excellent follow up to his first book. Excellent recipes other than seafood covered in his first book...good read and good recipes to try!

5 comments about Cajun-Creole Cooking.

1. This is a wonderful book, filled with tasty, authentic recipes and history. The New Orleans French Loaves are the easiest, tastiest bread I've ever made. This book is a treasure.



2. My girlfriend gave me this book when we started dating. It was the first cookbook I ever owned, I had no idea what a gem it was. Since then my mother gave me all her Cajun-Creole books (about 25 in all), books signed by Emeril and Paul Prudhomme, none compare, this is without a doubt my favorite.

   Everyone lays claim to 'authentic' Cajun-Creole recipes, recipes need to have this ingredient or that or else they're not Cajun-Creole. If there were such a standard (there isn't), then this book would have to serve as the measure.

   My wife often suggests that giving me this book helped convince me to marry her ;-)




3. I not only recommend this book, I have bought it-- TWICE!
   
   I owned an earlier version of this book and used the recipes in it as the basis for my parties while in the Navy. I have a few of my mother's recipes but this book is the basis for all of my friends thinking that I am an outstanding cook. Instead, I was a thirty-something bachelor who can read and follow directions. This book is that good.
   
   The recipes are absolutely delicious and after Hurricane Katrina hit I ordered a new copy of this- PRONTO!
   
   My only complaint about the book is that occasionally the recipes assume you know the basics. Maybe most people know that you have to soak dried beans before cooking them but I didn't and so my first attempt at Red Beans and Rice was a disaster. But most of you aren't going to be such amateurs in the kitchen as I was when I did that. I look forward to reading the latest version just to see if those oversights were eliminated.
   
   Aside from that, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I read the reviewer who said he had a separate copy in a safe deposit box. Good Idea!



4. Terry Thompson-Anderson's newest edition of Cajun-Creole Cooking was a
   pleasant surprise. It is the fourth time I have purchased her book (because friends didn't return them) and this update is even better. Terry was a consultant when we opened the original Cajun-Creole restaurant
   Cafe Nola in Philadelphia. Her recipes won us a following that kept us in
   business for 16 years. I used her latest book for the Mardi Gras celebration at our even longer-running Copabanana which has been doing Tex-Mex for 30 years. I look forward to her newest "Texas on a Plate" for refining my Texas recipes at Copa. My kitchen staff was wowed by the depth of flavors her recipes produce.



5. I have an earlier edition of this cookbook that is torn, tattered, and full of food stains (I know that sounds yucky). I decided to look at Amazon to find another copy of the earlier edition, when I found this edition. Basically this edition has the same recipes, but I was a bit disappointed that it doesn't have the beautiful pictures to go with Ms. Thompson-Anderson's amazing recipes. So I will keep the old one, put it in plastic sleeves, and use it to cook with, so I can pass the new one along to one of my daugher's on their wedding day....I know the price is steep, but this cookbook is worth every penny! If you like Cajun-Creole cooking this cookbook is a MUST HAVE for your cookbook collection.

4 comments about Tell Me More: A Cookbook Spiced With Cajun Tradition and Food Memories.

1. This book can't really stand on its own, but is a good supplement to Talk About Good I and II. The artwork is great the stories by Sonnier are delightfully nostalgic. I found the text, however, to be unorganized and the recipes seemed to be reminiscent of ones that could be found on the back of a Campbell's Soup can. As a transplanted Cajun living away from Louisiana, I always refer to T.A.G. I and II and use them religiously and only refer to Tell Me More if I want a variation on a recipe that I already know.



2. First: the positive-
   The drawings in this book are wonderful. They are very true to life (at least for the part of Louisiana my husband comes from.)
   The stories are the reason I bought this book. There is a lot of information regarding the culture and traditions of the Acadians and the lifestyle of Southern LA. The recipes are good.

   Second: the needs work part-
   These recipes were gathered together from a group of people. Because of this, many of the recipes are not typically cajun recipes. For example, there are many pasta recipes which have nothing to do with Cajun cooking. If you are looking for a cookbook with traditional Louisiana cooking try Talk about Good.

   However, if you collect cookbooks and want to add an interesting cookbook to your collection, this is the one. Just realize that you will find many recipes in this book that are already in other cookbooks. If you are interested in reading about Louisiana and want some traditional recipes, this is a good book to get. Just realize that there will many non-Louisiana recipes included in this book.




3. I love this book for it's easy, delicious recipes and wonderful stories about life in Southern Louisiana. Many of these recipes have become family favorites at our house. The recipes use fewer ingredients and most recipes are quick and easy for those of us without a lot of time.



4. This book contains wonderful stories as well as recipes from those cajun ladies in south Louisiana. The recipes are usually quick and easy to make, your company will think you spent the entire day in the kitchen. I have found many of these recipes are great for entertaining either large or small groups. Some of my favorite recipes are Crawfish Fettuchine, Aunt Doodie's Chocolat Cake and Cherrie Bounce. If you have tried the other two Jr. League of Lafayette cookbooks you will truely fine this book continues the tradition of fine southern Louisiana cooking.

2 comments about And Still I Cook.

1. And Still I Cook is a recipe collection compiled from the culinary author Leah Chase's fifty years of restaurant work and cooking experience. From Baked Cheese Grits with Jalapeno Peppers; Pan-Fried Sac-A-Lait; and Rosemary Chicken; Cabbage Casserole; and Grilled Vegetables on Whole-Wheat Buns, And Still I Cook is an outstanding cornucopia of enthusiastically recommended home-style recipes offering a very special touch of taste-tested, appetite-satisfying charm.



2. This book picks up where The Dooky Chase Cookbook left off. More stories about the history of the restaurant and about her own personal history, and plenty more recipes. A few--just a few--were repeated from the Dookie Chase Cookbook, but the rest are brand-new entries...and ALL of them make you want to get up and start cooking right away when you read them! Anyone who loves New Orleans and its culinary traditions will be pleased with this title.

4 comments about Frank Davis Cooks Cajun, Creole, and Crescent City.

1. Being close to New Orleans, I have seen the author on local cooking shows. The Shrimp and Okra Gumbo in this book is one of the best ever..when I prepare it, as I do every year at Christmas, everyone wants the recipe. The other recipes are just as good..



2. fried flounder? I don't think so, that is considered a capital crime in New Orleans, where no one says "Nawlins" outside of phony jackasses like Frank Davis. Avoid this book, this is strictly for tourists and idiots, and meant to sell his line of "Nawlins" seasonings, which no one uses but him.



3. I'm a born and bred New Orleanian. I recently borrowed this book from someone and I think it's a great cookbook, so I am here on Amazon to buy my own copy. The one star reviewer obviously just has it out for Frank Davis, looks like the same reviewer panned Frank's other cookbook. Frank is a flamboyant celebrity...like him or not, but at least try his recipes before panning his book!



4. I purchased this for my sons. The book is great for the young male wanting to cook but not wanting or knowing some of the terms or complications of cooking. Simple, easy recipes.

5 comments about Iron Pots & Wooden Spoons: Africa's Gifts to New World Cooking.

1. I "stole" this book from my mother and my ex "stole" it from me. I am real happy to have found it online. All the wonderful foods of my youth are in there...and it's great to be able to explain to your dinner guest the origins of a particular dish. You will love it so much, you'll ask for seconds (smile)



2. Africa has not been given its place among the world's great cuisines, and its influences on American cooking have not been properly acknowledged. This book is a step in the right direction.

   If you enjoy both traditional recipes, and learning about the people and places that developed the traditions, then this book is for you. "Africa's Gifts to New World Cooking: Iron Pots and Wooden Spoons" contains about 180 recipes from over a dozen countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas, all of them pieces in the culinary puzzle of the African diaspora.

   The recipes are categorized as "Appetizers"; "Soups"; "Sauces and Condiments"; "Vegetables and Salads"; "Starches"; "Main Dishes"; "Desserts and Candies"; and "Beverages". Each category contains a mix of African and African-influenced New World recipes, for example, in the "Main Dishes" section we find "Chicken Pelau" (from Trinidad and Tabago), then "Moqueca de Peixe" (Brazil), then "Caldou" (The Gambia), and "Roast Chicken" (United States). Each recipe is introduced by a short paragraph about its history or the author's thoughts.

   In addition to the recipes, the book contains an informative introduction, and a glossary of ingredients and utensils. There is also an index. This book is a worthwhile addition to any cookbook shelf, as is the author's book of African recipes "The Africa Cookbook: Tastes of a Continent".




3. I was surprised to find Brazilian recipes in this book with their correspondent names in Portuguese. There are several mistakes I would love to see Miss/Mrs. Harris correct to proper Portuguese.



4. So many of us in the U.S. do not know the history of the food we eat. Even the recent history is lost in the wake of processed foods promoted by an industry that offers food that is unsatisfying and unhealthy. In Iron Pots & Wooden Spoons, we discover how Africa has influenced the food of many cultures. The recipes in Harris' book are honest and the history of them is offered so that we know where what is on our plate or in our bowl comes from. This book is a must if you care about where your food historically comes from. Some one asked me the other day that if I could have someone to have dinner with who would that person be. I responded, "Jessica Harris". I'll have to settle for her books like this one, I'm happy with that.



5. My boyfriends mom is from Texas and this recipie book makes her drool when I cook from it. Also has cultural info in it. easy directions great selection lots of friends intrested in the drink section for hot days. i like the spices.

3 comments about Chef Paul Prudhomme's Pure Magic.

1. There are alot of easy recipes in this book, I have tried many of them. Down home food no matter where your home is. It is not only easy to follow but there are candid stories about how some of the recipes came about. This one stays on the counter.



2. Paul Prudhomme makes good food and with this book, you can make good food too. I love regional cookbooks that provide the history or the story behind the recipe and this book delivers. The recipes are simple and easy to follow. I wish there were more photgraphs.
   
   I've had this book for a while and I will never part with it.



3. This book adapts some of Chef Paul's most popular recipes to use his seasoning blends instead of individual herbs and spices. Many of the recipes start with a stick of butter but that's cajun cooking for you. If you already have Louisiana Kitchen, this book may be a bit redundant. But its compact size makes it easier to use in the kitchen. It also contains some background information and general advice beyond the recipes themselves. If you want to own only one cajun cookbook, this is a great one to have.

1 comments about New Orleans Cuisine: Fourteen Signature Dishes and Their Histories.

1. Seven authors, and edited by Susan Tucker (Tulane prof), with a lengthy learned forward by Frederick Starr (Johns Hopkins prof). It answers, slowly, methodically, sometimes almost soberly, how the seemingly unexplainable miracle that is New Orleans cuisine has come about.
   
   Yes, we already know some of the reasons why NOLA cuisine stands out among every other city. Yes, it was more diverse culturally than any other American city for centuries. Yes, it is a place that, more so than any other American city, has valued creativity over productivity and profit. Yes, it is unique in ALL ts cultural expression (from it music to its traffic rules to names to its architecture to its vocabulary etc.). Yes, it has an essential ingredient to great eating that all other American cities lack in comparison -- time (willing to 'waste' time making a dish, willing to enjoy a meal over 2, 3, 4 hours and not worry about getting back to business). We can list out the ways the stars lined up to make NOLA cuisine special. And yet the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. So HOW?
   
   These essays show you historically where the bodies are buried. And in one sense it sort of detracts. Like my sacramentology and alot of other things I ENJOY the mystery. Dissect it all and it grants greater understanding by robing it of its magic. For the same reason, I hate 'making of' videos about my favorite films. So I hesitate to share this book.
   
   And yet my curiosity longs to be satisfied. This book, dry as it can be in some places and so careful not to overstate, is nevertheless testimony to the hand of God at work in a special way in New Orleans. The story is inherently so lovely it will shake you up, and knock you down low. And frankly, it still leaves some mystery. Because when I'm done I see more of mundane, natural reasons for the WHY?, but not enough to explain what my senses (and others) have experienced.
   
   It offers these great stories, careful to separate myth from fact when possible, and even recipes. I'm rambling..... Get this book. Plodding as it sometimes can be, it will blow you away. And make you hungry. Yet another reason to move to New Orleans!
   
   (PS I agree with Publishers Weekly review that Gumbo Tales is also a wonderful book, and, if anything, more lyrical than this one).

5 comments about Emeril's Creole Christmas.

1. I was overjoyed with the delivery of the book. I purchased it used, at a fantastic price. There the joy ended. The recipes are ones that only a person looking for the completely abnormal meal would like this book. Only the section of Gifts to Make was worth reading. The recipes called for ingredients that are difficult to obtain and mostly of unusual taste. Would have cried if I had paid full price.



2. I bought this cookbook for my sister, who is a big Emeril fan! I was a little worried after reading the reviews and as soon as the book came in, went through it to check it out.
   My mom and I both went through the book and cooked 2 Christmas dinners out of it! Yes, before I gave it to my sister. She was bummed that we hadn't gotten it for her. I wrapped it up and gave it to her used and I'm buying my mother her own copy as well. The food and stories were fantastic!!! and BAMBAMBAM!!!!! on the poinsietta cocktail, I highly recommend it for your next Christmas gathering!!!! loved it!!



3. If you're only familiar with Emeril from his TV appearances, this book may surprise you. It lacks the flamboyance and loud flashiness, replacing them with a certain elegance and gourmet style. It includes a Christmas Eve dinner for ten, Emeril's Christmas Day brunch buffet, New Orleans New Year's Eve dinner, a New Year's Day supper family style, the Chef's holiday favorites, and Emeril's "stocking stuffers."
   
   The book is filled with gorgeous photographs of lavish decorations and settings. They artfully set the mood in this book--one of no expense spared in the interest of fabulous holiday memories. Each section of the book is done as a menu, so that you can make the menu whole or steal individual recipes. None of these menus are quick things, and this book isn't designed for the cook who doesn't like to spend more than a half-hour in the kitchen. Shopping lists are included, as well as wine pairings.
   
   This is not the cookbook for someone on a budget: it calls for such expensive ingredients as caviar, truffles, and huge amounts of fresh raspberries, some of which can be tough to find depending on where you live. The book also assumes at least a little experience with basic cooking techniques--novices shouldn't be starting with a gourmet cookbook using expensive ingredients. Not all of the recipes cost so much, however, and they aren't all complicated; for example, the spiced pecans are extremely inexpensive and easy, and they're so good that we've made them more than 15 times at least (and we don't often repeat recipes). They're so good, in fact, that people request them specially when they come to visit at holidays.

   So try the salad of new potatoes and roasted walnuts with warm bacon vinaigrette, or the truffle risotto with parmesan croutons. Make the andouille cheese bread or the white cheddar truffle eggs. Save this book for an occasion when you really want to pull out all the stops, whether it's Christmas or some other important time in your life. The photos alone will inspire you to do great things in the kitchen!




4. I absolutly love to cook, have been to culinary school, also not afraid of new things. I have tried most of these recipies and many have become regulars. The smoked salmon terrine although is expensive we normally make on every holiday now. Sugarcane Baked Ham with Spiced Apples and Pears is super. Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Horseradish and Black Pepper Crust was suprizing ly good, I ont like horseradish at all, but it was paired so beautifully in this recipie it was sublime. Jiffy Pop Firecracker Shrimp we make everytime we have shrimp in the house. the Chocolate Chocolate Pudding Cake with Chocolate Ganache, Creole Christmas Trifle, Creole Christmas Fruitcake with Whiskey Sauce and the Banana Cream Pie with Caramel Drizzle and Chocolate Sauces is to die for, however this recipie is written with the assumption you have made custards b4 and know you need to temper it beford adding the hot milk mixture. I have not made the Lobster Cheesecake with Christmas Caviar Sauce but hope to soon. the big boy cookies and the spiced pecans...Ummm yummy, I am soo happy to have bought this book. If you are open to try new things, If you like to occasionally like to indulge and eat like something so decatend and pretend that it is a common thing, this book is definatly for you. Emmeril, you are my hero.



5. This is a really great book of recipes, many of which are so extravagant that you could only get away with making them at Christmastime. (But isn't extravagance what Christmas is all about?) Many other reviewers have complained about the complexity of the recipes or the fact that the recipes did not turn out well. It is important to realize that this is a somewhat advanced cookbook which assumes a certain level of knowledge about cooking. It does not spell out every single step. (One review mentioned that Emeril neglected to explain how to extract vanilla paste from a vanilla bean or temper egg when you add it to a hot mixture). Details such as these, which may seem to be second nature to the experienced cook, are left out of Emeril's explanations, so make sure you feel relatively confident in your cooking technique before embarking on some of the recipes.
   
   I have made a number of recipes in this book, all of which have turned out marvelously. Some of the recipes are so delicious (as well as visually appealing) it really is a pleasure to put them on the table for my family at holiday time. Another nice feature of this book is that it is divided into occasions and menus, so that when you are busy during the holidays you don't have to put too much thought into coming up with a menu of your own. Emeril even includes a shopping list of ingredients at the beginning of each section.
   
   If you are looking for a classic, basic Christmas cookbook this is certainly not it. However, if you are a somewhat experienced cook with a desire to put something a bit unusual and decadent on your Christmas table this year, this book is the one for you!