5 comments about Pirate's Pantry: Treasured Recipes of Southwest Louisiana.

1. Octavia's Fried Chicken is the best, most foolproof fried chicken in the world. Octavia: whereever you are out there, thanks for making me EXTREMELY popular!



2. I have had this cookbook for many years. I first purchased it back in 1977, and it is without a doubt the best in authentic Cajun cooking. My original Pirate's Pantry finally fell apart from many years of use; but, although I recently replaced it, I still have my old original stuffed into a manila envelope. I love this cookbook!!!



3. I think every single woman I know has this cookbook. It's as if you get one after a certain age as a "right of passage" or something in this town. I have this cookbook, my mother has it and my Grandmother had it. We have never ran across a recipe in this book that was not great! Buy it! You will NOT be disappointed.



4. I've had (earlier printing - plastic bound) version of this cook book for at least 25 years. I absolutely love it. Unfortunately, after much use the binding broke and my cook book was a total mess, although I still frequently used it. I actually went online to order one for my new daughter-in-law and was delighted to see it in hard cover. So, I bought four (my daughter-in-law, my daughter, one as a gift for a friend and another for myself). I am delighted with the quality of this cook book. I come from a long line of great cajun cooks (my mom and both sister also have the cook book). I've eaten cajun food all of my life. These recipes are delicious, truly cajun and easy to prepare. The informative welcome to each section is a delightful extra. I would strongly recommend this cook book for anyone who enjoys cooking delicious meals. I will purchase them again for gifts for friends and family.



5. Being born & raised in Southwest Louisiana, I learned how to cook from generations before me. This cook book is the closest thing to real Southwest Louisiana food. I have had my copy for numerous years and have worn it out but continue to use it. I give this book as a gift on every occasion that is appropriate (& some that are not). This is the only book I would recommend to anyone with an interest in Cajun food. It's awesome! Karen - Lake Charles, Louisiana transplanted to Omaha, Nebraska.

5 comments about Randy Wayne White's Gulf Coast Cookbook: With Memories and Photos of Sanibel Island.

1. Great cook book if you love south florida seafood, especialy the rescipes from sanibel popular restaurants.By the way,pass on his overhyped hot sauces.Even Frank's is better.



2. IF YOU THINK GREAT AUTHORS ARE 'JUST LUCKY', A READ OF THIS AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL COOKBOOK WILL TELL YOU THE REAL FACTS OF WHAT IT TAKES, BESIDES TALENT, TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR. POIGNANT,INSPIRING, FUNNY, AND VERY ENTERTAINING........WITH GREAT , AUTHENTIC 'CONCH' RECIPIES THROWN IN!



3. very good recipes, and a great batch of
   photos of sanibel, randy and friends.



4. For reader's of White's Doc Ford novels, the cookbook provides more than recipes. There is a photo and text account of the Dinkins Bay Marina which once occupied the site of today's Tarpon Bay rental dock on Sanibel Island. As readers know, Doc Ford lives at Dinkins Bay Marina. Although Tarpon Bay is now part of the Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve on Sanibel, old-timers tell me it once was as White and Doc Ford describe it. For a book this thick, it is a bit thin on recipes. I was disappointed that there are not more main dish seafood recipes. What is there is good, there just ought to be more.



5. Book arrived with soiled covers front and back. It was disappointing. I love the cookbook, however.

5 comments about Commander's Kitchen : Take Home the True Taste of New Orleans With More Than 150 Recipes from Commander's Palace Restaurant.

1. As a longtime fan of Commander's Palace (and creole and cajun cuisine in general), I found the book as much fun to read as the dishes were to prepare. The beautifully presented recipes and well written preparation tips were made all the better by the inclusion of tidbits of New Orleans and Brennan family history. This book is a must have for both veteran and novice cooks interested in preparing great Louisiana style food.

   Every recipe that we have tried from this book has been a hands down home run with our friends and family. The recipes are scaled for truly generous portions. For Christmas Eve dinner we prepared the Venison Stew and the Jalepeno Corn Bread for family in the upper midwest. They liked the meal so much that we left them the recipe book and I have just ordered another for myself!




2. Having spent 4 years of my life in Texas I was introduced to the wonders of Creole and Cajun cuisine. Generally, Creole developed in the city of New Orleans using local produce but influenced by the multicultural nature of the city. Cajun (or Acadian) cooking is food from the country.

   I am partial to the simplicity of one-pot cooking offered by Cajun cooking. These are wonderful hearty and spicy meals (gumbo, red beans & rice, etoufee, jambalya) that I often cook to serve large groups of people. In fact, Chef Jamie includes many of these recipes in the "crew" section of the cookbook since he used them for staff meals.




3. When my wife and I recently visited the Commander's Palace restaurant and sat at the Chef's Table (located in the kitchen where you are pampered by the staff), current Executive Chef Tory McPhail wrote "Eating great...New Orleans style!" on a menu he signed as a memento of our visit. Not only was he right about the food we had at Commander's Palace that evening, but he also provides a short and to the point description for this cookbook.

   This book is a must for those that "live to eat" (as opposed to those that "eat to live") and truly enjoy the New Orleans and Creole food styles. The recipes we've tried so far have turned out wonderfully (the recipe for the Chocolate Molten Souflee alone is almost worth the price of the book) and, thus far, have been easy to follow. The narratives provided by the authors about both the food and the restaurant itself are a great addition to the great recipes.

   I would recommend this book, and the restaurant, to anyone.




4. This is an excellent compliment to one of the best restaurants. Ilove to cook & eat!! Most restaurant cookbooks have cookbokks which its hard to duplicate their meals. Usually they have recipes so complicated ( require kitchen appliances the average person doesn't have or ingredients impossible to find. Nothing is further than the truth with this book. It has easy to follow recipes, which can be cooked with basic cookware. The dishes come out fantastic. If you love creole food, but can't get to New Orleans regularly-- BUY THIS BOOK. You won't regret it.



5. If you want to remember your meals at Commander's and perhaps try one or two of the dishes on a slow weekend, you will want this on your shelf. At the same time, it will be the occasional book, not one to reach for time and again.

5 comments about Justin Wilson Number Two Cookbook: Cookin Cajun.

1. ... is exactly what this book is worth. This was poorly written, poorly put together, and in generally bad taste. The recipes are plain recipes that anyone with a Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks can put together. The Cajun stories are dumb. They are NOT funny. Justin Wilson and his publishers should be ashamed for pushing this out onto the American cooking public.



2. The previous reviewer of this book is an idiot...



3. Hey look, I've haad this book for a while and love it all! Easy to use, [very] funny and light-hearted! ...



4. I don't think any of justin wilson's books are essential for would be cajun chefs. His books are fun and this book has some nice recipes.
   
   Wilson's version of cajun cooking is different from what you see on most books in the genre. I know i own more than a dozen books on cajun or creole cuisine and only wilson makes constant use of bitters, worchester sauce and sauterne wine. Those three ingredients seems to find their way into almost every savory recipe in this book even though you will see little off them in the exellent "cajun cuisine" book or paul prudommes seminal book the finest on the subject. Wilson was the first to admit he was no chef just a damn good cook and these three ingredinats provide the flavor backbone for most of his dishes.
   
   Of course you see this in his shows with the hot sauce ever ready and always with the lea and perrins and the big bottle of wine. That's how he approaches cajun food and most of the time the result is quite good. This is a man who became famous first for his humours stories and then he worked the cooking in.
   As far as i know he has never owned a restaurant in which his food would stand the ultimate test. It is not essential as prudomme's book is but it is a fun addition to any collection.
   
   One nice segment of the book is the one on leftovers. The turkey hash is superb and the ham souffle. He has an idea for cold leftover mac n cheese that i did not try. You take cold mac n cheese and pour mayo over it with some paprika. Other highlights are the turnip casserole and the "i don't know chicken". Funny but also quite good.
   
   Enjoy it.
   
   
   
   
   ...........socks



5. The man made plain, simple good food. The book is a reflection of the type of cooking we saw on his shows. His roots were Cajun, but he was not afraid to experiment and make a dish his own. If you are looking for traditional Cajun recipes, this is not the place to start, but it is a great source for some good eatin'.

5 comments about Louisiana Real and Rustic.

1. Mr. Alan M. Shurgin from Waller County, Texas who has a review below, obviousley has issues that will require professional help if they are to be resolved. This was not supposed to be a vegetarian cookbook. Nor was it supposed to be sensitive to someone's cultural dining needs. If it isn't your kind of book, don't buy it you idiot! On the other hand, if you're looking for a good number of highly refined recipies, then this might be right up your alley.



2. i was given this book as a gift a few years back - i've tried many of the dishes and can recommend this as a great guideline for cajun/creole cooking. having read some of the reviews, particularly the one entitled "Pork Fat Does Not Rule", i must ask the reviewer....why did you buy this book (or did you even buy it; perhaps this is your political forum?)? if you are indeed Jewish and have ever watched Emeril cook on television, what did you expect? Clearly this person knows nothing about the history of New Orleans nor about Cajun or Creole cuisine. Why in the world would a vegetarian consider buying this....why would anyone buy this book for a vegetarian?? Further, it is not Emeril's charge to please each and every ethnic, religous, vegan/vegetarian in the USA......Look, cookbooks are guidelines for inventing and creating interesting and tasty meals. One can certainly substitute kosher turkey bacon, chicken fat from kosher sources, smoke-flavored soy-based products, etc., etc., for the pork fat/meats and come away with a happy stomach and satisfied mind. Emeril knows how to cook, and how to enjoy life. Use your imagination and you can enjoy this book, regardless of your ethnic/religious background. A solid cookbook!!



3. I've built some of my own recipes from Emeril's book. This is a good asset to have in the kitchen.



4. This book shows Emeril's incredible ability to take simple, everyday ingredients and transform them into something amazing. I am a Louisiana girl born and raised, and I turn to Emeril when I want good food with a twist.



5. I purchased this book for an aspiring young chef & he loved it, has already tried several recipies. Very good purchase.

5 comments about The Little Gumbo Book: Twenty-seven Carefully Created Recipes That Will Enable Everyone to Enjoy the Special Experience of Gumbo.

1. The first time I ever made gumbo from this book, it was a raving success. I didn;t think I was ever going to try this marvelous New Orleans recipe when I tasted it there. The opening chapter called step-by-step to great gumbo is exactly that and led me through it. Now I feel comfortable trying all sorts of gumbos and dazzling my guests. Great book



2. Anyone can complile a list of ingredients and a set of sterile directions. Gwen McKee does so much more! Her step-by-step section not only tells the reader how to make gumbo, but what to expect the dish to look and smell like during various stages. Get your cast iron skillet, a glass of wine and start stirring!



3. The Little Gumbo Book is a cookbook featuring twenty-seven gumbo recipes for anyone seeking to create and experience the unique flavors and varieties of this distinctive Cajun dish. Tips, tricks, and techniques for everything gumbo-related, from different ways for preparing roux (the browning of flour, crucial to the richness of gumbo) to using microwaves and crock pots, to low-calorie gumbo for the health conscious, and much more. A superb giftbook written with passion as well as practical advice, recommended for any Cajun food lover.



4. I've lived near New Orleans but have moved away. This book is authentic. Make gumbo by these recipes and you can't go wrong. I have used it many times and sent a few as gifts. Gives a lot more than basic recipes. A real "how to" cook book.



5. I've lived in Louisiana all of my life and learned how to make a roux when I was knee high to a grasshopper by watching my Aunt Mace stir and stir and stir it in her big black cast iron skillet or pot. Almost every recipe my Mama and Aunt Mace made started out with the words, "First you make a roux..."
   
   I'm very happy to report that this book has the most wonderful recipes for roux and gumbo that I've ever read. My youngest daughter recently moved from Louisiana to Tennessee and was looking for a jar of roux in the grocery store. The store manager had no idea what she was talking about and had never even heard of gumbo. I immediately thought to buy her this book for Valentine's Day. I taught her to make a roux during the holiday season, so she's halfway to gumbo already.
   
   A coworker gave me a copy of this book back in 1988 and I've completely worn out my copy. It's a one-of-a-kind treasure that should be in every kitchen, especially if you enjoy true Southern cooking.

5 comments about Cajun Cuisine: Authentic Cajun Recipes from Louisiana's Bayou Country.

1. Gelbart isn't a Cajun name, so please pay no attention to her review. Me (a Cajun with a Cajun name - LeJeune), my Cajun friends, my Cajun family, and Cajun and African American and Cajun cooks I have known in Louisiana have always cooked with cut okra, and the end product is not slimy or gooey. And just because Emeril and Paul Prudhomme are chefs doesn't mean that they know how to cook EVERYTHING. Not to mention that I have never met anyone in Cajun Country who made a roux with butter - lard maybe! - but not butter. Trust the creators of the recipes! The food speaks for them!



2. This is a book about cajun cuisine. That is all you are getting. That may seem odd to say that since this is the name of the book but many know that cajun cookboks will often have numerous other recipes that may be creole, traditional southern, soul or classical french. Even italian. This is specificaly cajun and not southern louisiana. You get what you pay for.
   
   Because the book operates from a narrower scope you may not have the recipes you want. No red beans and rice for example that is a creole dish. You may also notice the lack of tomatoes in many dishes that you normally think would have them. The crawfish etoufee for example has no tomatoes which is classical cajun. This etoufee is little more than butter and the trinity. You get a down to basics recipe for maque choux and i use it often. This book gives you everything you need to be a cajun cook but maybe not everthing you want.
   
   There are many dishes here that you may have never heard of. Try the louisiana pear cake one time. A spice cake with fresh pears is all the rage now at my little restaurant here in tennessee and some of the recipes have allowed me to expand and my offerings to my customers who are not cajun. In fact cajun cake recipes are one of the real strong points of this book. There are about 10 of them compared to only 2 in prudomme's book. You get everything from that pear cake to wine cake and syrup cake. All are wonderful.
   
   This book has helped me as a restaurant owner to become a self taught cajun chef. Everything from cajun ginger cake to vegetarian gumbo. You can't help but love this book.
   
   Why the 4 stars? No dry spice measurements. The dry spice mix is the standard of paul prudomme's recipes but all this book gives you is is cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. How about telling me how much you normally use? Also unlike the prudomme book this book has no photos of the prepared food. Prudomme's book has many full color photos. No extras here just recipes. No colors or diagrams and even though the author is an expert on cajun cooking there is no significant background given about the dishes. No history, nothing to tell you where the dish comes from or how it has evolved. A book of recipes is great but we all can find dozens of recipes for almost anything online. I'm looking for more than that.
   
   Note that almost none of these recipes makes use of justin wilson's standard flavorings. Wilson uses bitters in about 1/3 of all his savory dishes and worcestershire sauce is used in about 2/3 and all have hot sauce. These ingrediants are rare in this book. In fact i can't think of one recipe that uses bitters.
   
   If you are looking for a solid collection of authentic cajun dishes this is it. They work. But if you want a more complete south louisiana work paul prudomme's book is superior for the same price.



3. It's hard to learn to cook Cajun food from a cookbook; the food traditions of the Cajuns of Southwest Louisiana have been passed down orally for 400 years, and only in the "Cajun Cuisine" craze of the late '80s-early '90s did Cajun cookbooks really start to become popular.
   
   These recipes are stripped down to the bare basics, because that's how Cajuns do it. Cajuns don't customarily use Emeril's Essence (remember, Emeril is from Boston) or carefully measured spices. It's a dash of this, a dash of that, until it tastes right. Don't make it too spicy; you can add your hot sauce later. You will never be able to make authentic-tasting Cajun food if you follow a recipe to a T.... that's not how it's done! You also need to learn how to modify recipes to suit your tastes... if you don't like file' powder, don't add it (many Cajun cooks don't add file' to anything, some put it on the table for you to sprinkle in yourself, some use it heavily). If you don't like okra, don't use it! Again, not all Cajun cooks do (although in response to the reviewer below, when Cajuns do use okra in gumbo, it is always sliced, and it is always slimy. Some people like it that way.)
   
   This book provides excellent framework-style recipes for you to do what you want with. If you want to add tomatoes, go ahead! No one's stopping you! If you want to pour in a half gallon of Tabasco, feel free! If that's how you like it, that's how you like it. If you want to make your roux with butter (or oil or lard or bacon grease) do it that way! It won't change anything important, the recipe will still be fine. That's the beauty of Cajun food.
   
   In response to the other reviewer who complained about a lack of pictures, the reality is that Cajun food is not as pretty as New Orleans food, and therefore doesn't make for terribly appealing photos. Gumbo looks like brownish-gray glop, but it tastes like heaven. That's just the way it is. If they'd included pictures, the sauces piquantes, the gumbos, the stews, the fricasees and the etouffees would've all looked the same, and how much would that have really helped? Plus, the drawings that are included in lieu of pictures are really adorable.
   
   Get this book, and don't be scared to experiment with it! That's what it's all about!



4. `Cajun Cuisine', published by the very local Louisiana publishing house, Beau Bayou Publishing Company, and with no clearly discernible author, may be the publishing analogue to what in the culinary world is called `rustic' or in the pharmaceutical world, `generic'. Aside from a fairly nicely composed cover photograph of all sorts of raw and prepared Louisiana victuals, there are no frills and only one `pretension', in the form of a semi-scholarly introductory essay on `Arcadian (Cajun) Cuisine' by the retired Director, School of Home Economics, University of Southwestern Louisiana, Marie Louise Comeaux Manual. While this author's credentials are `academic', her essay is not terribly scholarly, as it is poorly written. It does, however, do a decent job of adding some material to our understanding of `Cajun' cooking.
   
   Most foodies know that there is a `Cajun' and a `Creole' cuisine, which seem to coexist in and around Louisiana, centered in New Orleans. The problem is that I suspect few food enthusiasts who have not studied the matter can make a clear statement of the difference between the two. It seems as if the classic dishes of the area such as gumbo and jambalaya, as well as a foundation in French cooking techniques are claimed by both heritages.
   
   According to the `Oxford Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink', the two cuisines are very similar, and the main distinctions that source can make between the two is that `Creole' is an urban cuisine originating with the earliest Spanish settlers from the 17th century and that `Cajun' (from Arcadian), is a rural cuisine deriving from the French émigrés from Nova Scotia in the late 18th century, after being kicked out by the English following the French and Indian Wars (That little opening act for the American Revolution). And, while both cuisines claim gumbo and jambalaya, etouffee and its principle ingredient, crawfish, seems to be distinctly `Cajun'. A second culinary difference is the greater extent of French influence from Arcadia, a purely French colony. This influence can be seen in the fact that Cajun cooking values balanced, but varied seasoning. It's `signature' cooking technique is braising, which is straight out of the French provincial cooking playbook. This is ironic because `Cajun' cuisine is often associated with very spicy foods; however, much of this `heat' was probably added a scant 25 years ago by the famous Paul Prudhomme of New Orleans, who, I believe, virtually invented the `blackened' cooking technique, most famous with `blackened catfish'.
   
   But getting back to this book, my initially cool impression made by the somewhat pretentious introduction was redeemed when I started looking at the recipes. All the recipes are written in a very economical style, with crisp ingredients lists and matter of fact descriptions of procedure. The writing is not the minimalist sparse writing of Elizabeth David in `A Book of Mediterranean Food', but it has few if any `trucs', tips, hints, sidebars, or other accroutremonts of modern cookbook writing. And, it has none of the scholarly observations on origins or variations also found in Ms. David's works. For an experienced cook, this may be a very good thing. It means we have `just the facts, ma'm'. So, an experieced cook can be on their way to reproducing the dishes and fill in the extras where needed. One place a modern cook will especially wish to fill in is in replacing `oleo' with either real butter or a less saturated vegetable oil. In the mid-1980's, we had not heard all the dangers of trans-fats, commonly found in common margerine (oleomargerine).
   
   One advantage of the sparse recipe writing style is that the slim 222 page book can contain a very healthy number of recipes, probably numbering close to 250, if you include the supplementary recipes for dressings, sauces, and condiments. And, this healthy number of recipes seems to cover the full range of `Cajun' specialities. The very best thing is that those classic dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya, and etouffee are represented by several variations. From there, it goes all the way from fried oysters to boudon to beignets. I did find some famous preparations missing, such as coffee with chicory, `poor boy' sandwiches, and `mouffelata' (sic) sandwiches, but as none of these are `cooked' dishes, I'll not feel cheated.
   
   One thing I like about a cookbook with a lot of recipes for dressings and sauces and condiments is that it adds a great source of information on which one can improvise (See Sally Schneider's new `the improvisational cook'). This book is the perfect source for making a few dishes, then striking out on your own in making `Cajun' style dishes without having to resort to Monsieur Prudhomme or Monsieur Lagasse.
   
   The book was very nicely organized and will stand up to some serious stints in the kitchen. I was also very happy to see tables of contents with all recipes listed at the beginning of each chapter. This is something all cookbooks (other than the monster references) should have. The ony annoyance is that the recipes were not printed in the order they appeared in the table of contents. I have no clue why they were different.
   
   But, for a very reasonable list price, we have here an excellent source of basic, authentic `Cajun' recipes with all the essentials and none of the frills.



5. I live in New Orleans, La., and lost ALL my cookbooks (and everything else) as a result of Hurricane Katrina. I purchased Cajun Cuisine and I have tried several recipes - I am very pleased with it.

5 comments about Emeril's New New Orleans Cooking.

1. I was very excited to find this book, in perfect condition, at a garage sale for $1.00!!! What a treasure! I was more thrilled to see the recipe for the Banana Cream pie that my husband and I had at his restaurant in New Orleans. I decided to make it for a special occassion. I knew something was wrong when it said to mix 3/4 c. corn starch with 1 cup cream. I stopped there and looked up the recipe on-line. I found other mistakes but it was to late...we are having banana soup on mushy crust for my husband's 45th birthday today. This wasn't the first recipe errors I've found in this book, but the most expensive. (Price vanilla bean right now and you'll see what I mean.) Now I understand why this 'treasure' was put out for 'trash'. Quantities are wrong and important directions are omitted. What a waste!



2. Emeril's New New Orleans cookbook is the best of his long list of cookbooks. Each recipe boasts bold flavors and New Orleans' style, while reassuring us that "this aint rocket science" and encouraging us to be creative with ingredients. When anybody asks me what my favorite cookbook is, I show them the sauce-stained NNO and suggest they buy their own copy.
   
   In post-Hurricane-Katrina days, these recipes help keep the beauty of New Orleans alive in our kitchens.



3. This is a great cookbook that I use all the time. Emeril's "Big Easy Seafood Okra Gumbo" recipe is great! I usually substitute chicken for fish and crabmeat to make it a Chicken and Shrimp gumbo. It keeps the cost down and it still tastes great. His "Dr. E's Get-Well Chicken Vegetable Soup" recipe is to die for, especially in Chicago winter days. If you are tired of your same-old dinner menu, give Emeril's recipes a try. It takes time to prepare, but you will not regret every minute you spend on it!



4. 
   Thanks to the person who mentioned Chef Prodhomme's book as being the best basic Louisiana cookbook.
   
   I qualify my comments because I am experimenting with Louisiana cooking for someone who likes the cajun flavors.



5. I have been cooking Louisiana food for a while, so this cookbook is great for me. All the recipes I cooked turned out great! I especially like the chicken soup recipe and the seafood gumbo (no rue, so it's lighter than regular gumbo) recipe. However, Emeril usually underestimate cooking time in this book for soups and gumbos. But I think this book is too complicated for people who are not familiar with Louisiana cooking-- too many ingredients and steps for all the recipes. But if you are a NO foodie, you must own this one.

4 comments about Williams-Sonoma New Orleans: Authentic Recipes Celebrating The Foods Of the World (Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World).

1. I cried when I leafed through this book. I doubted that WS would deliver an authentic New Orleans cookbook (they might try to change stuff), but I purchased it from WS anyway to support the hurricane victims. What I received was an awesome "food pictorial." Beautiful shots of the wonderful and authentic recipes, but also beautiful photos of the restaurants, markets, streets and people I miss.
   
   The opening paragraphs and sidebars that accompany the recipes are thoughtfully written and insightful. This book does an artful job of presenting recipes that draw on all of the cultures that make up New Orleans' cuisine. The recipes range from simple to sublime. As with all WS books, the recipes are well-written. The seafood gumbo recipe is excellent. I've shared it with family and it will be the one I use for my Christmas gumbo.
   
   I lived and worked in the city for a while and this book makes the good memories rush back. I commend WS on the excellent research and other efforts that went into producing such a stellar book.



2. Like the other reviewers, I, too, cried into the pages of this beautiful book. Gone are the kind, smiling waitstaff who waited on us in the French Quarter restaurants. Scattered over the face of America. No homes, no place to work. We will never see some of the beloved chefs who, like everyone else, are scattered. New Orleans will never, ever be the same. This incredible book is living testament to the glory of a glorious city. She welcomed me and let me stay a while. Now the pages of this book are stuck together with tears. This book is a national treasure.



3. My husband and I fell in love with this book. We go to New Orleans each year for a mini-vacation with the kids. We are originally from south Louisiana and we enjoy the people, the culture, and especially the food. This book reminds us of our trips and the photos depict the true New Orleans the way it was before Katrina. We wanted to save our memories and that is why we bought this book. Also, we have frequented several of the restaurants mentioned and we love to cook and try out new recipies.



4. This cookbook is outstanding! Not only does the book include wonderful recipes from my favorite city, but there are also written treasures about this awesome city. My friends and I went to New Orleans for our senior class trip when we were in high school (three buses filled with kids from Akron). To celebrate our 50th birthday, we went back to New Orleans. We had a blast - riding the trolley, eating the food, visiting the French Quarter, eating beignets at the Cafe du Monde, sightseeing, etc... I bought this cookbook for my friends as a Christmas gift. It is a beautiful cookbook!

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.