5 comments about Frank Davis Cooks Naturally N'Awlins.

1. He isn't from New Orleans, or even Louisiana, and NO ONE here says "N'Awlins", that is tourist / marketing talk - wherever you see "N'Awlins" written on something it is always a sure sign that you are getting something cheap, phony, tacky and designed expressly for tourists. The guy has the annoying habit of plastering his name and mug everywhere, and his writing is loaded with embarrassing malapropisms. If you want to get some genuine Louisiana or New Orleans recipes, try Paul Prudhomme's first book, or even Emeril.



2. 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!!



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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 comments about Cajun-Creole Cooking.

1. No other Cajun recipe book compares to this one. I wanted Grandma's recipes, and now I have 'em! The Jambalaya and Fricassee recipe's are famous at my house.



2. 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.



3. 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 ;-)




4. 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!



5. 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 comments about Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen.

1. Besides a good collection of everyday Cajun food, this book is rich in the history and lore of the area. Thanks to Eula Mae Dore and Marcelle Bienvenue, the history as well as the recipes of this area will not be lost.



2. My husband has taken up cooking in the last few years and has begun to appreciate cookbooks. This is one of his favorites. We both love the recipes he has tried. He says, "The recipes are delicious and easy to follow. Eula Mae's fascinating stories make the book even more enjoyable."



3. Miss Eula Mae has captured the spirit of Cajun cuisine. Of course, it didn't hurt that she lives on Avery Island and cooks under the auspices of Paul McIlhenny(of Tabasco fame). I found the recipes easy to use and uniformly delicious. My only problem was that I had a hard time choosing among all the great offerings. I suspect that I won't live long enough to try them all, but I intend to make a valiant effort to do so. If you like Louisiana cooking, whether or not you're accomplished at it, this is the cookbook for you.



4. After a wonderful forward by Paul McIlhenny (Tabasco) and introduction by
   Marcelle Bienvenu (Who's your mama) you know this book has to be good.
   
   The recipes are by Eula Mae, a long time cook for the Tabasco company, and
   the narative is by Marcelle. Together they provide an insightful look into
   Louisana Cajun cooking.



5. This is a wonderful history of Avery Island which includes many wonderful recipes. You cannot go wrong with this cookbook!!!!

2 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.

2 comments about Beyond Gumbo : Creole Fusion Food from the Atlantic Rim.

1. oddly soulless versions of the classic recipes of the caribbean and ports of call south; the average criolla cook from bahia to calle ocho has zestier methods of cooking, say, plain black beans -- put the bay leaf in with the beans first, not last, add a small splash of cooked vinegar at the end, serve sprinkled with minced cilantro, lime wedges, avocado slices, and so on.
   from a chef like this one, with restaurant credentials, i would expect first, the classic recipe amped with restaurant kitchen techniques, short cuts and cooking techniques, for example paul prudhomme's cook-everything-on-a-high-flame-stirring angle; second, well-chosen new or fusion flavor touches, garniture, accompaniments, serving suggestions, as per steven raichlen (miami spice).
   from a chef with these academic credentials, i did enjoy some of the work she did, for example, on the sources of pepperpot soup. i wish she had done more of that, given the enduring flavors of africa under the harshest conditions of slavery -- mixed with french, spanish, native american and other influences. that book, defining creole, remains to be written.
   there's also an unpleasant undertone of self-congratulation for having "discovered" recipes that are neither original or All That, for example, molasses-flavored chantilly cream.
   for an expensively published book, nice paper, two color pages, this one has too many typos and unrealistic cooking times.
   one and a half stars. steven raichlen is still the caribbean fusion king.



2. What makes this cookbook, (as well as others by Harris) a delightful read and a solid source of information on Pacific Rim cuisine is the amount of history and the wonderful anecdotes that accompany the recipes. For those of us who are not lucky enough to have lived in or traveled to the many places that comprise the Atlantic Rim, her book is much-needed.

   I only ever heard of the soursop fruit, or the wonderful beverage mauby when I finally traveled to the U.S. Virgin Islands a few years ago, so was eager to learn more. And although there are many familiar foods, such as black-eyed peas, and okra, to an amateur cook like me, the Atlantic Rim variations gave me more reasons to like these favorites from childhood. I especially loved to see cane syrup; it reminded me so of my father, who grew up in Alabama and processed cane at the mill as a child. He couldn't get enough of the syrup or the juice. It also reminded me of the purpose of the book: To show, through cuisine, the marvelous connection between the cultures of Africa, the Caribbean, Central & South Americas, and the United States

5 comments about Tabasco: An Illustrated History.

1. I was fortunate enough to be selected as one of the archaeologists who worked on recovering the site of the first Tabasco factory. That is where I met the author of this book, who at the time (2000) was still a Ph.D candidate.
   With that disclaimer mentioned, this book is a fantacstic, all-encompassing story about one of the most beloved American products of all times. From it's humble beginnings that pre-date the Civil War, to its survival into the modern age of manufacturing and production, this book offers facinating tidbits of triva and many "are you SERIOUS??" revelations throughout. I particulalry like seeing how Tabasco's advertising campaigns have evolved over the years. The book does a great job in tracking the rise of a truly original American invention.
   The author has been the McIlhenny Company historian for many years now and is THE source on all things Tabasco. He brings a great style to this book and has included some of the more rare photos from the past to help tell the story. Truly a must-have if you love Tabasco, if you want to know more about how this American legend began, or if you just want see how they get so much heat into such a little bottle.
   
   Ayyyyieee!!



2. I have read both Rothefeder's book and Bernard's book. The former appears to be full of factual errors, some of them so ludicrous as to be laughable. The obvious anti-McIlhenny bias held by Rothfeder makes his work less believable, editorialized, and speculative. In contrast, Bernard's book is riveting, full of details, historical documents, and illustrations to which no one else has had access. The fact that the McIlhenny's have held their company together through ups and downs, profitably, is a testament to what is right about their business philosophy. Bernard's book was published by McIlhenny Company, but since he IS the company historian, you can bet that everything in there is accurate. It is the OFFICIAL history of Tabasco for good reason. If you're a fan of the sauce, you'll love this book.



3. I purchased this book for several of my family members. It is so much more than a beautiful coffee table book, although, it is extraordinarily eye pleasing and informative! Not only are the recipes easy and delicious, they really represent a terrific display of authenic history of our Louisiana culture. The McIlhenny family history is as interesting as the story of how "Tabasco" became such a beloved icon of Avery Island and all of South Louisiana. I would reccomend it as a gift to your favorite "person who has everything"!



4. Wonderful photos, well written and a very thorough and fun to read history of our favorite hot sauce, Tabasco.



5. February 27, 1973. That's the day Avery was born. Nine months earlier, her mother and I spent a magical weekend at the Holiday Inn in New Iberia, Louisiana. We were both students at Tulane University in New Orleans.
   
   Avery's mother and I didn't have much (any) money. We had heard that there was a very special place where they made Tabasco sauce and that one could tour the island and visit the salt mine for free.
   
   So we drove from New Orleans to New Iberia, checked into the Holiday Inn and went on the (free) tour of the McIlhenny estate. It was magical: decades before it became politically correct to preserve wildlife such as the snowy egret (a bird), the McIlhenny family set aside an island paradise for anyone to see who bothered to make the (unadvertised) trip.
   
   My wife and I named the wonderful girl conceived on our trip to Avery Island 'Avery".
   
   Avery has married and has given me twin grandchildren, Anna and Jackson. I look forward to the day when I will walk Avery Island with them.

3 comments about Crescent City Collection: A Taste of New Orleans.

1. Crescent City Collection is the latest cookbook by the Junior League of New Orleans. It contains some recipes for dishes fundamentally identified with New Orleans, but it also reflects the trend in restaurants and kitchens throughout New Orleans to experiment with new tastes and combinations of flavors. The recipes for traditional dishes like red beans and rice all seem to have a twist that successfully compliments and expands upon what is tried and true. All the recipes I've tried and tasted have been excellent, notably the Crawfish Cheescake, the Curried Chicken Salad, the Madras Salad, and the Chicken Parmisan with Apricot Sauce.

   In addition to the excellent recipes, Crescent City Collection is so gorgeous it is worthy of being displayed on a coffee table. The photographs are of historic New Orleans residences. In addition, throughout the cookbook are vignettes on subjects related to New Orleans and cooking. When I don't want to cook out of it, sometimes I just enjoy reading it.




2. This cookbook is beautiful to look at and the recipes are so easy, even for a novice. The Barefoot Boursin is a big hit at parties and doubles as an ingredient for Sinful Spinach. Also, the Dixie Beer Bread is very easy, I used it last year for Christmas gifts.



3. Crescent City Collection: A Taste Of New Orleans is a classy cookbook featuring over 250 recipes donated by members of the Junior League of New Orleans. Color photographs wonderfully enliven and showcase these elegant dishes with glimpses into beautiful and grandiose homes, and informative sidebars offer well-to-do cooking tips. Dishes such as Bayou Bean Salad; Turkey and Red Wine Lasagna; and Lemon Rice Pilaf fill the pages of this elegantly sumptuous and highly commended culinary guide.

4 comments about The Ultimate Turkey Fryer Cookbook (Meredith(r) Press).

1. I was expecting a book with good turkey recipes with marinades and rubs, but instead it is recipes that you need to buy the authors own marinades and rubs. Evidently this guy started the Cajun Injector marinades and seasoning and the recipes say things like, use one jar of our marinade and one can of our seasoning and use our injector. There are a grand total of 9 turkey recipes in a book that has 192 pages. All the other recipes are for different side dishes and some desserts. Don't waste your money on this book. It was a big dissappointment.



2. One star off for the author touting his own rubs and marinades. Aside from that, this is one of the best cookbooks I've seen for deep frying in general - especially if you love onion blooms and begneits. The turkey frying instructions are very safety-oriented and we got great results. Every recipe is carefully given for the best breading and frying technique for the particular food. Our family has passed around one copy of this book for several months now while waiting to buy our own copies. Highly recomended!



3. I bought this book hoping to get a better understanding of how to cook with a turkey fryer, and got some good recipes in the process. Despite what has been previously posted, nearly half of the 160 recipes are for main courses. I was also unbothered by the self-promotion, having been forwarned. Besides you could easily substitute another seasoning or marinade if you didn't want or couldn't find the author's.
   
   My major disappointment was that there was next to nothing unique to using a turkey fryer, save one page on actually frying a turkey. I was more interested in using this appliance to cook fish and chicken for large groups at church and other places. While it had plenty of recipes for fish, chicken, fries, funnel cakes, etc., it didn't even include such basic info as how much oil to use for these recipes (surely not the five gallons required for a turkey.) I would have liked to have know what advantages this appliance would have over a regular fryer. Would adding extra oil allow me to cook more than four pieces of fish at one time? I still have no idea.
   
   With a title like "The Ultimate Turkey Fryer Book," I expected more, although having bought it for about $5.00 including postage on Amazon's used section, I got what I paid for.



4. Both my husband & brother in law love their Turkey Fryers. Now they can make things other than turkey.

5 comments about The Collard Patch.

1. This is an absolutely quirky--and fascinating--book. It combines elements of a cookbook (with Mary Lou Cheatham organizing this, using her own and others' recipes) with stories of "collard nation" by Paul Elliott with "collard essentials" (organized as a series of chapters, including discussion of how to clean collards and how to cook "perfect collards"). It also includes some yummy looking cornbread recipes. On page 5, the purpose and flavor of this book is described: "'The Collard Patch' is a collard country cookbook and reader. Y'all will love our collards and cornbread. . . . Here is a book of great eating and good living."
   
   However, it is the recipes that are at the heart of any cookbook. Let's take a look at a few that I find interesting to enough to consider making for myself.
   
   "Awesome collard greens." On page 33, we see a recipe by Willie Crawford that is termed "the world's most famous written collards recipe." Ingredients: 2-3 medium smoked ham hocks, 5 pounds of collards, and some salt. Put the ham into lots of water and boil until the ham hocks look like they're falling apart. Then, clean and chop up the collards. Add the collards to the pot and cook until they are tender. Until I read the recipe, I thought it unlikely that I'd ever try it. Now, I think I'll give this a shot.
   
   Now, here is a recipe that I know I'm going to try out. First component is pork tenderloin, well marinated and then grilled. I rather like tenderloin, since it is pretty lean. Collards? Accompanying the pork is a dish described as stir-fried greens. Here, a combination of collards, bacon, red onion, rice wine vinegar, and salt and pepper is stir-fried. There is also a sweet and sour sauce. Once the stir-fried greens are finished, pour the sauce over them and serve with the tenderloin. Sounds tasty!
   
   And there are other recipes that sounds pretty good to me. And I would never have imagined that I'd be considering collard recipes! Here are some things that appeal to me: stir-fry with pasta; quick, easy, and tasty pasta salad; French onion collard soup (I love French onion soup and have a nice recipe for it, but this sounds kind of intriguing); collard stew; scrambles; stuffed mushrooms; artichoke and collard dip.
   
   So, what an unlikely sounding cookbook. . . . But between the recipes and the stories and the tips, this really comes together nicely. Stunning to see all reviewers rating this as 5 stars. But I agree with the other reviewers!



2. The low-down, nitty-gritty bits of dirt and information about collards in this book is the appetizer before the main course of recipes that makes even the most over-boiled critic salivate. The dessert of stories is a fine finish to this unique cookbook that even cooking-phobic readers will enjoy. Read it in one sitting or read sample chapters as time permits -- either way, you'll learn something and be inspired to cook and eat these greens that are so good for you.



3. The Collard Patch
   By Mary Lou Cheatham
   Paul Elliott
   
   What a great idea for a cookbook, with stories and recipes.
   This is a beautifully written book, with details on growing, and preparing collard greens.
   
   I live in Utah. I didn't even know collard greens from spinach, kale or turnip greens.
   
   I looked for frozen collards, with no luck. Next I looked for the fresh variety, still no luck. I did find some at the Whole Foods store. I later saw collard greens at Walmart, as well. They looked fairly sturdy, compared to other limp varieties of greens.
   
   I have been reading the stories in the cookbook each night. Finally, on Saturday I began my chopping and freezing. It is very simple to remove the inner tough stem, and twist like a cigar. Then you slice at an angle and chop each section. Quick and easy.
   
   Did you know there are two ways to soften the collard greens? One is by freezing, and the other is by adding a pinch of baking soda.
   
   On Saturday, I picked out four recipes: Cherry Chocolate Cake, Apple Collard Raisin Pie, French Onion Collard Soup, and Collard Corn. The cake, although you need to note the missing ingredient, cherry pie filling, is a supper tasty and moist cake. Beware, it would be a very good idea to have company over. As a family of three, now, we ate and ate on the cake. Now it's time for some exercise. I walked the dog all over town, trying to fit back into my clothes.
   
   The Collards Corn went very well with the Lasagna, I made for dinner tonight. I admit that I cut the garlic in half. My husband isn't a big fan of garlic. I thought this dish was great and very tasty, as a side dish.
   
   The French Onion Collard soup great. I embellished it, a little, by adding two packs of onion soup mix to the four cups of water. I also added two whole onions, to get the real onion texture. I added the chopped collard greens on top of each cup of hot soup, browned the French bread rounds with a little butter, and added cheese, mine was mozzarella. It tasted just like Mimi's. Do they have Mimi's in the south?
   
   Tomorrow, I will make the Apple Raisin Collard Pie, with the remaining 5 cups of collards, in my freezer. It sounds good, as well. I don't know why I picked two deserts. I guess I was just curious. If I like the desserts, I will surely like the collards. I remember the time my mom made cookies out of mashed potatoes. They were good, with a strange texture.
   
   Now that I have tried collard greens, I will try to keep some in the freezer, for any future taste treats.
   
   Jill Ammon Vanderwood
   Through the Rug
   Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
   Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat



4. If you've ever had a yearn for warm Southern food and a feeling of home, this book is perfect for you. While it does introduce several delicious and unexpected ways to enjoy collard greens, these are certainly not the only food on the menu. Dozens of wonderful recipes are included, along with food facts, entertaining stories about the different cooks who contribute, and some lovely Scripture quotes for good measure :)
   
   Author Mary Lou Cheatham has not only great culinary skill, but a wonderful family and a warm heart, both of which show through her writings here. Reading this book gives me the feeling of being surrounded by good company, enjoying great food as well as nice tidbits of advice and Southern wisdom. Recommended!



5. Back in the middle ages, every grand lady in her castle kept her own book of cooking and healing lore which might be passed down from mother to daughter. These "commonplace books" might have quotations from sermons, tips to kill insects, notations on how to skin wild boar and instructions for serving roast peacock with the feathers on. Later on the tradition became more like a scrapbook, a way for an accomplished young lady to show an elegant hand in setting down a favorite poem, dash off a watercolor sketch and collect the recipes for the favorite dishes of her best beau--soon to be her husband.
   
   THE COLLARD PATCH is an American edition of a "commonplace book" inspired by the homey 'mess of greens' that Southern children have gagged on for generations. There are recipes, many with a useful nutritional chart that shows the sodium level! There are stories, some of which shade into "yarns". There are more recipes, mouthwatering and fancy--who knew the humble collard could keep such company? The authors chat with us as if we have just dropped into their kitchen. I love the stories. I am thrilled by the section on cornbread, which contains some marvelous recipes for this Southern staple. I laughed over the instructions to Paul's Midnight Chili which begin "Far up the Crock Pot" and end with "Stop any flowing blood and apply Band-Aids as needed"!
   
   These people speak my language. My one gripe? A cookbook needs tabs so the cook can find the recipes fast.
   
   Highly recommended. Band-Aids not included.

5 comments about The Dooky Chase Cookbook.

1. After watching Leah and Ron on the Discovery Channel, I had to own this book. The receipes are the same as I use in my kitchen, but with a little more finesse. Just love it.



2. As an official honorary citizen of New Orleans, I have enjoyed many a meal at Dooky Chase. Since I live in Los Angeles I was delighted to be able to get some of Mrs Chase's wonderful recipes. They are practical, easy to read, and absolutely delicious--though of course no one can duplicate her particular genius by themselves.
   I also loved reading her anecdotes of the restaurant and the stories behind some of the recipes. I think the "culture" around a cuisine is a major part of the pleasure.
   
   Leah Chase is major figure in our country's heritage. I mean it. The book is a delight.



3. It has some wonderful recipes that sound mouthwatering! I would really like a copy of this book! Most of the recipes are fairly easy. Even the vegetable loaf sounds good and I tend to stay away from foods that sound like meat replacement.



4. I just ordered this book and if it is anything like her restaurant, then this should be a great book. I visited her restaurant in May 2005 and I had the best catfish po'boy, red beans & rice, and jambalaya. Her husband "Dookie" was there and he asked me where I was from. I told him Chicago and he told me stories about Ramsey Lewis and when he use to tour with different bands. He was the most pleasant person to talk to and he walked me out to my car when the order was complete. I will not go back to New Orleans until they rebuild Dooky Chase. The food is worth the drive to New Orleans and the hospitality is among the best of any city that I have traveled.



5. I loved both of Leah Chase's companion cook books, but particularly enjoyed the prints of her invaluable pieces of art work which adorn her spectacular restaurant. The receipes in the two books are mostly duplicative, but they are simple and excellent! She is a Queen in her own right and an outstanding mentor to so many in our country.