Product Description
A 160-page hardcover book containing more than 200 Cajun and Creole recipes, plus old photos and interesting stories about the author s growing up in the Cajun country of south Louisiana. Recipes include Pain Perdu, Couche Couche, Chicken Fricassee Stuffed Mirliton, Shrimp Stew, Grillades, Red Beans & Rice, Shrimp Creole, Bouillabaisse, Pralines. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Cajun Family Album Cookbook
The title says it all.This truly could be "My Family".Well worth the price for these charming family recipes and memories.

Not fot Louisiana natives but for outsiders
I just got this book like 10 minutes ago-scanned all of the recipes and as a Louisiana native, from a Creole family, it offered nothing new for me. Most of these recipes were already in my head(in one form or another). The book is good but mostly for those intrested in Creole/Cajun cooking.It isnt a great authroity on Louisiana heritage or cooking but instead a simple, family cook book that is directly from the head of the writer. It isnt a compilation of Creole/Cajun cooking and doesnt offer a wide variety of recipes or history.It's a good knick-knack book to have on hand.
I am already going to give it away as a gift to my neighbors but one is already Cajun so maybe his boyfriend can use it, but I doubt it since he grew up in Louisiana and has been living with a Cajun for the past five years.

Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux
Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux? (Book 1): A Cajun / Creole Family Album Cookbook
Great Book!Accurate Cajun recipes.I bought three, one for each of my grown children. Very good service.shipped quickly, well packed, books very good!

3 stars???!
Who's the yankee looking for "Cajun Haute Cuisine"????Do you understand the cajun way of life?or even what a cajun is????It may pain you to put evaporated milk and american "cheese" in baked macaroni, but I bet you will never have tasted anything better!

Great title, but not my cup of gumbo
I was going to give it one or two stars but really it's pretty good for what it is, folksy Southern cooking, Louisiana style, with lots of family history that doesn't interest me. If you're looking for Cajun haute cuisine, this isn't it. I might try a few things before I drop it off at Goodwill, but not the baked macaroni with evaporated milk and American "cheese." ... Read more

Product Description
Now, for weight and health conscious people who love Louisiana cuisine, here is a marvelous cookbook designed to cut fat, salt and calories. The result is a pleasing array of wholesome dishes that don't sacrifice any of the rich Creole and Cajun tastes. Drawings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Can I have some more?
Coming from England, it's somewhat tricky to find good Cajun and Creole food let alone cookbooks this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Having first been introduced to Creole food at Womad, and then completely overawed by the depth of these cuisines at The Commander's Palace, I've been trying to find a good and usable creole cookbook for years, and this it!

This book though is amazing! Low-fat recipes that are easy to follow, and taste simply brilliant.

Delicious Gumbo!
Startlingly good Jamabalaya!
What shall I try next?

Happy Eating!

...

[For any other English cooks out there, you should note that the recipes are measured in US Customary Units (what we'd call American Imperial, and that's not quite the same as Engish Imperial), so you may find yourself calculating a lot until you get the hang of it.]

Can't type more now, I've got some cooking to do...

you won't know you're dieting
mr. guste makes the cuisine of my home state easy and good for you.the moment i got the book i could start cooking right away.common ingredients and simple preparation are key here.and the nutrition information included with each recipe and menu plan are invaluable if you're watching what you eat.i'm so pleased to own this cookbook, and i know i'll use it many times in the near and distant future. ... Read more

Product Description
Basic French cooking, gusty Spanish flavors, creativity, and a lot of love are Leon Soniatis ingredients for la bouche CrEole (the Creole mouth). Interwoven with the recipes are the authoris recollections of New Orleans and of cooking with memere (grandmother) and mamete (mother). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A REAL, AUTHENTIC Creole cookbook!!
This book is the best and most authentic I have ever seen for Creole recipes and captures the REAL essence of creole cooking.The stories in the book are quite levely too.If you have a passion for food, get this book before it goes out of print.Years from now, this will be one of 'the' CLASSIC food books to have!If you follow the recipes, you will be rewarded with amazingly delicious food!

Authentic as New Orleans can get
I'm from Louisiana and received this as a wedding present. It is the most authentic book I've found so far. It helped me to not be so homesick when I live in Ohio (the land of bland).

La Bouche Creole
This is a very interesting book, with lots of insights into Creole culture and foodways.
The author has a relaxed and engaging style, and the book is an entertaining read.
Some of the recipes could have used better editing, but overall even a novice cook should have good results using them.

A definate keeper
I have used this cookbook for years; it has brought wonderful concoctions to our table as well as being just good reading. It is an insight not only how to prepare an exciting meal but the background into a fascinating culture.

This is a Great Cookbook
A little old lady in a New Orleans gift shop recommended this book and promised me that I would be happy with it even though I didn't recognize the author and it wasn't a glamorous book.She was absolutely right.I have made about a dozen and a half of the recipes in this book and every single one of them has been a crowd pleaser.My family is loud and rowdy, so when a meal makes them go silent except for the occassional utterance of "oh my gawsh, that's good", you know it's a winner.Most of the recipes require you to do things "the long way."I haven't noticed any tips on how to shave time.Soniat's writing is personal and folksy, and his stories are touching, and he lets you know that good cooking is a labor of love and you just can't take shortcuts.

My particular favorites in this book are the Chicken-Corn Maquechoux (a delicious, light stew that makes the whole house smell good while it simmers away), and his simple bread pudding recipe (which I've made once as published and ever since by adding some cinnamon and soaking the raisins and apples in a splash of rum for a couple of hours first--take his advice and make sure the loaf of french bread is really stale for this one; the final textures is fantastic).

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. ... Read more

Product Description
Taking over several buildings in the eight hundred block of Rue Bienville in the French Quarter, Count (an honorary title) Arnaud Cazenave in 1918 began to build a monument to the sensual pleasure of fine dining. The menu was and remains extensive, with nine oyster appetizers, fifty-one seafood entrees, and forty vegetables (among them potatoes prepared sixteen ways), it defined French-Creole cuisine for decades. The kitchen is still the largest of any freestanding restaurant in New Orleans. Dining rooms throughout the complex range from the "lovers’ lookout" on the mezzanine to small chambers for intimate, private dining. True to the nineteenth-century design, the restaurant today has a serpentine network of passageways through the various buildings.Throughout this cookbook are fascinating stories and scintillating recipes from the 1918 founding through today, as well as photographs, cartoons, drawings, and other Arnaud’s memorabilia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Kit Wohl
I have always loved the elegance in which Kit writes so passionately about her beloved city and it's multifaceted culture including restaurants, premier places to visit and beautiful things to experience.A must buy if you go to New Orleans...or not...because it will make you want to go after reading...oh, it's soooo good!

Arnaud's Restaurant
After eating at this restaurant in New Orleans recently and seeing the book on the bar I wanted to purchase it.By ordering off of Amazon I got it for $10 less.It is a beautiful book with excellent pictures (many old) from the restaurant plus all the great recipes.

My Heart Belongs to Arnaud's
During my last visit to New Orleans my new bride and I became engaged at Arnaud's over a meal that celebrated our happiness. We use Arnaud's Cookbook to make our special occasion meals and when we entertain. The Trout Meuniere and other amazing recipes bring back those memories along with the lavishly photographed restaurant and dishes. The stories and history that accompany it make it special reading, and we keep it prominently displayed on our coffee table. Whenmost cookbooks don't show the finished dish, this one is chock full of delicious pictures to inspire. It you have never been to New Orleans, it will give you a taste and a real feeling of an amazing city.

A very pretty book.
I enjoyed reading this book...have yet to make a recipe from it...I have some Cajun recipes written on paper from friends and each time I wan't to make something Nola...I keep returning to the tried and true.

the cookbook is as lovely as the restaurant
A June visit to New Orleans, with dinner at Arnaud's, inspired the purchase of this cookbook.The book more than exceeded my expectations, with interesting anecdotes, beautiful photographs and doable, delicious recipes.The only thing missing is the recipe for the distinctive remoulade sauce they use for Shrimp Arnaud, a great favorite.However, they do sell the sauce so all is not lost.This cookbook is the next best thing to actually going to the restaurant, and offers some truly original recipes. ... Read more

Product Description
Buster Holmes opened his first food counter in New Orleans in 1944. The establishment became famous for its red beans and rice (for only twenty-six cents!). This historic cookbook, first published in 1980, is back by popular demand, offering 174 recipes such as cauliflower salad, Creole gumbo, pickled shrimp, fig cake, and the incomparable Buster Holmes red beans and rice. ... Read more

Product Description
A 104-page hardcover book containing about 100 Cajun and Creole recipes, plus old photos and interesting stories about the author s growing up in the Cajun country of south Louisiana. Recipes include Shrimp Bisque, Andouille & Black Bean Soup, Crawfish-Okra Gumbo, Smothered Okra, Stuffed Tomatoes, Eggplant & Rice Dressing, Stuffed Pork Chops, Chicken & Oyster Pie, Apple Cake, Roasted Pecans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Who's your Mama Cookbook, Book two
What can I say, except if you enjoy cooking and enjoy a good story at the same time, this is the cookbook for you.Her first book was great and this second book just continues on from where the first book left off.Marcelle is a master story teller as well as a master cook.I have had the pleasure of tasting some of her food and interacting with her and her husband Rock.She prepares great food,combines it with a great personality and then has the ability to write about it in an entertaining and fun to read book. "Try it, you'll like it." ... Read more

Product Description
Tried and true Cajun and Creole recipes from the heart of SouthLouisiana. Featuring 7 different recipes for Gumbo and many other alltime favorites like Shrimp Creole, Zydeco Chicken and a tasty recipefor Mardi Gras King Cake. Bring the Jazzy taste of New Orleans to yourkitchen with an easy to follow and often witty collection of town andcountry Cuisine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

Bon appetit, y'all!
This book is a 10 out of 10!!! I love the recipes, but mostly I love the author's approach to the subject. His connection, his love of the culture is evident with every page you turn.You just can't go wrong with this one!

Son Of A Gun, Gonna Have Big Fun On The Bayou
This book is chock full of recipes for all the cajun and creole classics.It's a good choice for those who are able to follow an ingredient list and step by step instructions.It may not be the right choice for those who need color photos to show what the food should look like.It's well worth the price for the recipes but don't expect photos of the food.I can't wait to throw some cajun feasts on the deck this summer.

Exellent..
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..

Jambalaya
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!

Best Of The Bayou
The White Bean Creole Soup is good and so is the Mud Bug Salad. Nice collection! ... Read more

Product Description
An untamed region teeming with snakes, alligators, and snapping turtles, with sausage and cracklins sold at every gas station, Cajun Country is a world unto itself. The heart of this area—the Acadiana region of Louisiana—is a tough land that funnels its spirit into the local cuisine. You can’t find more delicious, rustic, and satisfying country cooking than the dirty rice, spicy sausage, and fresh crawfish that this area is known for. It takes a homegrown guide to show us around the back roads of this particularly unique region, and in Real Cajun, James Beard Award–winning chef Donald Link shares his own rough-and-tumble stories of living, cooking, and eating in Cajun Country.

Link takes us on an expedition to the swamps and smokehouses and the music festivals, funerals, and holiday celebrations, but, more important, reveals the fish fries, étouffées, and pots of Granny’s seafood gumbo that always accompany them. The food now famous at Link’s New Orleans–based restaurants, Cochon and Herbsaint, has roots in the family dishes and traditions that he shares in this book. You’ll find recipes for Seafood Gumbo, Smothered Pork Roast over Rice, Baked Oysters with Herbsaint Hollandaise, Louisiana Crawfish Boudin, quick and easy Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits with Fig-Ginger Preserves, Bourbon-Soaked Bread Pudding with White and Dark Chocolate, and Blueberry Ice Cream made with fresh summer berries. Link throws in a few lagniappes to give you an idea of life in the bayou, such as strategies for a great trip to Jazz Fest, a what-not-to-do instructional on catching turtles, and all you ever (or never) wanted to know about boudin sausage. Colorful personal essays enrich every recipe and introduce his grandfather and friends as they fish, shrimp, hunt, and dance.

From the backyards where crawfish boils reign as the greatest of outdoor events to the white tablecloths of Link’s famed restaurants, Real Cajun takes you on a rollicking and inspiring tour of this wild part of America and shares the soulful recipes that capture its irrepressible spirit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Good eats
I don't care how many cookbooks you have,you can never have enough.I found new ways to make old dishes.Just a really nice book all the way around.

Outstanding
This is an outstanding cookbook.It is a mix of authentic cajun recipes and some non cajun fair.Great recipes for tasso, gumbo, and crawfish fettuccine.The dirty rice recipe is perticularly good.Also mixed in some nice stories and pictures.One of my favorite cookbooks.

The Real Deal
A great cookbook for both culinary experts AND kitchen novices! No recipe is too difficult - all are easy to follow and with perfect results.Twice-baked potatoes were fantastic and so easy.These are my stomping grounds too, so this was the perfect gift for me...reminds me of my own family dinners on Sunday!Great job Donald!

YUM! "Shrimp, Corn, and Tomato Stew"
WOW! I just made (and just ate a cup of) the "Shrimp, Corn, and Tomato Stew" from page 66 and it is absolute heaven.I'm so excited I was jumping around the kitchen shouting out in happiness.I've never made anything like this - PLUS it had to be perfect because a friend of mine from Louisiana is my dinner guest.SO GOOD!SO Delicious.YES, this cookbook knows what it's talking about.Now, I'm off to create the "Old School Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya" from page 126.Excited!

My Favorite Cookbook
Tasty unpretentious comfort food; that's what this book is all about.Making good eats for friends and family.Sharing.It's hard to express how much I appreciate these recipes.I'm new to cooking, and happen to have a picky mother in law when it comes to food.Following some understandable fear and apprehension (remember: new to cooking) after I first invited the in laws to dinner; all it took was a couple bites of perfect mashed potatoes and Post K meatloaf for everything fell into place.Smiles and conversation commenced.My mother in law now asks when I'm going to cook again.The family absolutely loved the fried chicken.Even my vegetarian wife was itching for a bite (she stuck with the potatoes - sorry not much vegetarian fare here).It's doing what a great cookbook should, bringing us together and making the house smell great. ... Read more

Product Description
The wonderful flavors and spices of Cajun cooking are now available to vegetarians.Donna Simon shows us how to make delicious vegetarian versions of File Gumbo, Boulettes, Red Beans and Rice, Blackened Tofu and much, much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

ayh its ok
I was really excited to get this cookbook, but i haven't made a single thing from it. Its well written, but not that inspiring.

Simply great!
Very excited to see this book exists -- I've been thinking about writing my own to fill the void of Vegan (or almost-vegan in this case)Cajun Cookbooks. It's not fancy, but includes many of my favorite dishes, and things I can't wait to make that I haven't had since before I could cook for myself. This book is humble, as is the cuisine, not to be confused with New Orleans' flamboyance.

Classic Cajun modified to be meat-, dairy-, and egg-free
Although this book is already eight years old, it is a new favorite to me since I just bought it. Being a vegetarian, until I found this book, my experience with Cajun cooking has been limited to an occasional Red Beans and Rice. Now I am happily preparing Jambalaya, Courtbollion,and Gumbos that are vegan and low in fat.

Never having been pleased before with recipes for vegan cakes, I have to caution the reader that I haven't ventured into the dessert section at the back of the book. Some vegans may find the use of honey as a sweetener a problem and want to make substitutions.

The breakfasts, main dish and side dish recipes are wonderful, and have given me the courage to read non-vegetarian Cajun recipes with an eye as to how to adapt them to my diet.

Fantastic addition to my kitchen!
This book is very complete and has lots of vegan breakfasts as well as main meals. Preserves and baking is included as well. Sure is a great way to spice up a veggie menu!

A useful intro to vegan cajun cuisine
This book gave me some idea of how to serve up food with Cajun flavors but minus the meat and dairy.This book could have been jazzed up a little more though. ... Read more

Product Description
In beautiful color images and over 70 easy-to-follow recipes, "The Food of New Orleans" introduces a full range of traditional Cajun and Creole recipes, plus many dishes from famous New Orleans restaurants like K-Paul's, Brennan's, and Commander's Palace. Also featured are essays about the culture and history that shaped this authentic cuisine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Authentic and Easy New Orleans Cuisine
I made a number of these recipes for a Creole Thanksgiving we hosted this year and was incredibly pleased with the results. The recipes are easy and straight forward with amazing results, even if you are making them for the first time. We made the Oysters in Cream, Maque Choux, Bread Pudding and Whiskey Sauce and the Pecan Pie. All our guests raved about the food.

Nice pictures, careless recipes
A friend of ours bought this for us as a gift. I'm glad we didn't spend any money on it. Every time we've tried to make any of these recipes, they haven't turned out. I get the feeling most of these weren't tested before they were put into the book.

The Food of New Orleans
I thought the book was a great way of taking the recipes of New Orleans home... Also try reading this book before you go out to dinner in The Quarter... The recipes seem simple enough to execute. Next to Chicago - NewOrleans is the Cooking Mecca!

perfect take home for tourists
Nice photos; good for preserving memories of a visit to NOLA. Otherwise, not of much practical application.

DeMers' collaboration with Jaeger on the later published "New Orleans Seafood Cookbook" is farsuperior.Save your money and buy the Seafood Cookbook. ... Read more

Product Description
A guide to Louisiana cooking by the restauranteur of "Kenny's" in London. As well as classic recipes such as gumbo and jambayala, written in a user-friendly style, the book features potted introductions and sojourns, taking the reader on a tour of the culture of Southern cooking and eating. ... Read more

Product Description
Cooking tips, serving ideas, preparation and great pictures with step by step instructions. ... Read more

Product Description
New Orleans is a city where north is south and east iswest.Impossible?Not really because New Orleans is built on thebanks of the mighty Mississippi and the streets wind and curve the waythe river does.New Orleans has an even more mixed up way of cookingknown as Creole.

The French were the first European settlers to cook in New Orleans,and they borrowed spices and seasoning from their neighbors, theChoctaw Indians.Next came the Africans with their own herbs andvegetables and then the Spanish with their peppers and other secretsto add to the cook pot.When everything was mixed together, Creolecooking was born.

The recipes are written for chi9ldren, but the results will please theentire family.Recipes are for breakfast, lunch, and dinner andsnacks and desserts.They include such Creole favorites as pan perdu,jambalaya, shrimp gumbo, pralines and pecan pie.A small mesh bagholds a minature bottle of tabasco for those who like it hot and a"king cake baby" to bake in the traditional Mardi Gras cake. ... Read more

Product Description
As both cooks and eaters, we have never been more enthusiastic about sampling the cuisines of other countries. The "Global Gourmet" series presents a range of dishes, recipes and ingredients from countries and cultures all around the world. ... Read more

Product Description
From "Haute Creole" entrees to hearty red beans and rice, Roy F. Guste's recipes make Creole cooking elegant and effortless. Within these 100 recipes lies the key to the true flavor of Louisiana's Creole food: simplicity of process and fresh ingredients. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Least Favorite
I absolutely love to "read" cookbooks, but this one fell very short of my expectations

You can't be afraid of butter...
I found recipes in this book that I'd hunted for for a long time. This is not a cookbook with complex recipes but one with foundation recipes that I've eaten but have been unable to recreate. Sometimes things get modified too much and they become someone else's idea but can neverbecome your own. These recipes are simple and give you room to insert your taste and creativity. The Bread Pudding Whisky Sauce is such a recipe. I've hunted, mixed and read all sorts of ideas and none of them worked like what I'd tasted in NOLA. The recipe in this cookbook works.

I will use this book for future cooking however you can't be afraid of butter.

Good recipes
This book has some really good recipes.I am just disappointed that it didn't have photos.I gave it as a gift and the recipient was happy with it.

Typical Cajun Cooking
Oh my...tried all of the recipes and there is not one that is not delicious. Like the way you can substitute other fish for oysters. Very interesting to read about the restaurants that feature the recipe. You don't need a lot of ingredients to make a true New Orleans dish. Try it...you' like it!

Great easy to follow recipes
I love this cookbook so much that I am buying a replacement as I have worn out the first one over the 10 years I have it.A personal fav is the Jambalya, easy to make and delicious.The recipes give alternatives (chicken instead of shrimp etc) and the range of recipes is huge.If creole is of interest to you, this book will get you started in a great way. ... Read more

Product Description
Cajun cooking is the country cooking of Louisiana, the spicy intersection of French and Southern culinary traditions. Eula Mae Doré has been cooking Cajun food on Avery Island, home of the McIlhenny family and their Tabasco pepper sauce, for more than half a century. Food writer Marcelle Bienvenu has spent hundreds of hours in the kitchen by Eula Mae's side capturing the fine flavors of her self-taught cooking. Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen is organized into menus reflecting the rhythm of life on Avery Island, such as Mardi Gras, The Trapper's Camp, A Spring Luncheon, A Summer Fishing Trip, and Halloween Bonfire. More than 100 traditional Cajun dishes such as Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo, Mini Oyster Tarts, Jalapeño Cornbread, and Blackberry Patch Cobbler are complemented with Eula Mae's reminiscences of her family and her years on Avery Island.$1 from each paperback sold will be donated to a hurricane relief fund. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Brings out da cajun in ya!!!
When I saw this book I knew it was for me. I have visited Avery Island (where Eula worked for the McIlheny/tabasco family) several times and wanted to cook like the real thing! The recipes are easily written and most ingredients are in local grocery. You may have to look a while for gator and craw-fish if not from around here, but even frozen these items work great. Little snipets abound about life on the island and the occasions these recipes were used for. A great read even if you don't cook!

Fun, flavorful, and fascinating
My wife and I have beek cooking from this great cook book for several years and it's become a staple in our kitchen.

Recently, we hosted a dinner party with dishes coming entirely from Eula Mae (with music from The Big Easy soundtrack, Professor Longhair, and the Neville Brothers in the background). We had a great time, and gave each guest a copy of the cookbook as a gift.

Most of Eula Mae's ingredients are common, but the magic of her recipes, the refreshing nature of the meal compositions, and the charm of her stories make this cookbook a unique and lasting addition to any kitchen.

Sorry to hear she passed away. Thank heavens her recipes were saved for all of us to enjoy.

Cookbook as Travelogue... And Great Food
Eula Mae Dore's recipe for shrimp and sausage gumbo-- superb-- is worth the price of this cookbook.

I tried this particular recipe because it looked great in a December 2008 edition of the New York Times Magazine.I served it over black-eyed peas and rice on New Year's Day, 2009, and it was a hit.Do give it a trial. I intend to keep making it on New Year's Day and on other occasions.

The complete cookbook has many recipes that I will likely never attempt (too high in sugar and/or fat content), but the cookbook is a gem.The kindness, generosity, grit and creativity of the late, iconic Eula Mae Dore shine on every page, as does the story of the Tabasco company and its founders on Avery Island.If you read this cookbook, you will be transported to Avery Island, Louisiana and you may never want to leave.Eula Mae's admonitions to cook slowly and with care are wonderful lessons for cooking and for life.

I gravitated to the recipes that focused on main courses (black-eyed peas, Christmas Dinner, the above-referenced shrimp and sausage gumbo, for example), as well as to a tempting recipe for spoonbread, but by all means pick your favorites.You will be thrilled to make the acquaintance of Eula Mae Dore, her husband MoNeg, and her family; Marcelle Bienvenue, her brilliant co-author; the Tabasco Company and its founders; and Avery Island, Louisiana.

Hurrah for Eula Mae Dore, an America original, cher(e)...

A piece of history
This book is a classic. Eula Mae passed away in 2008 and this book is her legend. Great recipes and insight to food of the South.

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

Product Description

Emeril kicks it up a notch Louisiana-style for the holidays.

The holidays should be a time for fun and family, but the planning can be murderous. Let Emeril guide you through it in high Louisiana fashion. Equipped with New Orleans traditions and over 100 recipes, Emeril's Creole Christmas provides complete menus down to the shopping lists, for a Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, and New Year's Eve and Day suppers. Emeril likes a party and at the holidays he kicks it up a notch, with food that impresses and satisfies Corn Cakes with Caviar, Brandied Baked Ham with Sugarcane Sauce, Funky Stuffed Oysters, and Chocolate Truffles are just a few of the recipes that will make your celebrations memorable. Emeril also makes a gift a lagniappe of his very favorite dishes such as Quail and Sausage Christmas Gumbo and Lobster Cheesecake. And there are the stocking stuffers gifts from the Creole kitchen including Emeril's Homemade Worcestershire Sauce, Buttercream Mints, and Cocoa Rum Balls. Filled with beautiful color photography to celebrate the season, Emeril's Creole Christmas will be a gift to give yourself as well as family and friends.

The holidays should be a time for fun and family, but the planning can be murderous. Let Emeril guide you through it in high Louisiana fashion. Equipped with New Orleans traditions and over 100 recipes, Emeril's Creole Christmas provides complete menus down to the shopping lists, for a Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, and New Year's Eve and Day suppers. Emeril likes a party and at the holidays he kicks it up a notch, with food that impresses and satisfies--Corn Cakes with Caviar, Brandied Baked Ham with Sugarcane Sauce, Funky Stuffed Oysters, and Chocolate Truffles are just a few of the recipes that will make your celebrations memorable. Emeril also makes a gift--a lagniappe--of his very favorite dishes such as Quail and Sausage Christmas Gumbo and Lobster Cheesecake. And there are the stocking stuffers--gifts from the Creole kitchen--including Emeril's Homemade Worcestershire Sauce, Buttercream Mints, and Cocoa Rum Balls. Filled with beautiful color photography to celebrate the season, Emeril's Creole Christmas will be a gift to give yourself as well as family and friends.

Customer Reviews (25)

A Book of Decadent Christmas Recipes
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!

Love it love it love it, Not for everyone.
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.

Not for the faint of heart--but worth it!
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 filledwith 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!

kick your christmas up a notch!
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!!

Very disappointed with the book
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. ... Read more

Product Description
First published in 1885, this was the first Creole cookbook ever printedoa rare collection of recipes from leading New Orleans chefs of the day, as well as from Creole housewives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

La Cuisine Creole
Anthony Bourdain often says that you cannot separate a culture from its cuisine.They are bound together, and to talk of a place without speaking about the food that is eaten there is missing a vital element.

This is exactly what Lafcadio Hearn was attempting to capture when he published two books, "La Cuisine Creole" and "Gumbo Zhebes" in 1885.These two books together, he felt, captured a secret street culture of the French Quarter, a place of folktales and hot food.

While Hearn is best known for his books on Japanese folktales and legends, he got his start in New Orleans, scraping by working for a newspaper doing articles and illustrations as he could.I did not realize he also owned a small restaurant, The Hard Times, specializing in nickel dishes of food for the poverty-stricken.His restaurant didn't last long, but he collected recipes with the same fervor that he would later collect folktales.

This lovely hardback, "Lafcadio Hearn's Creole Cookbook", brings together "La Cuisine Creole" and "Gumbo Zhebes", reproducing exactly the traditional recipes and folk sayings that Hearn loved so much.Preserving not only the original typeface and presentation, Hearn's illustrations are also included.

The recipes are as old fashioned as you can imagine, using measurements such as "a gill of oil" and giving cooking instructions based on a wood or coal burning stove.The book is a fantastic snapshot of how people cooked back then.There are recipes not only for delights like "Simple Okra Gumbo" and "Fricassee of Crab", but also on how "To Make Good and Cheap Vinegar" and "Superior Tomato Catsup".You couldn't just run down to the grocery store and pick these things up pre-made!

Because of the old-fashioned directions, the recipes can be a little hard to follow but not impossible.I have made a few now and they have all turned out well, so I am looking forward to trying some of the more complicated ones.One that was delicious and easy was "To Pickle Red Cabage" and I also quite enjoyed "A Delicious Omelet". There are recipes here for frog, turtle, deer, beef tongue and any kind of seafood imagineable.

Anyone interested in food history, or Creole culture, is going to love this book.Cooks looking to do some authentic Creole cooking will find it challenging at first, but invaluable.[...]

For All Who Love New Orleans
Lafcadio Hearn lived in New Orleans from 1877 to 1887. His observations on Creole life were published in the New Orleans Times-Democrat and the New Orleans Item.This edition is a combination of a his cook book La Cuisine Creole along with drawings and writings from those articles.It is a loving look at the city and a disappearing way of life.I lost my first copy of this book in the flood caused by the levee failure in the wake of Katrina which makes having it back all the sweeter.

Lafcadio hearn's Creole Cook Book
As usual, Lafcadio Hearn's meticulous description impressed me.
My wife tried one of Soup recipe, and we enjoyed the result a lot.
Kyo takahashi

A Piece of Creole History
As a true "cajun" who grew up on South Louisiana, I aminterested in the history of cajun and creole culture, which is oftencentered around food.This book is a treasured piece of the history ofcreole cuisine in New Orleans.The text is sometimes hard to read, but therecipes are an authentic snapshot of what might have been the"standard" for New Orleans before the turn of the century.I amproud to have this book in my collection of early and historical Cajun andCreole cookbooks. ... Read more