Calling all you amateur chefs.......

[ABITAGIRL1]

I want to buy my friend a cookbook for her birthday. She's an avid chef and and a 12 years running Jazzfester so I decided I'll get her a Cajun/Creole cookbook. I found some New Orleans based sites but there is a huge selection. Anyone have any favorites they can recommend? The River Road series books look pretty good in review but it's hard to tell online since you just see the cover. They claim that series is the "most requested post Katrina cookbook for locals trying to replace their lost cookbooks". Anyone know that series?

[chrisjoseph]

the threadhead cookbook, published last year.

[Cleophus]

I like Rima and Richard Collin's "The New Orleans Cookbook".
(For isntance, I made its red beans & rice recipe this past weekend and it was awesome, as usual.)

[Delta]

"Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux" is hands-down my favorite.


Holy jeebus....I just looked it up on Amazon and the one I have starts at $65 used. Go for the hardback re-print!

[festbabe]

the threadhead cookbook, published last year.

Man, I've been trying to get my hands on that! I understand it was a verrrrry limited print run.

[Delta]

Ooooops......to answer your original question, the River Road series are all good. Most any of the Junior League published cookbooks are, and so are church published ones. They have "real" recipes in them as a rule.

[Staxsun]

It's a little more cajun, but I like "Talk About Good".

[swampwoman]

La Bouche Creole by Leon Soniat

the truest recipes to New Orleans cooking I've read

[duende]

The Uglesich Restaurant cookbook is a fun one. Have yet to cook anything out of it, but I got Gail & Anthony to sign the book on their Borders tour stop here. I'll try not get weepy here - man, I miss the whole ritual of going to the restaurant!

[pokerchick66]

I have a cajun cookbook called Jambalaya that I've gotten some good recipes from. Namely two:

Red beans and rice and sausage
Jumbalaya Bread Pudding

I use the red beans recipe every time I make them. lol, of course, I always modify a recipe. Can't help it. :D

[mamaroux]

"Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux" is hands-down my favorite.


Holy jeebus....I just looked it up on Amazon and the one I have starts at $65 used. Go for the hardback re-print!

Oh wow! I guess I better take good care of mine!

[ABITAGIRL1]

the threadhead cookbook, published last year.
Is there really a threadhead cookbook?

[saturn]

Is there really a threadhead cookbook?

Yep - there really is. And I have heard rumours that there might be a second edition next year, maybe.

[Goose]

I'd recommend Susan Spicer's new cookbook "Crescent City Cooking".

[ABITAGIRL1]

"Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux" is hands-down my favorite.


Holy jeebus....I just looked it up on Amazon and the one I have starts at $65 used. Go for the hardback re-print! I saw that one online but didn't check it out - so happens she's Jewish, didn't think it would be a good choice;)

[steeleye]

I think "The Plantation Cookbook: Junior League of New Orleans" might be worth considering. Good, old-style creole recipes and a section that provides some history of the larger plantations around New Orleans. It's cooking and little history all rolled into one book.

[Chas_P]

I'd recommend Susan Spicer's new cookbook "Crescent City Cooking".

Hope so, just bought it this weekend, mainly for the cream of garlic soup.

[Chas_P]

Oh wow! I guess I better take good care of mine!


Hey Jacki, here's something we found interseting.

We were tempted to buy the Mr. B's cookbook when we were ther, but I figured I could get a better discount throgh work.

As it turns out, I can't. But if you check Amazon or other places, they have it $100 - $250 USED. Mr. B's sells it directly, NEW for $30.00.

Say duh-huh!!!!

[Blitzzzzz]

I like this one alot. Lots of helpful tips and plenty of good recipes!

Roux To Do The Art of Cooking in Southeast Louisiana https://www.frpbooks.com/images/spacer.gif https://www.frpbooks.com/images/uploads/book_image_large/RouxToDo07Cov-l.jpg https://www.frpbooks.com/images/spacer.gif
The Junior League of Greater Covington, Inc.
Covington, Louisiana
Roux To Do, the first cookbook by the Junior League of Greater Covington, is a colorful, unique, art-filled cookbook that reflects the best of Southeast Louisiana. This is the official cookbook of St. Tammany Parish and presents a unique variety of recipes including updated classics, regional favorites, and gourmet offerings from world-famous chefs. https://www.frpbooks.com/images/square_orange.gif
Tabasco Community Cookbook Award (Regional Winners): South (2005)

The Eric Hoffer Award: First Place Winner, Home Category (2005)

USA Book News Award: Honorable Mention - Cookbook Category (2004)
Recipes: 287
Pages: 208
Binding: Hardcover

[Bluemon]

I have made several things from the "Oak Alley Plantation Cookbook". They were all good, but my friends really enjoyed Pat's white chocolate bread pudding.

Also, chef John Folse has an Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine that is wonderful. There is a series on our PBS station on the weekends of cooking shows from this cookbook. Our favorite recipe so far from this one is Cajun-style Black Eyed Peas.

I really like to cook, and have a lot of cookbooks. I have had some trouble getting some of the ingredients necessary for recipes in the junior league, church style cookbooks. I try to keep a list going and pick those things up when I'm in the south!

[freebo]

Without a doubt, I will second bluemon's recommendation:

"...Chef John Folse has an Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine that is wonderful."

Note the word 'encyclopedia' in the title. There's a reason for that.

If your friend is really in to the Cajun/Creole thang, this book covers it all...

http://www.jfolse.com/encyclopedia.htm

Happy cooking yall!

Or, as Ralph Brennan would say: "Live to eat!"

[freebo]

(I got so excited about that John Folse book, I missed one part of your question....)

Yes, we have a couple of the River Road cookbooks - they're great.

I can't remember which ones we have, but I'll look 'em up and post when I get home. They're very worthy.

And honestly - I also agree about them Junior League versions... For some reason, those Junior Leaguers got the goods on recipes, Yo!

I have lived in Louisiana, Texas, and now Florida: The Junior League cookbooks from wherever are always affordable, and have at least a dozen or so REALLY GOOD recipes in them...

Man... Is it dinner time yet? Where's that Trout Baquet food booth at? ;)

[Staxsun]

bumping

[Nancy10016]

I want to buy my friend a cookbook for her birthday. She's an avid chef and and a 12 years running Jazzfester so I decided I'll get her a Cajun/Creole cookbook. I found some New Orleans based sites but there is a huge selection. Anyone have any favorites they can recommend? The River Road series books look pretty good in review but it's hard to tell online since you just see the cover. They claim that series is the "most requested post Katrina cookbook for locals trying to replace their lost cookbooks". Anyone know that series?

Well.. we just were given a copy of 'Cooking up a Storm'- recipes lost (with the Thing) and found from the Picayune....LOOKS SO GREAT...can't wait to start cooking from it.;-)

BUT the Threadhead cookbooks Gumbo 2007 and Gumbo 2009 are 36.50 each and we'd love for anyone who wants one to go to the TH dot org site and order them!...
I don't have any 'pages' to show right now from the first book, but you can go to the website and see sample pages from the 2009 book....

They are filled with great recipes and pictures of Threadheads from Fest (some from CFF, and a few others....) take a look! and all profits from the books are going to TH records and Fest4kidz....

[wladybugw]

Thank you Stax...

[wladybugw]

Thank you Nancy