Books for the Chef in Your Life

"THE INFINITE FEAST is a fun guide to graciously hosting loved ones. Brian Theis does a great job melding his innate Southern Charm with experience gained from travel and time abroad. His book will be a welcome addition to people who enjoy sharing food and drink with friends." - Jacques Pépin

Author Brian Theis presents a well-rounded cookbook that takes us back to the mid-twentieth century and the foods that fed the nation's craving for comfort and world travel. In seasonal chapters from New Year's to the winter holidays, he provides curated and themed menus, easy to follow recipes, and kitchen tips. From casseroles and comfort foods, a Mardi Gras Jamboree, and a Polynesian Luau to a Goblin Feast and Thanksgiving Bons Temps Rouler, the dishes are just as delicious as they are picturesque! Interviews with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, including Gabriele Corcos, Billy Oliva, JoAnn Clevenger, and Phillip Lopez, and a tribute to Leah Chase round out the offerings in this gift-worthy cookbook!

This lovely collection of 37 recipes features the pecan in appetizers, soups, salads, meats, and more. The popular nut grows naturally from Iowa all the way down to the Southeast and to Mexico.

America's most popular indigenous nut, the pecan offers a comfortingly rich and buttery flavor. Delicious in sweet, savory, and spicy dishes, the nut takes center stage. From the simple pleasure of roasted pecans to the more complex pairing of Speckled Trout with Pecan Meuniere, the dishes in this cookbook offer an enticing spectrum of tastes and treats to savor all year long.

Poppy Tooker's Drag Queen Brunch features gorgeous photography by renowned photographer Sam Hanna. Luscious photos capture all the dishes (both the ladies and the recipes) in some of New Orleans' most iconic restaurants and courtyards. The inspiring images are accompanied by light-hearted profiles of fifteen flirtatious queens and their favorite flavors--mouth-watering recipes for classic dishes, new favorites, and thirst quenchers--all designed to enhance the brunch experience.

Vinsantos Defonte, a prominent voice in the national LGBTQ community and founder of New Orleans Drag Workshop, provides the foreword. Wayne Phillips, curator of the Costumes and Textiles and the Carnival Collections of the Louisiana State Museum, details the history of drag and this very special community in New Orleans. Tooker, celebrated host of Louisiana Eats!, provides an epilogue illuminating her entrée and ongoing role in the Crescent City's drag queen world.

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale is dedicated to CrescentCare (NO/AIDS Task Force).

This compendium of crawfish information offers biological facts and scores of home-style recipes. The Louisiana seafood industry--past and present--is discussed and a fascinating essay about a day in the life of a crawfisher is included. Jerald Horst has worked in the seafood industry and he and his wife have collected and tested crawfish recipes for decades. From the birth of the crawfish industry in the 1800s to present-day obstacles to commercial fishing, this encyclopedic cookbook provides an abundance of history as well as recipes, health information, and Louisiana culture. Highlights include the mudbug's popularity explosion in the 1950s, an illustrated guide to peeling the crustacean, and "Four Star" recipes for Crawfish Omelets and Delta Crispy Crawcakes.

Enjoy big Cajun flavors without the guilt!

Forget the myth that because it tastes great, it can’t be good for you. Culinary dietician Shelley Marie Redmond has done all the work and research to marry the authentic and delicious flavors of Louisiana cooking with principles of healthy eating. A list of pantry essentials forms the cornerstone of her plan and offers substitutes for ingredients high in carbohydrates (like Greek yogurt instead of butter). A shopping guide helps you to plan a successful and efficient trip to the grocery store. Recipes for such flavorful dishes as Mardi Gras Mambo Cajun Rice Dressing and Skinny Louisiana Cajun Chicken Pasta let you celebrate the best of Louisiana’s eats without the worry of compromising your health!

Shelly Marie Redmond is a culinary dietitian, media personality and founder of the Skinny Louisiana brand. She is a partner in Eberhart Physical Therapy, where she works with clients on food-related issues.

Veteran food columnist and cookbook author Marlyn Monette writes for The Times in Shreveport and is a frequent guest on television cooking programs. She liberally laces her recipes with amusing family stories.

Backstreet and little-known grub stops in New Orleans!

". . . an updated version of those classic Creole cookbooks you (should) already have on your shelf."

--Robert Peyton, restaurant reporter for New Orleans Magazine

". . . illustrates how our native cuisine has evolved in the 21st century while still keeping all of its familiar flavors."

--Poppy Tooker, author of Louisiana Eats!

A variety of recipes from restaurants, including Toups' Meatery, Purloo, Kingfish, and many more, celebrates a new group of successful eateries sure to become New Orleans classics. Each recipe is accompanied by stunning photos, and chapters are introduced with colorful folk art from Simon of New Orleans.

The iconic restaurant famous for Breakfast at Brennan's was a Creole favorite and New Orleans staple for decades before its closure in 2013. Now available in paperback, these classic recipes are sprinkled with both family and restaurant history and seasoned with the original illustrations. This collection is a must for everyone with a craving for true New Orleans flavor!

A wide variety of recipes, encompassing everything from crisp salads to warm, flaky desserts. All of these recipes retain their original flavor and flair but are offered in a healthier format, with nutritional information on every dish.

From Lobster Salad to Baked Stuffed Oysters and Crawfish Bisque, this compilation of recipes offers the best of New Orleans cuisine. Chef Lena Richards pulled inspiration from her southern roots and her experience in the catering business, to create delectable dishes. In addition to recipes, this comprehensive cookbook offers menu ideas for both formal and informal dinners.

A tour of some of the most historic saloons in America.

There is no doubt that New Orleans has more drinking establishments per capita than any other city in the United States. Lavishly illustrated with more than 200 photographs, this elegant pictorial history provides a glimpse into the architectural and cultural treasures still operating today. From urban legends to classic recipes, all is revealed in this collection of fascinating true stories.

This second cookbook from Leah Chase not only comes with her famous recipes, but it also contains her reflections on life, business, family, and friends. Now in paperback, the collection includes menus for special events.

A resource cookbook for the canner, gardener, gourmet chef, baker, and beginning home cook. More than 400 recipes for jellies, jams, butters, and preserves, with recipes for cooking with delicious homemade potables.

Highlighting favorites such as phó and bánh mì, Pfefferle takes readers on a culinary tour of family traditions, festivals, and urban farms. A delightful range of recipes is included-from Vietnamese classics supplied by family-run restaurants to Asian-inspired dishes created by chefs Emeril Lagasse and John Besh.

This pictorial guide focuses on a dynamic cuisine and the history of the local Vietnamese community following the fall of Saigon in 1975. Pfefferle showcases the flavors of family life, the seafood industry, and the annual Tõt festivities. A glossary defines Vietnamese words and ingredients.

The beautiful homes and classic recipes of the Crescent-City holidays! Tour the stunning sights of the season in this beautiful volume. Decorations, including garlands, mantels, table settings, and Christmas trees, deck the pages. Luminous photographs portray public events such as Celebration in the Oaks and caroling in historic Jackson Square. Bring in the New Year with recipes from traditional reveillon feasts at the city's most famous restaurants. Private and historic homes from Uptown to English Turn open their doors to readers, while residents and designers discuss their holiday embellishments and themes. Glimpse parties, family celebrations, and more. Recipes and details abound in this stunning snapshot of a magical season.

"A must-read for anyone from beginner to practiced bartender. Marvin has made a serious study over the decades of what makes taste buds sit up and take notice."
-Joe Fee, Fee Brothers Bitters

"Great bartenders in America are appreciated. In New Orleans, they are revered, and no one is more so than the Carousel's Marvin Allen. His deft touch in creating a historically proper and balanced cocktail is a joy to behold and to taste. This volume is a reflection of his love for his craft and his city. Party on! Where are the go-cups?"
-Tim McNally, host of The Wine Show, wine and spirits editor of New Orleans Magazine

Swizzle your way from January to December with this indispensable introduction to the world of cocktails. Each month, experiment with a new spirit as you create fresh, well-balanced drinks. Included are the basics of equipment, ingredients, and techniques, as well as snippets of lore and suggestions for exploring new recipes and variations. Veteran crafters and budding enthusiasts alike will delight in these concoctions, which range from classics like the Sidecar and the Ultimate Classic Gin Martini to daring twists like Satan's Whiskers or the absinthe-based Monkey Gland. Discover tastes old and new in this clear, conversational guide to mixing your own magic.

Written by award-winning chef, culinary instructor, food columnist, and bakery director Bev Shaffer, this tasted-and-tested collection spans the brownie spectrum. In addition to a history of brownies, baking basics, and useful information on chocolate, the recipes collected here include everything from classics like Deluxe Brownies with Caramel Sauce and Swirled Brownies to more adventuresome suggestions like Raspberry-Mascarpone-Filled Brownies, Kahlua Brownies, Macadamia-Nut White Brownies, Cappuccino Brownies, and much more.

This is the French language version of Mrs. Simms' Fun Cooking Guide. Cooking in several languages comes naturally to Myrtle Landry Simms, a descendant of French immigrants and Acadian refugees from Nova Scotia.

A classic is updated for a new generation!

The iconic Court of Two Sisters restaurant is known for the best Creole dining in the Crescent City. Joseph Fein III and his brother, Jerome, operated the business for years and wrote the original version of this cookbook with food historian Mel Leavitt. Now a new generation has stepped into their shoes. Bring home the historic flavors of this French Quarter jewel with recipes for their famous Barbeque Shrimp, Bread Pudding, and signature Turtle Soup. With new photographs and additional recipes, this modernized classic offers a comprehensive history of the city and restaurant, making it a must-have for any lover of New Orleans cuisine.

A New Orleans tradition, any time of day.

Celebrate the Big Easy with this collection of fifty classic brunch recipes from legendary restaurants such as Brennan's, Dooky Chase's, and Antoine's. From beignets with cafe au lait to grits and grillades, these recipes sparkle for any occasion. Tips, techniques, and inside secrets accompany each lusciously photographed recipe.

Discover the origins of "second breakfast" in New Orleans.

Originally published in 1900 from the handwritten notes of Mme. Bégué herself, this collection of dishes from a quintessential New Orleans restaurant are now available in a reprint of the 1937 edition.

Discover how the Midwest refined the nation's sweet tooth through a delicious mix of immigrant traditions and American ingenuity.

Chef Jenny Lewis dips a spoon into generations of homemade desserts and examines the inner workings of some of the biggest brands of the baking industry. Learn how to make Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, witness the rise of Red Star Yeast, and plumb the secrets of the Kraft Oil Method, before sitting down to consume an engaging history in which Midwest beet sugar, vanilla cream and evaporated milk are mixed into a narrative of wars, social shifts, and politics. Encounter a rich medley of true stories and irresistible recipes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan in this delightful collection.

Mix up a cocktail New Orleans-style. From highfalutin to down home, from Sazeracs to mint juleps, this gorgeous cocktail cookbook offers more than sixty recipes from famous New Orleans establishments and mixologists, along with photographs, history, and narratives. These Crescent City cocktails are easy on the eyes and the taste buds and can be paired with recipes from the Classics Series.