Gumbo - (Savor the South Cookbooks) by Dale Curry

Book Synopsis

Recalling childhood visits to her grandmother's house in New Orleans, where she would feast on shrimp and okra gumbo, Dale Curry offers fifty recipes -- for gumbos, jambalayas, and those little something extras known as lagniappe -- that will put Louisiana taste and hospitality on your table. "Gumbo" calls to mind the diverse culinary traditions of Louisiana that, like gumbo itself, are simmered from elements of the many cultures circulating in the state. Drawing historically from French, African, Caribbean, Native American, Spanish, Italian, and other culinary sources, the Creole and Cajun cooking featured in Gumbo embraces the best of local shellfish, sausages, poultry, and game.

The heart of Louisiana home cooking -- and now showcased by of chefs across the South and beyond -- gumbo, jambalaya, and lagniappe traditionally drew from the state's waterways and estuaries rich with crustaceans, swamps exploding with waterfowl and alligators, and forests full of game. From the land came rice and peppers, two leading ingredients in gumbo and jambalaya. Recipes include classic and traditional dishes, as well as specialties offered by star chefs Bart Bell, Leah Chase, Emeril Lagasse, Donald Link, and Tory McPhail. With Curry's easy-to-follow instructions at hand, home cooks will be ready to let the good times roll at every meal.

Review Quotes

"[A] wonderful. . . series of cookbooks that looks at the favorite foods and culinary traditions of the American South."--The Advocate

"Curry's lifetime of experience informs . . . Gumbo."--New Orleans Times-Picayune

"Delving into the history of the ethnic cultures that created Cajun and Creole cuisines, Dale Curry masterfully leads the reader through the addition of every ingredient and seasoning that goes into each pot of gumbo. A valuable documentation of the evolution of one of America's most iconic (and true) regional foods -- no other work recently published so effectively covers the subject of gumbo." -- Terry Thompson-Anderson, author of Texas on the Table: People, Places & Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State

"In this impressive and thorough introduction to gumbo, jambalaya, and wonderful lagniappes, the reader is given an enjoyable culinary history lesson -- and extremely appealing recipes. A real sense of place is felt all the way through, and I am pleased to know so much more about these culinary icons of Louisiana cooking." -- Cynthia Graubart, coauthor of Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking

About the Author

Dale Curry, who served as the New Orleans Times-Picayune food editor for twenty years, is the author of New Orleans Home Cooking. She now writes about food for New Orleans Magazine.