Customer Reviews

Joe Simmer's Creole Slow Cookin'

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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It wasn't three years ago when my buddy Bruce brought over the crock pot for the first time; it was a birthday present he gave me to keep Rotel and Velveeta cheese warm while we watched the 2004 Rose Bowl. We used the appliance on and off over the years for keeping dips warm during football, baseball, basketball, and hockey games, never thinking twice that it could be used for anything else.

One afternnon at Winn Dixie while waiting in the checkout line, my wife Barbara spotted a crock pot cookbook nestled on the shelf between between an astrology book and a book of cat names. Until then we'd had no idea that our appliance could be used to cook food. Unfortunately, however, when we took a stab at cooking the book's recipes, they tasted like microwaved Alpo, except that I would NOT feed it to my dog. I wrote a stern letter to General Mills condemning the publication.

Things changed when Barb's sister Cathy told us about a new book by Joe Simmer. Barb claims that he's a third cousin on her mother's side. Reared in Chalmette, LA and having grown up on jambalaya and crawfish etouffee', I can say with confidence that Joe's recipes truly hit their mark. Of the books recipes that I have tried so far, each is slow-simmered to sensational, and in most cases giving even my Aunt Ruth's recipes a run for their money. The traditional dishes like shrimp creole are unlike any I have ever had, and there is only one word to describe one of Joe's originals, the chocolate city chicken mole': truly phenomenal. On top of the great recipes, Joe's book is peppered with stories of his New Orleans upbringing as well as his travels abroad that will make you smirk while doing food prep.

Joe Simmer's book has catalyzed our crock pot's graduation from a box on top of the refrigerator to its rightful home on the countertop, right next to the toaster. These days when we take the wave runners to Lake Maurepas, one of Joe's recipes and a crock pot set to low are guaranteed to ensure a mind-blowing dinner for everyone at the end of the day. Slow really is the way. Crock on, Joe Simmer.

i, like the fella who wrote the previous review, honestly didn't know crockpots were used for anything else besides warming cheese dips and other foods. it wasn't until i moved to austin, texas for a few months after the storm that i realized you could actually cook in them. after moving from one house to the next i finally ended up at a friend of my aunt's that loved to cook. she worked all day and didn't have much time too cook, so she often used her crock pot. she could put everything in it in the morning, set it on low, and the food would be ready when she got home. i was never able to cook anything right, but this seemed like cooking that i could actually handle. so after i moved home i bought a crock pot and it sat in the kitchen for a couple of months. i finally bought a cookbook and tried a couple things. they were good but nothing was phenomenal. until my friend told me about a new cookbook by some local guys that had the classic local foods i like to eat. and man, was it good. this cookbook is so much more than i expected! i love it and would consider myself a good (crock pot) cook now. i love the shrimp and okra and the louisiana state senate soup. the chili and the chicken etoufee are really good too. if you like easy, awesome, and classic new orleans food, this book is definitely the one. i am constantly talking about it and i even won the monthly employee cook-off in my office with the shrimp and okra recipe. this book would be a great present for relatives and co-workers.

We came back to New Orleans in June and moved into a lovely 2 bedroom trailer. My only complaint about the trailer is the kitchen. It's just too small and the electric stove doesn't work like my old gas one did. Other than that, the trailer is quite cozy. Well anyway, we tried cooking some of our favorite recipes in the trailer kitchen, but we usually burned everything and stunk up the trailer. So we had been eating out regularly, which was not helping with our budget to restore our flooded home. I recently bought Joe Simmer's cookbook and replaced my old crockpot. Well let me tell you, life is great now. We sit around the trailer eating great food like seafood gumbo,chicken fricassee,and mexican roofer pinto beans and rice. It's so easy to cook in the trailer now. All I have to do is follow Joe's directions, turn on that crock pot, and kick back. Thanks to Joe, life in the trailer aint so bad.

My crockpot has been sitting in my cupboard for 3 years. Now I finally have a reason to take it out. These recipes are so easy and so delicious. If you like creole food and don't have the time to fuss over a pot all day, this is the cookbook for you. The wines that are suggested for each recipe are perfectly chosen. My personal favorites are the red bean and ham soup and the white bean and collard green soup. Perfect for a fall evening. Don't forget to read about Joe's adventures before some of the recipes. This guy sure has had a "seasoned life".

I ordered this book and could hardly wait for it to arrive. I am a seasoned New Orleans cook and I'm here to tell ya'll this is the real thing made easy. I moved to Savannah, GA 12 years ago. Boy did I miss the food from home. The food here is good but there is nothing like food from New Orleans. So I had to learn to cook my favorite dishes. This book represents how I cook everyday. I made Joe's Butter Beans and Rice last Monday and c'est ci bon (Oh so good). And easy. I can't wait to try more of his version of my favorites. So, dawlin', getch'ya crockpot out and stawt cookin'.

I bought 1 of these for a friend as a gift, and 1 for myself.

I live in Katrina Kountry, & these recipes ring true to actual food here. I've already made the chix & andouille gumbo, doing the stock in the crock. It was delish. I'll be trying more, especially the chocolate city mole & the Mexican roofer pinto beans & rice. Macque choux is something I made for a church group from PA just after the storm, & it went over real big. Next time I'll crock it.

"Joe Simmer" is actually the nom de plume of the guys that own the Gumbo Shop, one of New Orleans's little gems - Joe knows Creole! I love to cook and to read cookbooks, and probably have about 100 of them on New Orleans cuisine. This is the one I use the most.
The recipes are surprisingly easy to prepare and oh my is the food good. I cook the grillades and grits for small dinner parties and get rave reviews everytime. The gumbo recipe is outstanding (as it should be) and even the red bean recipe is now my standard. The best part is the recipes really are foolproof, and don't require many exotic ingredients (except seafood, hopefully from LA.) or advanced techniques.
I've started giving the Joe Simmer cookbooks (there are now several of them) along with a 6-quart slow cooker as wedding presents.
If you want really good Creole food without a lot of stress and anxiety, this is the book for you.

Full of stories about 'Joe Simmer' and his family, this book is full of great, easy recipes for the crock pot. There are about 5 recipes that I use regularly and make nice comfort food. I've given as a gift to family in the Northwest, and gotten a lot of people hooked on Cajun/Creole that couldn't spell NOLA before....

First cookbook I've seen that makes creole recipes for the crockpot. The mock turtle soup is a standout! Also loved the various tongue in cheek notations throughout.

this book was recommended by my brother who lives on the bayous of la.--is a great cook himself and rarely recommends a book unless he has tried and enjoyed several receipes