Making It Easy: Cajun Cooking, Recipes and Remembrances from Acadiana [Paperback]

Arlene Coco (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 17, 1999 | Series: Making It Easy

Chef Arlene Coco learned Cajun cooking from the best cook in Baton Rouge . . . her mama. Now she passes these lessons on in a simple, easy-to-read style for the beginning as well as the more adventurous cook. Learn the secrets of preparing a perfect roux, critical in many of the classic Cajun dishes. In addition, here and there among the recipes are little memories of a time when life on the bayou was sweet and simple.

Product Details

• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing (February 17, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556226497
• ISBN-13: 978-1556226496
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,325,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, almost fool-proof ways to make great Cajun food!, April 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Making It Easy: Cajun Cooking, Recipes and Remembrances from Acadiana (Paperback)

A gumbo of freshly caught crabs, oysters, and shrimps ... a jamablaya from the Cajun country ... the peppery red beans that Louis Armstrong so loved ... Antoine's famous pompano baked in a paper crescent ... hot puffy rice cakes once hawked on the streets of the Vieux Carre - these are some of the mouth-watering delights that bring travelers flocking to Cajun Country and New Orleans. Combining the culinary traditions of France, Spain, Africa with the Indian gift of New World ingredients, Cajun (Creole) cooking blends and balances these strains to produce its own unique and exciting style.

And to cook its authentic dishes you have to be in on the secrets. These secrets are revealed - lavishly and clearly - in Arlene Coco's new cookbook, Making It Easy: Cajun Cooking.

Now you can master the subtle flavors of Cajun cooking. The deliciously light and crusty New Orleans French bread ... a French Quarter breakfast of eggs Sardou, freshly fried beignets, hot cafe au lait, and bananas flambe ... a fabulous main course as served in Louisiana's finest homes, a traditional Acadian pot dinner that provides a festive party dish in which every bit of chicken or meat goes a long way ... and much, much more. Every recipe is written clearly step-by-step along with a shopping list. In some cases substitutes for hard-to-find local ingredients are provided, although perfectionists will be delighted with the excellent list of mail-order sources for fresh crayfish, indigenous spices, and more.

But this is more than a collection of superb recipes. The source and lore of various dishes are described in charming commentaries. Loving it, wanting to share and preserve its specialness, Arlene Coco has created a book that brings the true flavors of New Orleans and Southwest Louisana and the joys of Cajun cooking, to cooks everywhere!

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent primer for knowing Cajun food and culture!!, July 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Making It Easy: Cajun Cooking, Recipes and Remembrances from Acadiana (Paperback)

We recently moved to Central Louisiana, and had always wanted to experience the food typical to Louisiana. Mme. Coco's book is not only full of succulent recipes, but also makes a good read on being raised in Louisiana as a Cajun. The book also has easy to understand recipes, shopping lists, and serves as a great guide book for those who entertain or hold parties at their homes.