Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen: Cooking Through the Seasons on Avery Island (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "When I was a young girl living on my father's farm, spring was a busy time..." (more)
Key Phrases: brand pepper sauce, bake until lightly golden, cup seeded, Eula Mae, Avery Island, Marsh House (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Acadiana "Cajun" cooking, America's popular regional cuisine, is captured here by self-taught Dore, who has lived on Avery Island, La., since 1949. With her husband, she managed the Tabasco Company Commissary, cooking for the island's residents, visitors and owners, the McIlhenny family. The book, written with Bienvenu (a Cajun expert best known for co-authoring four books with Emeril Lagasse), is divided into seasons that reflect the rhythm of the island and the cyclical nature of the produce and ingredients used. Within each season, the recipes are divided into menus marking different events, from a May Wedding with Party Pecan Tarts using a flaky cream cheese pastry dough, through a Fourth of July Barbecue with its uncomplicated Commissary Cole Slaw and Eula Mae's Potato Salad (given a kick from Tabasco pepper sauce), to A Family Thanksgiving Feast with a simple Roasted Chicken. Brief descriptions before each recipe ("grits, for those of you not familiar with them, are simply finely ground corn") give the book a homey feel that echoes Dore's dishes, and the reminiscences that she sprinkles throughout add flavor and color to a book that brings this traditional regional style to kitchens everywhere.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Avery Island, LA, is home of the Mclhenny Company, manufacturer of Tabasco sauce, and Dor‚ has cooked for the McIlhennys and their employees for more than 50 years, first at the Tabasco Company Commissary and, more recently, for special events and celebrations. With coauthor Bienvenu, another authority on Cajun food, she presents 17 menus organized by season, from "Easter on the Cheniere" to "A Family Thanksgiving Feast" to "St. Patrick's Day in Acadiana," with 100 or so recipes for Cajun-style home cooking. Bienvenu introduces each menu with reminiscences from Dor‚, and there are black-and-white snapshots of her kitchen, family and friends, and favorite Avery Island spots. For local libraries and other collections on regional cooking.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Common Press (November 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155832240X
• ISBN-13: 978-1558322400
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #354,078 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cajun Delight, August 15, 2005

By	James L. Clark - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Miss Eula Mae has captured the spirit of Cajun cuisine. Of course, it didn't hurt that she lives on Avery Island and cooks under the auspices of Paul McIlhenny(of Tabasco fame). I found the recipes easy to use and uniformly delicious. My only problem was that I had a hard time choosing among all the great offerings. I suspect that I won't live long enough to try them all, but I intend to make a valiant effort to do so. If you like Louisiana cooking, whether or not you're accomplished at it, this is the cookbook for you.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A little piece of Acadiana., January 5, 2003

By A Customer

Besides a good collection of everyday Cajun food, this book is rich in the history and lore of the area. Thanks to Eula Mae Dore and Marcelle Bienvenue, the history as well as the recipes of this area will not be lost.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious and Easy to Follow, January 30, 2005

By	Jo Anne C. Knight "Reading Addict" (North Little Rock, AR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

My husband has taken up cooking in the last few years and has begun to appreciate cookbooks. This is one of his favorites. We both love the recipes he has tried. He says, "The recipes are delicious and easy to follow. Eula Mae's fascinating stories make the book even more enjoyable."