My New Orleans: The Cookbook: 200 of My Favorite Recipes & Stories From My Hometown
by John BeshAndrews McMeel, 374 pp., $45
Chef John Besh is a proud native son of Louisiana, and this big new book is his unabashed love letter to the rich traditions and diverse culinary heritage of his hometown. Besh’s premier New Orleans restaurant, August, was one of the first to reopen after Hurricane Katrina and the levee failures devastated the historic old city. Besh busied himself feeding survivors and relief workers while giving his employees and customers a reason to come home. He’s one of many people dedicated to the revival of one of the world’s great food cities, and this lovely collection of recipes, stories, and inviting photographs is part of his contribution to that effort.
My New Orleans is a beautiful book and certainly coffee-table-worthy, but it’s also a wonderful read, chock-full of fascinating information about authentic Louisiana ingredients and traditional seasonal celebrations. And be sure to take it into the kitchen, because Besh’s recipes will inspire good cooking and plenty of satisfaction afterward. No matter how many books you have on the cuisine of New Orleans (and I already have a whole bookshelf full), it’s imperative that you find room for this one. Besh’s cooking class at the Whole Foods Market Culinary Center on April 17 is sold out, but he will present a cooking demo followed by a booksigning at the Sunday Fair: Sunday, April 18, at 12:15pm.
This article appears in April 16 • 2010.