Every Day's a Party: Louisiana Recipes for Celebrating with Family and Friends

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

With restaurants in New Orleans, Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas, Nev., two shows on the Food Network and five cookbooks, Lagasse is a multimedia phenomenon. This manic, in-your-face cookbook collects Louisiana-style recipes for holidays and events, some familiar (Thanksgiving is to be celebrated with Emeril's Fried Turkey), some local (the New Iberia Gumbo Cook-Off, featuring Gumbo Ya-Ya with sausage) and some purely personal (Lagasse's parents' anniversary with his-and-hers entr es: Mr. John's Veal Chops with Smoked Gouda Cheese Macaroni and Hilda's Mahi Mahi with Seasonal Vegetables). There is no shortage of the heavy foods for which Lagasse has become famous: Andouille Corn Dogs and a Roasted Pork and French Fry Poorboy. Lagasse (who admits to being a native of Fall River, Mass.) also includes plenty of Louisiana shellfish, such as Crawfish Pies, My Way, and Marinated Crab Claws. There are nods to the trendy (Goat Cheese-Stuffed Soft-Shell Crabs with a Pecan-Pesto Butter Sauce) and the trashy (Frito Pie--basically chili poured into a bag of corn chips--and Sugared Popcorn). Desserts tend toward the goopy and cavity aching, such as his Chocolate Bundt Cakes with Peanut Butter Filling and Chocolate Glaze. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

From popular Food Channel staple Lagasse comes a new collection that offers a reason to celebrate at least twice a month. For the expected Christmas, Easter, and anniversary parties--as well as the uniquely Louisianian events of the Shrimp Festival, Jazz Fest, and the Sugar Bowl--Lagasse, Bienvenu, and Willett (Emeril's TV Dinners) offer menus, plain and fancy. Recipes vary from simple to complex, but precise instructions enable an experienced cook in a home kitchen to produce delicious results; dishes are well seasoned but not incendiary. Photos of family and friends add to the party atmosphere but don't illustrate the recipes. Personable notes on the events and recipes will inspire the reader to throw a party of his or her own. An attractive, cohesive collection; expect demand from fans, but even those who don't go for Emeril's television style will find his fourth cookbook worthwhile.--Devon Thomas, Highland Twp. Lib., MI Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.