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Louisiana Eats!: The People, the Food, and Their Stories
WINNER OF THE LOUISIANA LITERARY AWARD
Celebrating the traditions of Louisiana's food, chefs, and cooks! Radio host Poppy Tooker takes readers on a culinary journey filled with the stories of some of Louisiana's most notable chefs and cooks. From the queen of Creole cuisine Leah Chase to Roman Candyman Ronnie Kottemann, Tooker includes profiles and recipes from beloved culinary icons. Photographer David G. Spielman provides an intimate portrait in black and white for each food personality introduced.
Celebrating the traditions of Louisiana's food, chefs, and cooks! Radio host Poppy Tooker takes readers on a culinary journey filled with the stories of some of Louisiana's most notable chefs and cooks. From the queen of Creole cuisine Leah Chase to Roman Candyman Ronnie Kottemann, Tooker includes profiles and recipes from beloved culinary icons. Photographer David G. Spielman provides an intimate portrait in black and white for each food personality introduced.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
10 people want to read
About the author
Poppy Tooker
11 books1 followerPoppy Tooker is a native New Orleanian who has spent her life immersed in the vibrant colors and flavors of her hometown.
Louisiana Eats, the NPR member affiliated weekly radio show produced and hosted by Poppy Tooker takes listeners into the fields, the waters, the markets and kitchens to hear from the people who maintain the state’s storied food traditions and create new culinary magic inspired by the wealth of Louisiana’s food culture.
Poppy contributes colorful food commentary on WYES, the New Orleans PBS affiliate's weekly arts and entertainment show, Steppin' Out. She has shared the screen with television celebrities such as Extreme Cuisine’s Jeff Corwin, Foodography’s Mo Rocca and even Bobby Flay could not resist a Throwdown with Poppy. Her famous seafood gumbo proved unbeatable on the popular Food Network show!
Poppy’s on camera flair has been viewed across the world in documentary projects such as Savouring the World and Taste of New Zealand. The History Channel enlisted her whimsical point of view for the Holiday Foods episode of America Eats. Poppy was a featured guest on Dining After Hours with Chef Daniel Boulud.
Louisiana Eats, the NPR member affiliated weekly radio show produced and hosted by Poppy Tooker takes listeners into the fields, the waters, the markets and kitchens to hear from the people who maintain the state’s storied food traditions and create new culinary magic inspired by the wealth of Louisiana’s food culture.
Poppy contributes colorful food commentary on WYES, the New Orleans PBS affiliate's weekly arts and entertainment show, Steppin' Out. She has shared the screen with television celebrities such as Extreme Cuisine’s Jeff Corwin, Foodography’s Mo Rocca and even Bobby Flay could not resist a Throwdown with Poppy. Her famous seafood gumbo proved unbeatable on the popular Food Network show!
Poppy’s on camera flair has been viewed across the world in documentary projects such as Savouring the World and Taste of New Zealand. The History Channel enlisted her whimsical point of view for the Holiday Foods episode of America Eats. Poppy was a featured guest on Dining After Hours with Chef Daniel Boulud.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 24, 2015
First off, I LOVE Poppy Tooker. I'm a big fan of her show. I love her style, and like Poppy, I love New Orleans and Louisiana culture. A big part of the reason I moved to this city is because of the food, so I'm the natural audience for this book.
As for the book, it's filled with relatively simple recipes, some of Poppy's favorites, and make-at-home versions of regional dishes. The simplicity and accessibility of the recipes make the book a useful inclusion to a new New Orleans cook's arsenal. The history and stories of the people in the local food culture, past and present, make for interesting reading for anyone who is curious about why we eat what and when in New Orleans.
The only drawbacks to the book are that it's too short (easily read in an hour or so), and as the title indicates, it's somewhat of a retelling of episodes of the radio show. If you've listened religiously to Louisiana Eats!, and if you're already knowledgeable about local foods, you might be bored with some of the content. A few of the recipes are so simple that they felt like filler that could have been left out or replaced with something better. Then again, someone out there might be intrigued by them, the way I was at the thought of making my own taffy at home, something I would likely never have thought to do, otherwise, despite the simplicity of the recipe.
As for the book, it's filled with relatively simple recipes, some of Poppy's favorites, and make-at-home versions of regional dishes. The simplicity and accessibility of the recipes make the book a useful inclusion to a new New Orleans cook's arsenal. The history and stories of the people in the local food culture, past and present, make for interesting reading for anyone who is curious about why we eat what and when in New Orleans.
The only drawbacks to the book are that it's too short (easily read in an hour or so), and as the title indicates, it's somewhat of a retelling of episodes of the radio show. If you've listened religiously to Louisiana Eats!, and if you're already knowledgeable about local foods, you might be bored with some of the content. A few of the recipes are so simple that they felt like filler that could have been left out or replaced with something better. Then again, someone out there might be intrigued by them, the way I was at the thought of making my own taffy at home, something I would likely never have thought to do, otherwise, despite the simplicity of the recipe.
December 8, 2013
Full disclosure: Poppy is my pal. She is someone who calls me up and then shows up (with a gift usually, cuz she is a proper New Orleans/Ursuline/Uptown girl) with insight, thoughtful questions and hilarious stories perfectly primed to win uproarious laughter.
What made me a fan of hers early on was her razor-sharp take on people and situations, sometimes devastatingly so. She is enormously kind and open to people who ring true and to those that don't-well there is no one that receives her wrath that is ever underserving. If they get it, they usually have made one of two unforgivable sins: either they underestimated HER or they underestimated her city, her state or her people.
Another disclosure: I believe Poppy deserves as much credit as anyone in my region for rebuilding the New Orleans food system after the federal levee breaks in 2005. Too many stories to tell here, but come on over to the bayou and if you care, I'll tell you some of them over a drink. Or two. There are a lot of them to tell. Some of them are funny, some are sweet, some even a bit crazy.
These two points are linked since her life's work is to actively promote entrepreneurs and real ideas that will build (or rebuild when necessary) the culture of her place, Louisiana. In doing that work, she has extended her range to add any authentic food system across the globe, which explains her Slow Food International connection that meant that New Orleans gained the Slow Food patina from the mid 1990s on.
Let me also say that the SFUSA folks understood her range, giving her much early credit for shaping the U.S. work that she built with others-that is, until she had to unleash her wrath on the previous Slow Food leadership over the (mis) direction of a crucial program that she had helped shepherd. Luckily, she and SF have since made up when SF corrected their mistake:
http://www.sobounola.com/whats-new/un...
More about the program: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark-of-tas...
Remember- I warned you that she is a fierce opponent when she feels it's necessary.
When she started the Louisiana Eats show, she had already done a great deal of writing and television. Those opportunities were good, but had not yet captured what I have attempted above to explain about her. Those talents really began to come to light when she began this show; her intense enjoyment and knowledge of the people and history of food and culture through one-on-one conversations on our local NPR station and now in this book. I remember a glorious Saturday morning on Louisiana Eats when she and Rien Fertel talked about praline sellers and another when she talked with Miss Linda Green, The Yakamein lady, and another when she talked with French bread baker John Gendusa among many others. Each time, I would stop what I was doing and literally stand there and listen intently to her gentle questions and always, always learn something. And I remember her interaction with the dean of New Orleans Creole food, Leah Chase which is always touching and amazing since you get to hear two chefs with great respect for each other just banter and share stories. And the one with my old boss/ her treasured colleague, as he left his beloved city to helm Slow Food USA. (Her understandable pride in that was so evident!) And when she has on young activists or farmers (like Nick Usner who is in the book), you can hear the hope in her voice for the new energy coming along...
So this book is a reminder of many lovely Saturdays ( I usually miss the Wednesday evenings broadcasts but always caught the rebroadcast after my market visit) and is indicative of the tone that I myself have adopted for much of my food activism: wild enthusiasm, critical assessment and a deep appreciation of the stories and background of those unique persons that tell of our culture and food. Because of her, I know to seek them out, and maybe I'll find some new folks from those Poppy has brought to us on her show and in this book. The book itself (lovely photos and recipes) is informative and a great companion to her show and I know that it will stand the test of time as a true record of some of the people that we have in our world. And of my pal who contributes so much to our place.
What made me a fan of hers early on was her razor-sharp take on people and situations, sometimes devastatingly so. She is enormously kind and open to people who ring true and to those that don't-well there is no one that receives her wrath that is ever underserving. If they get it, they usually have made one of two unforgivable sins: either they underestimated HER or they underestimated her city, her state or her people.
Another disclosure: I believe Poppy deserves as much credit as anyone in my region for rebuilding the New Orleans food system after the federal levee breaks in 2005. Too many stories to tell here, but come on over to the bayou and if you care, I'll tell you some of them over a drink. Or two. There are a lot of them to tell. Some of them are funny, some are sweet, some even a bit crazy.
These two points are linked since her life's work is to actively promote entrepreneurs and real ideas that will build (or rebuild when necessary) the culture of her place, Louisiana. In doing that work, she has extended her range to add any authentic food system across the globe, which explains her Slow Food International connection that meant that New Orleans gained the Slow Food patina from the mid 1990s on.
Let me also say that the SFUSA folks understood her range, giving her much early credit for shaping the U.S. work that she built with others-that is, until she had to unleash her wrath on the previous Slow Food leadership over the (mis) direction of a crucial program that she had helped shepherd. Luckily, she and SF have since made up when SF corrected their mistake:
http://www.sobounola.com/whats-new/un...
More about the program: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark-of-tas...
Remember- I warned you that she is a fierce opponent when she feels it's necessary.
When she started the Louisiana Eats show, she had already done a great deal of writing and television. Those opportunities were good, but had not yet captured what I have attempted above to explain about her. Those talents really began to come to light when she began this show; her intense enjoyment and knowledge of the people and history of food and culture through one-on-one conversations on our local NPR station and now in this book. I remember a glorious Saturday morning on Louisiana Eats when she and Rien Fertel talked about praline sellers and another when she talked with Miss Linda Green, The Yakamein lady, and another when she talked with French bread baker John Gendusa among many others. Each time, I would stop what I was doing and literally stand there and listen intently to her gentle questions and always, always learn something. And I remember her interaction with the dean of New Orleans Creole food, Leah Chase which is always touching and amazing since you get to hear two chefs with great respect for each other just banter and share stories. And the one with my old boss/ her treasured colleague, as he left his beloved city to helm Slow Food USA. (Her understandable pride in that was so evident!) And when she has on young activists or farmers (like Nick Usner who is in the book), you can hear the hope in her voice for the new energy coming along...
So this book is a reminder of many lovely Saturdays ( I usually miss the Wednesday evenings broadcasts but always caught the rebroadcast after my market visit) and is indicative of the tone that I myself have adopted for much of my food activism: wild enthusiasm, critical assessment and a deep appreciation of the stories and background of those unique persons that tell of our culture and food. Because of her, I know to seek them out, and maybe I'll find some new folks from those Poppy has brought to us on her show and in this book. The book itself (lovely photos and recipes) is informative and a great companion to her show and I know that it will stand the test of time as a true record of some of the people that we have in our world. And of my pal who contributes so much to our place.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews