Talk About Good Cookbook

by Junior league of Lafayette

The original cookbook from Cajun Country, this first Junior League of Lafayette cookbook takes you on a journey through south Louisiana's traditions, cultural heritage and culinary artistries of Cajun food. This versatile cookbook starts with a "roux" and ends with a Gumbo! Talk About Good!, first published in 1967, is now in its 30th printing, with over 775,000 copies sold. This timeless classic is a must for all great cooks. 450 pages, hard-cover with concealed wire. Over 1200 crossed indexed recipes.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Southern

480 pages, Hardcover

Published January 7, 1969

Reviews

[ALLEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the success of Baton Rouge's classic RIVER ROAD RECIPES (Junior League, 1959), it seemed inevitable that other attempts by other Southern Junior League groups would follow. This TALK ABOUT GOOD! cookbook, from the Junior League of Lafayette (LA) in 1967, is too good to be called an imitation. According to a 2017 article in the Washington Post, TALK ABOUT GOOD! became as much a part of area kitchens as "the cast-iron pot, aluminum Magnalites and Chime-O-Matic rice cooker." Redoubtable Cajun and Southern recipes form the backbone of this very worthy effort. It also prompted a sequel by the Lafayette Junior League, TALK ABOUT GOOD! II, and two books of reminiscences that include recipes.

Although it's a little dated in spots (judging by the fondness for bright-colored Jell-O desserts), on the whole the contents have held up fine, and work just as well today as they did in the Sixties. As others have pointed out, the recipes here are really family recipes, not recipes gathered by editors, professional chefs or columnists. Spiral-binding makes TALK ABOUT GOOD! easy to use in the kitchen. It has never been out of print in its fifty-one-year history that I know of. Would make a great gift.

NOTE: As of this update (July, 2018) Amazon still carries the spiral-bound volume pictured above, but the Junior League of Lafayette, Louisiana (juniorleagueoflafayette dot com) informs me it has switched to a hardbound format with "concealed wire" inside.

[Cynthia Nobles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets 5 stars because it is chock full of authentic Cajun food. It was written before the much-hyped Cajun craze of the 1980s, and its recipes are what the average southwest Louisiana family cooked every day.

[Cynthia Paschen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Junior League cookbooks, this one especially. My copy is from 2016, the 32nd printing. It is formatted with a handy spiral binding and a wonderful index. Sections include: Mardi Gras, Gumbos, Eggs Cheese Grits and Rice, Seafood, and Comidas de Mexico.

A wonderful resource.

Well, now I am wondering if I loaned this out? I will look again, if my copy has a spiral binding it may be hidden in the back of the shelf. Sigh.

[Jesse Royston petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a southern girl and this is the most authentic cajun cookbook out there.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous cookbook full of authentic Cajun and Acadian cooking.

[Sandy (WI girl at heart) · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots and lots of great Cajun Recipes.

[HeavyReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mom had this cookbook when I was growing up. When she and my dad divorced, I somehow ended up with it. I cooked out of it quite a bit when I was in college. I don't know what happened to it and don't remember when it disappeared. I didn't have it when I lived in Kansas. Mysterious.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful resource for cajun recipes.

[Jay Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fantastic. People just don't cook like this anymore. These recipes are down home cooking but don't mistake that for simple. They are complex and delicious.

[Sterling Badon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was first published in 1967 and is in its 30th printing. This book still has the same recipes it had on the very first print! It has sold close to 800,000 copies the last I had heard. It is a collection of recipes I grew up eating. Every household around me owned a copy. I am from Carencro, which is part of Lafayette Parish, where the author is from. If you like Acadian, Cajun, or Creole food, I highly advise buying this book. I have even seen this book on shelves in several Barnes and Nobles. Not just the one copy they usually put up to offer a book but a stack of them on the shelf.

[Angel Sylestine · Rating 5 out of 5]

All time best cookbook

[Jennifer]

I inherited this from my grandmother's cookbook collection.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good... Just not great