A mingling of French, Caribbean, African, Spanish, and Native American influences has created the unique culture of New Orleans, from Mardi Gras to the blues. And like the city itself, the cuisine of New Orleans is an exuberant, creative mix, evoking the legacy of three continents. Step into any Cajun or Creole kitchen and you will experience an extraordinary blend of Old World and New.

In The Best of New Orleans, food expert Brooke Dojny has selected the finest dishes of south Louisiana in their most classic guises. From a base of French culinary principles, enlivened by a dash of American ingenuity, come thick spicy gumbos and jambalayas, barbecued and blackened seafood, fiery andouille sausages, superb Sweet Potato Pie and luscious Bananas Foster. Each recipe includes advice on special cooking techniques, and a glossary describes and defines everything from filé powder to cayenne, grillade to courtbouillon. Color photographs of the finished dishes and of New Orleans itself capture the joie de vivre of this most irresistible of cuisines.