New Orleans native writes cultural cookbook about the region

Reporter|February 20, 2013

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Cultural facts can be found in St. Pierre’s culinary book.

Book People hosted a debut on Friday for author Todd Michael St. Pierre’s new cookbook, “Taste of Treme; Creole, Cajun and Soul Food from New Orleans’s Famous Neighborhood of Jazz.” The book includes cultural facts about the music, architecture and dining that make up New Orleans’ unique neighborhood of Treme.

St. Pierre is a Creole and Cajun foodie and New Orleans native. He is the author of several cookbooks and children’s picture books, and has developed recipes for Cooking Light magazine. He is also a contributing writer to elementary and middle-school textbooks published by Oxford University Press. His favorite thing to do, however, is pay tribute to his hometown of New Orleans through his books.

Pierre grew up amidst the vivacious and lively culture of jazz and soul cooking. From a young age he fell in love with the rich flavors and spices of southern Louisiana style food.

“My grandmother is Cajun, and I remember she would whip up the best dishes when I was a child,” said Pierre. “No one makes gumbo like she can.”

 

The cookbook includes many recipes for favorite New Orleans dishes such as Crawfish and Corn Beignets, shrimp and okra hushpuppies, chicken and Andouille gumbo, Po’ Boys, bananas foster and much more. If that doesn’t make you hungry, the book has more to offer than just recipes. In addition to facts about the culture and history of New Orleans, Pierre includes a poem he wrote about Hurricane Katrina in the Appendix section.

“After Katrina I was in a hotel in Austin, Texas and watching all of the events unfold on CNN. I was crying my eyes out…I just started writing something. I knew it wasn’t the best thing ever but it was how I felt,” said Pierre.

The poem is titled, “Storm Child” and it is about overcoming Hurricane Katrina as well as the many ‘storms’ in life.

“It’s really difficult to watch the place you grew up in and love so dearly become completely drowned under water,” Pierre said.

The author insisted that he is definitely no poet, but went ahead and read a verse from “Storm Child.”

“May your life be filled with jazz, All the beauty this world has, May joie de vivre fill your soul, May good gumbo fill your bowl,” said Pierre.

He hopes that this cookbook shines a positive light on New Orleans and all the rich culture it has to offer, and that people will remember the city as, “the mighty storm child.”

“This book is a reflection of myself,” Pierre said. “I am the storm child.”