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Louisiana is famous for its culinary delights, and the state's rich medley of treats and confections proves its sweet tooth. Creative bakers improvised traditional recipes during days of rationing to create gateau de sirop (syrup cake) and bread pudding. Early customers of Lea's Lunchroom's pies in central Louisiana included outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, who dropped by while they were on the run. During the 1950s, singers Hank Williams Sr. and Elvis Presley hung out at Shreveport's Southern Maid Donuts after performing at the popular Louisiana Hayride country music broadcast. Author Dixie Poché dives into the recipes and history behind such beloved regional specialties as Mardi Gras king cake, flaming Bananas Foster, Cajun Country's pain perdu and many more.

The cuisine of Southeast Louisiana is informed by a unique landscape. Defined by water--Vermillion Bay to the west, marshlands to the east, the Mississippi River to the north and the Gulf Coast to the south--the scenery transitions from verdant swamps to open seas stocked with diverse wildlife. The indigenous Cajun cuisine is a cultural blend three centuries in the making, with traces of American Indian, French, German, Italian and African heritage. To feed themselves and bourgeoning markets, locals built formidable aquaculture empires. Eventually, the area became less isolated, offering more opportunity while threatening traditions. With interviews and family recipes, authors Addie K. and Jeremy Martin present the history behind this enchanting culinary tradition.

Up and down the Arkansas Delta, food tells a story. Whether the time Bill Clinton nearly died on the way to a coon dinner or the connections made over biscuits and gravy or the more common chicken and dumpling feuds, the area is no stranger to history. One of America's last frontiers, it was settled in the late nineteenth century by a rough-and-tumble collection of timber men, sharecroppers and entrepreneurs from all over the world who embraced the traditional foodways and added their own twists. Today, the Arkansas Delta is the nation's largest producer of rice and adds other crops like catfish and sweet potatoes. Join author Cindy Grisham for this delicious look into Delta cuisine.