Louisiana Eats!: The People, the Food, and Their Stories
Louisiana Eats!  The People, the Food, and Their Stories By Poppy Tooker Photographs by David G. Spielman [insert other quotes as they come in] "No one knows Louisiana, its kitchens, and its stories like kitchen soul sister Poppy Tooker. She takes us behind the scenes and behind the stove to reveal the secrets, traditions, recipes, and rituals of the great known and unknown food legends of the state." -Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva, NPR's Kitchen Sisters A native New Orleanian, Poppy Tooker is passionate about food and the people who make it. She hosts the popular weekly radio show Louisiana Eats!, introducing the world to the fascinating personalities and the histories behind foods often taken for granted. A writer for publications such as Fine Cooking, Tooker informs readers on the importance of reviving foods pivotal to Louisiana and New Orleans culture. Her first book, The Crescent City Farmers Market Cookbook, received a Tabasco Cookbook award and was named Cookbook of the Year by New Orleans Magazine.  This compilation of interview-based essays and recipes about her favorite subject-food-is a delight for cooks, foodies, and everyone who loves a fascinating story. From the connections between Camellia Brand  red beans and USDA grading systems to the last Uptown stable still housing a mule, each entertaining conversation with Tooker reveals little-known facts and historical side notes about the people and food that have created an internationally acclaimed culture in Louisiana. [back flap](this is really long -304 words- with all the author's requests) Poppy Tooker's classical training and love of New Orleans cuisine has been recognized internationally through her participation in various documentary projects, including those produced by the History Channel, the BBC, and the Weather Channel. She holds the distinct honor of having beaten Bobby Flay with her delicious seafood gumbo when she competed on Throwdown with Bobby Flay.  Following Hurricane Katrina, Tooker helped preserve the food traditions of New Orleans. She worked tirelessly to bring back and restore both restaurants and food providers. For her efforts, she was named a Hero of the Storm by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The International Association of Cooking Professionals recognized Tooker with their first Community Service Award, and Southern Living magazine named her a Hero of the New South. In addition, she contributed updated recipes and wrote the foreword for a new edition of the historic Mme. Bégué's Recipes of Old New Orleans Creole Cookery. Tooker lives and, more importantly, cooks in the city of New Orleans. David G. Spielman is an accomplished photographer whose work spans six continents and includes both fine art and journalistic photography. He was the first photographer for the magazine Culinary Concierge and his images have appeared in numerous local, regional, and national food magazines and books, including Arnaud's Restaurant Cookbook. Spielman is well known for his portraits of political, literary, artistic, and musical figures. He photographed New Orleans musicians in their favorite settings for When Not Performing, a seminal work of portrait photography.  Spielman earned a bachelor of fine arts from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, and studied in Vienna, Austria. He was selected as an artist in residence at the National School of Photography in Arles, France, and his work is represented in private collections as well as in museums across the world. Spielman lives and works in New Orleans.