NEW ORLEANS – Garden District Book Shop will present “Cookbook Conversations” with Chef Eric Cook, executive chef and owner of award-winning restaurants Gris-Gris and Saint John, on Sept. 19 to celebrate the release of his first cookbook “Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine.” With approximately 120 food and cocktail recipes, and vibrant, dynamic culinary photography that captures the chef’s bad boy rock-and-roll style, Eric Cook’s new book, with a foreword by Gordon Ramsay, winds through Southern, Cajun and Creole genres fulfilling home cooks’ desire for dishes that are special, yet accessible and straightforward enough for an everyday meal, yet impressive enough for company or the holiday table.
The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. Cook will sit down with friend and Commander’s Palace Executive Chef Meg Bickford to discuss all things “Modern Creole.” Afterwards, Cook will be available to chat with guests and personalize copies of the book. Entry to the event is free and open to the public but the shop encourages interested parties to RSVP to ensure entry and reserve a copy of the book on Eventbrite as space is limited. Additional copies will be available to purchase.
Cook’s restaurants lean into the Voodoo history and culture of New Orleans, and readers will find hints of that in the cookbook as well. His recipes for a redfish court-bouillon, a rich and spicy fish stew featuring the whole fish in a dramatic presentation; Chicken Gizzard Grillades cooked long and slow with caramelized onions and an unctuous, silken brown gravy; the chef’s mother’s chicken and dumplings made with bread and butter; Creole Beef Daube featuring short-ribs braised in Burgundy with aromatics; Creole Tomato, Watermelon, and Grilled Feta Salad with Tajin Vinaigrette; and scrumptious desserts like Spiced Sweet Potato Beignets and Bananas Foster will inspire readers to delve into the culinary world of New Orleans and start cooking.
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