Reddit reviews The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine

I got The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine by John Folse last Christmas, every recipe has been amazing in it. He even goes into the history of Louisiana and how all the different cultural influences makes the cuisine unique. He goes from the basics of making a stock and roux to the advanced techniques like blackening.

That was no Google search for a jambalaya with shrimp; I am familiar with Folse's work and legacy (I own a copy of his 10 lb. Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine and read it on the couch sometimes), and I knew I would find a proper Creole jambalaya on his site.

Gonzalez (so named the "Jambalaya Capital of the World" as a publicity stunt by McKeithen in '68 to promote the first ever Jambalaya Festival) is in Acadiana, so I would not expect them to cook Creole jambalaya at their festival; I would be an idiot to do so.

Don't get me wrong--I prefer Cajun Jambalaya, and spent a summer in 1996 working with 400 qt. batches in BR using that style. It's just that claiming that one style is "authentic" while the other is not makes us both look dumb, which everyone already assumes about us because we're from Louisiana, and we don't need that. Solidarity, brother! Gumbo can be thickened with okra, roux, or filé; and jambalaya can be made with or without tomatoes and/or shrimp. It doesn't mean that your mother did anything wrong, it just means that Louisiana cuisine may be more diverse than you ever imagined. Did you know that andouille is popular in red beans in some areas, but not so popular in others? Even hot sauce choices (Tabasco, Louisiana Brand, Crystal) can vary regionally--or even intra-regionally!

I would highly recommend John Folse's The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine. It's very expensive but it's enormous (850 pages and 700 recipes) and worth every penny because it also includes a lot of history and information on the cajun and creole cultures.

You should read John Folse's cookbook. It has a detailed history on South Louisiana and how it influenced the food. You are sort of right about the Acadians, but they flocked mostly to the area what is now Acadiana. There were some settlements in the New Orleans area and even around New Roads.

For home-cooked type recipes, check this out:

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=talk+about+good+cookbook&tag=hydsma-20&index=aps&hvadid=242657455351&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15051017321800423911&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9025385&hvtargid=kwd-350708428779&ref=pd_sl_72rvjd38rt_e&gclid=CjwKCAjwwbHWBRBWEiwAMIV7E2QTz_6vMSnYohxX0fhYV2ipSk3kjfvnyVGPBGZ1fX5HHJ63rrkMehoCrJIQAvD_BwE

It is a book of recipes compiled by the junior league of Lafayette.

Another great resource is this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0970445717/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523361538&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=john+folse+encyclopedia&dpPl=1&dpID=51aeIbcYrnL&ref=plSrch

I've got around 50 cookbooks and The Encyclopedia of Cajun Cuisine by John Folse is my favorite. I've cooked about 20 recipes out of this book, all entree's, and every single one was absolutely spot on. If I know someone doesn't have a copy I usually get them one for Christmas or a birthday.