Damgoodsweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style

Thus far, I've made Nana's Banana Bread, which was excellent. On to the chocolate chip cookie-cake!

New Orleans dessert traditions are explored in DAMGOODSWEET, a dessert cookbook devoted to New Orleans sweets and written by a local pastry chef who blends a travelogue and memoir with 50 recipes. From Vanilla Bean Pudding and Red Velvet Cake to Lemon Poppers, this is packed with outstanding fare perfect for any dessert cookbook collection.

Some of my favorite food memories relate to a pre-Katrina visit to New Orleans. Beignets at the Cafe du Monde, pralines at Aunt Sally's, hurricanes(the drink) just about everywhere, what's not to love? This book is part memoir, part cookbook and part tribute to the legends who have fallen to the ravages of time, natural disaster and the economy. The author, a renowned pastry chef was a rambunctious child living in New Orleans. In an effort to deter him from a path of juvenile delinquency, his family sent him off to stay with his Aunt Boo. While in exile he learned to love cooking and after a few missteps found a profession as a pastry chef. Now living in DC, he is a consultant. The book contains appetizing color photographs of the food and black and whites of the New Orleans of the past. The author has a fresh, engaging style devoid of sappy sentimentality but full of sincerity. The real test of any cookbook are the recipes. As the arctic chill hit New York, I made the double chocolate bread pudding, substituting challah for the brioche. The bread soaked up most of the custard and the bourbon caramel sauce was a delight. It was an elegant riff on an old favorite. February is a big birthday month for me and this year it was my turn to bring the cake. Red Velvet cakes are always impressive although the cake itself can be a bit bland. This one set a new standard. Rich and moist, you can taste the chocolate and it is visually stunning. Finally, I tried the pralines. They were creamy and delicious and surprisingly easy to make. The recipes are not particularly difficult although some are labor intensive. Most of the ingredients required are available at the local supermarket or natural foods store. The author is generous with his tips and resources. This is a great little book that captures the taste and spirit of New Orleans. Fun to read and attractive to look at, I highly recommend it. Just make sure you've renewed your gym membership--this is not cooking light.

A Southern masterpiece exists in David Guas and Raquel Pelzel's DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style. Through the pages of this informative cookbook you will be swept away to discover the true essence of delicious New Orleans cuisine. The fifty recipes that make up DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style are derived from historic recipes of times past. Each one serves as a tribute to the true New Orleans culture. Some of my favorite recipes that bring New Orleans to my own kitchen included: Buttermilk Beignets King Cake Red Velvet Cake Pralines Just the mention of the above listed recipes puts a smile on my face as I remember the last time I visited New Orleans. Each recipe brings back fond memories of a city that I can't wait to revisit. What is so unique about this book is the author intertwines the recipes with famous New Orleans landmarks. With the Buttermilk Beignet recipes a history lesson of the French Market and Cafe Du Monde is presented. This historic detail gives a greater appreciation of the recipe and its origin. DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style is a cookbook that you absolutely will fall in love with. Each recipe captures the magical beauty and radiance of New Orleans. This book will become a priceless addition to your cookbook collection. You will find yourself consulting it when you want to make an extra special dessert.

What's not to love about the taste of New Orleans? Cooks from all over the world think of the best and most exciting classic desserts when they hear the name of this famous city and its region. That is just what a home cook finds in the Dam Good Sweet (Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style) cookbook. Recipes include: Bananas Foster; Crepes du Vieux Carre; Pecan Pie; Black and Blue Crumble; Lemon Icebox Pie; Red Velvet Cake; Pralines; Turtles; and Peanut Brittle. There are 50 delicious recipes; family and travel stories; and numerous color photographs in this unique volume. The book is gorgeous; the recipes are outstanding. I can't wait to try my hand at making the Pralines! This will also make a wonderful gift.