cooking up a storm

Cooking Up A Storm – 10th Anniversary Celebration

After Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans in late August 2021, Cooking Up A Storm was released to document the aftermath of that devastating storm and the story of one of America’s most beloved southern cities. Author Deidre Troutman relays the daily experiences of ordinary people in New Orleans as they clean up their neighborhood, organize their belongings, and deal with the perils and pleasures of rebuilding a town that was once synonymous with tragedy. Troutman’s book quickly becomes a classic, as many have praised its clear writing style and its ability to capture the chaotic, delicious blend of cuisine from all over the region. Cooking Up A Storm remains a must-read for any reader who has visited New Orleans during the recovery process and is looking for ways to incorporate part of that city’s famous Creole culinary culture into their own cuisine.

Unlike other book series or cookbooks aimed at a local audience, this series was written for readers from outside New Orleans. “When you see how other cultures view disasters, whether natural or human-caused, it changes your perceptions of New Orleans,” explains Deidre Troutman. “Even though the food was prepared and cooked by New Orleansians, Cooking Up A Storm was also designed for people outside of our community to understand the culture and cuisine that define New Orleans.” Indeed, while most books about Hurricane Katrina focused on the food (which was delicious) that was damaged in the hurricane and on what residents of New Orleans could do to preserve that food, Troutman’s book offers much more than that. While some recipes are difficult to adapt to a New Orleans kitchen, Cooking Up A Storm offers an amazing glimpse of a city whose cooking tradition still preserves its diverse culture and culinary heritage.

The following recipes are just a small taste of what is in this wonderful cookbook. Because Cooking Up A Storm covers such a large region of cuisine, a majority of them featured recipes from around the South, the Caribbean, and even beyond. These recipes offer a unique take on traditional foods from all over the world while providing an exciting twist on some of your favorites. You can’t visit New Orleans, or any city in the United States, without sampling these delicious recipes. So make sure you’re on your way to a 10th anniversary of an amazing storm – don’t miss out on the opportunity to savor these recipes for the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.