Louisiana Book Review - The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Oysters

 

	The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Oysters
	Author:	Jerald Horst and Glenda Horst
	Photographer:	Shannon Brinkman
	Publisher:	Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.
	Publication Date:	2011
	ISBN:	978-1589809697
	Pages:	248
	Cost:	$25.00

Most Louisianans love seafood. Favorites include shrimp, crabs, crawfish and oysters. Gerald and Glenda Horst have written previous Louisiana Seafood Bibles for shrimp, crabs, and crawfish. Now it is the oysters’ turn. In a book as informative as the past three, The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Oysters does not disappoint.

Oysters can be enjoyed in a variety of ways such as stewed, sautéed, breaded, charbroiled and pickled to name a few. More than 75 recipes are included, making this a great cookbook on oysters, but it is so much more. The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Oysters is also an educational resource on oysters and those who harvest them.

Many color images, and a few black and white, enhance the text -- offering readers, cooks and history lovers a view of how the finished recipes should appear, as well as a history of the oyster and the oyster industry. Part I is dedicated to the history of the oyster and the oyster industry. Chapters include: The Long History of the Louisiana Oyster Industry, Tako-Tako (nickname for Croatian oystermen), A Frenchman’s Tale, A Walk through an Oyster Shucking House, Creating a More Perfect Oyster, Oyster Life Cycle, Post-Harvest Processing of Oysters, Storing, Freezing and Thawing Oysters, How to Shuck an Oyster and more. Part II is dedicated to the many ways an oyster can be prepared with easy-to-follow recipes. Some common ways to enjoy an oyster are raw, fried, in gumbo and baked. Some not so common ways include deep dish oyster pie, oyster pizza, deviled oysters and oyster spaghetti.

Whether you are interested in the common or eccentric, The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Oysters has a recipe for you. From harvest to the table, The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Oysters is a must-have for any oyster aficionado or a library’s collection on cookbooks or seafood.

Charlene Bonnette is Head of the Louisiana Section of the State Library of Louisiana