Bayou: Feasting Through the Seasons of a Cajun Life

“The photography is as stunning as [Melissa Martin’s] writing. . . . Each dish feels like a passport into a part of the world that you’ll want to learn more about by diving into this deeply personal book.”—NPR Here and Now

“Offer[s] versions of the classics—étouffées; jambalayas; gumbos; spiced-up seafood boils—without resorting to upscaling, fancifying, or otherwise chef-ifying, but [Martin also slips in her] own sublime additions to the canon. . . . Deserves getting roux-spattered on your kitchen counter.”—Garden & Gun

“Vividly illustrate[s] the ways in which the region’s homestyle Cajun dishes intermingle with the refined, chef-driven Creole cuisine of New Orleans to produce a food culture that’s like none other on earth.”—Eater

“Bayou weaves together recipes and essays that highlight Cajun cooking with Melissa’s captivating life story, while also drawing attention to Louisiana’s rapidly eroding coastline.”—Vogue

“[Martin’s] latest cookbook, Bayou . . . proves to be as sought-after as [Mosquito Supper Club] while somehow uncovering an entirely new side of her cooking and her life in the bayou.”—Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine

“This is a book with an inexorable sense of place — that also has recipes that work wherever you live.”—The Week

“Tradition and innovation, like Carnival and Lent, sit comfortably (and deliciously) side by side.” —Food & Wine

“Gorgeous book full of Cajun recipes from one of South Louisiana’s most acclaimed chefs. Rich traditions to be savored in food, stories, and photos.”—Albany Times-Union

"Another exquisitely written offering that illuminates and celebrates the culinary treasures of Cajun country. . . . Illustrated with art-gallery-worthy photographs and enriched with essays written by Martin on topics ranging from onions and Carnival to fishing and holidays in the bayou, this book is a feast in every sense. VERDICT Both armchair cooks and anyone seeking an introduction to Cajun cuisine will find that Martin’s latest eloquently and elegantly written book perfectly captures the culinary heart and soul of the bayou."—Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

"Martin celebrates the unpretentiousness of Cajun cooking, noting that food is the focus of the Cajun home, whether it’s eaten off a table dressed in fine linens or from a blanket on the floor. In spring, the Cajun table may be piled high with crawfish, oysters, and shrimp or a complex jambalaya. Summer brings crab in profusion, along with fruits for sweet delicacies like blackberry tarts. As seasons move on, vegetables mature, yielding bumper crops of mirlitons for slaw or for stuffing with shrimp."—Booklist

“The deeply personal recipes and vibrantly immersive photos will take your breath away, but what really pulls you through the pages of Bayou is Melissa’s simple and honest reminder to truly be in the moment, breathe in the important things in life, lean into the rich traditions behind the meals, and perhaps find a renewed love and appreciation for time, place, and togetherness. Her offerings within these pages are everything we need right now.”—Erin French, chef, owner, and author of The Lost Kitchen

“Melissa has created a personal and gorgeous cookbook that tells her story of preserving and celebrating the culinary traditions of the bayou. The transporting images and inspired and sustainable recipes will make you want to hop on a plane to eat in her kitchen!”—Renee Erickson, chef and co-owner of Sea Creatures restaurants and author of A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus