Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou

The distinction between Cajun and Creole cuisines is profound; all too often the two are elided into a “New Orleans” experience. Martin respects both, but she was born and bred a Cajun. She opened the Mosquito Supper Club when she returned to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina forced her to move away for several years. Martin chronicles a way of life and a way of cooking that are imperiled by climate change. She places Cajun cuisine in a multicultural context that is intrinsically linked to nature and the seasons. As befits a chef raised by an oyster fisherman, the recipes are heavy on seafood, though there are plenty of vegetable, poultry, and dessert offerings. Dishes such as crab jambalaya, shrimp stew, and oyster spaghetti are packed with shellfish; home cooks may have to budget wisely to do them justice. All the recipes are appetizing, and completed by vivid photography. Note, however, that there are few offerings for vegetarians.