Cookbook offers innovative takes on Louisiana cooking

Baton Rougean Helana Brigman, author of the popular Clearly Delicious blog, is putting her recipes on paper next month with the publication of her first cookbook, The Fresh Table: Cooking in Louisiana All Year Round. Among the expected Louisiana favorites, like crab cakes and crawfish potpie, are new, innovative ways of preparing local fish and produce that make good use of current culinary trends. Recipes like Lemon-Lavender Muffins are unexpectedly delicious, and mouthwatering new takes on old favorites like Crawfish Etouffee Ravioli or Bananas Foster Croissant French Toast are great ways to enjoy beloved flavors, and dishes like the Strawberry-Brie Bruschetta (pictured) make great use of fresh ingredients. The cookbook is divided into seasons, which makes it easy to cook according to what can be found in local farmers markets, and the instructions are detailed, and include dishes that suit both the experienced cook and the complete novice. Brigman’s epicurean anecdotes make the book as much fun to flip through as it is to use for cooking. The book will be released through LSU Press on March 11. You can pre-order on Amazon by clicking here.