Round-up: New book about N.O. hits home for foodies … Near drought hurting Louisiana farmers

Streetcar Named Delicious: Cajun and Creole foodie and author Todd-Michael St. Pierre’s latest book, A Streetcar Named Delicious: I Love New Orleans Cookbook, is hot off the press and available via amazon.com and Target locations. You may be familiar with St. Pierre’s previous work such as Makin’ Groceries: A New Orleans Tribute. The book highlights the Crescent City’s best oyster dressing and beignets, among other best-kept culinary secrets. Visit louisianaboy.com for details. Not good news: The dry weather that has baked Louisiana is taking its toll on the state’s crops, according to officials at the LSU Ag Center. Corn and soybeans are suffering—one official says the yield from Louisiana soybean farmers has been halved because of the weather—from 40 bushels per acre to 20. And while the lack of moisture isn’t affecting sugar cane yet, officials warn that a lot of rain is needed between June and September, when the crop growth really kicks in. Dry weather is also causing feed problems for animals such as beef cattle, horses and dairy cows. Farmers may be forced to kill off some of their herds in order to offset the lack of grass for grazing.