Southern and Smoked: Cajun Cooking through the Seasons

In South Louisiana, food is more than just sustenance. It is a way to bring friends and family together and it connects us to our history and our culture. Few places are more tied to these culinary roots than Louisiana's River Parishes, which stretch along the levees of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Here the many cultures and diverse people who call the area home—Cajun, Creole, German, French, Spanish, African, and Native American—have mingled to produce a rich tradition of harvesting the largesse that Louisiana provides all year long. That abundance is crafted it into delectable dishes by the families who have cultivated these lands for generations.

Chef Jarred Zeringue celebrates this seasonal bounty in this approachable guide to Cajun cooking. Featuring the flavors and culture he learned alongside his mother, grandparents, and many aunts and uncles, Jarred offers an intimate window into how his family—like so many in Louisiana's River Parishes—cook from the land, using the freshest ingredients in a lifestyle that embodies the farm to table philosophy. With nearly 90 recipes divided by the seasons, Jarred shares the traditional tastes of his childhood, with an emphasis on the smoked meats for which his smokehouse is renowned.