Louisiana Books

I gave my hair stylist a copy of Kay Moser's "Celebration!" for Christmas because reading that novel totally changed the way I look at life.
I just went to get my hair cut, and my hair stylist said the following things:

"I just want you to know that I think Kay Moser is the best writer I've ever read. I just finished reading 'Celebration!' and I've never read a book that meant so much to me. I could not quit reading it. I read late into the night; I read in the car; my whole family kept saying, 'what's wrong with you? You never read a book!' As I got toward the end, I kept noticing how few pages were left, and I just couldn't stand it. 'I don't want this book to be over!' I kept saying. 'I don't want to leave these characters. I can't stand for this book to end.'"

When I asked my hair stylist to comment on what the book had communicated to her, she responded,
"I never thought about everybody having a story that explains why they have become what they've become. I never realized how much choice I have and how much my choices decide my life."

As I handed my stylist a check, her eyes suddenly flooded with tears, and she whispered, "I am that woman in 'Celebration!' I really am Rachel! I need to make some changes in my life. This book hit me so hard; I've got to re-read it. You know, the author was so kind to me in that book. Over and over she took me to the edge, to the point that I thought I would drown, but then she gently pulled me back from the edge. I needed to almost drown in order to finally hear the truth. Thank you for giving me that novel!"

When I got home, I wanted to know more about Kay Moser. I did an online search and found www.kaymoser.com. I'm glad I did! I e-mailed her, and she answered!

I thought this book was wonderful. It really shows all of the right qualities a book should have. I think that anyone that wants to read a good book should grab this off a shelf. It really re-lights that flame for God.

My Mom introduced me to Kay Moser, and I just loved this book. It is such a meaningful and powerful story. I would highly recommend it.

I couldn't put this book down. It's the first novel I've ever read that was both entertaining and healing. It's the story of Rachel, a woman who is terribly successful so she thinks she's worthy. When she loses everything, she feels worthless, but as the novel continues, she learns the true sources of her worth. This book really helped me deal with some issues of worth I have been struggling with. Read this book! You will be entertained and changed for the better. Give this book to your friends! They will thank you.

At first, I read the first 20 pages, and put the book down, thinking it was a just a depressing, domestic abuse book. My uncle told me to try again, as it was not about that at all. He was entirly correct!! It was the first book that I read in 2 nights in my entire life. You will view the world and yourself differently after reading this book. Where is Kay Moser now, and why isn't she writing more books???

Peter Jaffrey is a hunk. But, he's also a killer; isn't he? Margaret is destitute, and worried about her daughter; before, she is even willing to meet her dead husband's family. One day in the home of this family, and you understand that Margaret might be better off worried about destitution! Add to the mystery, a masquerade, Mardi Gras, a family mansion, weird relatives; you really have a marvelous old-time gothic.

This is a very unusual read. It's like taking a trip to the " big easy" with a very entertaining family! Peter, (the crazy one) is under house arrest, when Margaret comes to stay. She, and her daughter might be the cure that Peter needs. The mystery, sexual tension, and the fun of Mardi Gras add to the spice of this great book. It truly is a keeper!

Anne Stuart is amazing! She can take characters and make you love them so much that you never want the story to end. This is one of those stories. And this book is filled with characters who you wish you never had to say goodbye to. Peter is crazy (in love), smart, sexy and witty. Margaret is attracted to Peter despite his reputation for being a 'lady killer'. A fierce tigress trying to keep her wits about her, her daughter safe and herself sane in a house full of nutty relatives, she is a character you can wholeheartedly root for. The Mardi Gras scenes are enough to make you wish you were there. This remains my favorite of Anne Stuart's many wonderful stories, for the humor, the mystery and most especially for the romance between Peter and his Marguerite! A definite keeper!

Who wouldn't love Peter Jaffrey, sexy, handsome, and sensitive and "crazy" about Margaret Jaffrey. Peter, under house arrest for a murder he didn't commit, is so vulnerable you can't help but love him. Margaret, battered widow, homeless, single mom sees the potential in her late husbands sweet but sad cousin. My heart was with Margaret every step of the way, particularly at the voodoo madam's grave sight where, with all her life is lacking, she uses her one wish to ask for Peter's sanity. Peter in turn risks all, even his life, to be with the women he loves. The sexual tension between these two is only the beginning. This is not your run of the mill romance. With convoluted plot and serious obstacles to overcome, you can't help but pray these two make it. Anne Stuart is a master who knows how to create empathy with her hero's and heroines (in spite of their dark secrets).

This books has it all. Southern atmosphere, a dysfunctional family, lots of secrets... Oh, yeah, and a hero suspected of being an insane killer. Now is that Gothic or what?

One thing that makes this stand apart from many of the old Gothics is that the heroine is strong. She has to be to put up with this family. Also, there are sensual love scenes.

My only regret was that this wasn't one of Anne Stuart's longer romances. The mystery would have been even stronger then.

I gave this a B+ review at All About Romance.

This is a terrific historical book without getting so factual that it gets boring. It keeps you interest in every chapter.

I bought this to learn more about my family's heritage.

Seems as though I already KNEW a lot that this book didn't even touch on.

Still is a worthwhile reference. I was torn between giving it 3 or 4 stars. It isn't a 5 star book as it could use some help with flow and there is a lot of salient points that just wasn't included. However a lot of information is presented here...to give substance to the fact that Creole is a culture, a heritage. That alone gives it merit.

Creole provides an invaluable history of Louisiana's Creole people, examining the ethnic roots of the Creoles and their mixed descent, analyzing their history and contributions, and helping define their ethnic heritage. From the use of Creole in language and literature to popular individuals of color, this provides a fine coverage.

I am delighted to find that my academic peers of creole decent have endeavored to put together our past in such a marvelous way. I have spent many hours in the New Orleans Public Library and have visited the Armistead Center but have never had the time to sit down and put all the information together so that I could start to compare the fact to the stories that were passed on to me about my ancestors. Being light skinned black with a french maiden name, I am often questioned as to my family background. My grandmother and mother's stories and my own experiences often amaze people as to how rich my background is. Now I have a book to pass on to my children as well as stories of my past. In an age of reams of wirtings about the diversity of America, I now have a book to pass on to them about my own diverse past - my creole legacy. Thank you Sybil Kein and company!

This book of essays is absolutely the best resource on the Creole heritage of Louisiana. The history is priceless and my hat goes off to Dr. Kein for compiling such a group of scholars and historians who have covered every aspect of the subject. I have many books and have done much research since the late eighties as part of my research on African American history. This book has been a long time in coming. I thank Anthony Barthelemy for his essay "Light, Bright, Damn Near White" which answered my questions of the infamous Susie Guillory case, the woman who "discovered" she was considered "Colored" when she went to get a passport in the 80s. I always wondered what they true story was and now I know. I enjoued learning about Marcus Chritian through violet Harrington Byan's essay exposing his research on Creoles. All of the essays are worth reading and referring to again and again. Composers of color of Nineteenth-Century New Orleans was an eye-opener. I had heard about them but found very little information until this. The essay by Joan Martin on placage answered alot of questions for me of why and will be helpful for my friend who is writing a thesis on Creole women and the institution of placage. Oh, and Sybil Kein's "The Use of Louisiana Creole in Southern Literature" was worth the whole book. This essay brought home full circle of my studies of some of the writers who have written about literature, race, and passing. I could go on and on. Creole Poets, their professions and trades, the food connection. It is all wonderful. I count this book as one of my best investments for 2000 with the wealth of knowledge in it. This should be in the library of every American historian, black, white, or other.

This is an excellent book, a long awaited and much needed factual account of a group of courageous men whose activism had major impact on the movement. Hill has produced a wealth of documentation to prove the history he has brought to the fore.
This account does tribute to those brave and unsung (heretofore)
heroes who refused to further degrade themselves and thier communities by turning the other cheek! Must reading.

This book kept me up reading all night. I had in the past heard that their had been a group that pre dated The Black Panther Party, and were operating in the deep south. However there was not much information on this clandestine group. Well there is now. This is the book. My chest burst with pride as the tears fell down my cheeks. If you read nothing else this year please read this book if you want to know what our people were really doing during the "movement". The media had been lying to us about our role in our own history! This book is about us!

excellent coverage of a little-known but very important part of the civil rights movement. if you're tired of the conventional view of the crm with everyone on their knees praying, this book is for you.

An important corrective to the nonviolence theme that domninates most histories of the Civil Rights Movement. The Deacons were mostly home grown Black Veterans from working class neighborhoods in small southern towns like Bogalusa and Jonesboro Louisianna. When the Klan and Police beat on civil rights workers and local protestors the Deacons fought back. In July 1965 when a mob of whites attacked a group of civil rights, mostly children, marchers in Bogalusa a Deacon shot a Klan member sending him to hospital. This incident had a profound impact on the response to Black demands for equal rights in Lousianna. Finally, the White Establishment began to make changes that led to a better life for Louisianna's Blacks. Professor Hill's(History, Tulane Univesity) book is full of such incidents and proves that the Deaon's impact on the souhtern Civil Rights struggle must not be overlooked.

you have to speak the language of the wolf." - Henry Austin, Deacons for Defense

This is truly a lost history of the civil rights movement that author Lance Hill has found under the layers upon layers of mainstream narratives which conveniently dictate false truths that - when repeated enough - become larger than life.

Following the organized self-defense philosophy espoused by Robert F. Williams in Monroe, N.C., a small group of men in Jonesboro, Louisiana, founded an organization that had great influence in the civil rights movement of the mid-1960s. The success the Deacons had in defeating the KKK and other haters on the streets by standing up, moving forward and staring them down with guns loaded brought a new sense of empowerment in demanding that justice truly be served today.

Hill explains how he became aware of the Deacons and then began his quest to research the history. Initially founded to protect civil rights workers, the Deacons' influence in the Deep South grew with a regional organizing campaign in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, along with chapters being founded in several Northern cities.

The success and expansion of the program brought interest from the FBI, coverage by an oftentimes adverse media and linkage - oftenetimes quite temporary - with a number of revolutionary organizations.

But through the comparatively brief time the Deacons operated - about four years - Hill successfully argues that the organization forced the federal government to aggressively enforce the 1964 Civil Rights Act and was the bridge to the Black Power movement that emerged later in the decade.

The Deacons' legacy continues, as former members have strongly stated over the years that the group has never actually gone away. And, as Hill writes, "Finally, there is something inspiring in a story of people who stood up to injustice when everyone around them was afraid. That is a fable that will always serve us well."

The Deacons for Defense lives in the souls of those who do their part on a daily basis to bring real justice to this country.

I have been a Chef for 16 years. It's rare when a book excites me as much as Dominique's has. He demonstrates a fresh new approach to Classical French Cooking Techniques. The Tropical flavors that he interweaves with French influences are totally unique and exciting. The book is a must have for serious culinarians as well as the home cook.

...I decided to buy this book in order to recreate that experience,so i tried the cured salmon,(the eggplant is to die for)the chicken mousse was sublime.The book gives you so much information on how to learn the basics and gives you the confidence to cook like a chef.This book is a must for all food lovers.

i was very facinated by this young chef talent and passion about food . i tried the tuna and pineapple ,the crab roll then got a bit more adventurous and tried the sugarcane sweetbread .all were really really good . i just wish that my latitude was as good his latitude!

When I visit New Orleans, Dominique's Restaurant is my favorite, so I was excited to see he had put out a cookbook. I found many of my favorites from his menu in the book which was great. It is obvious Dominique is an extraordinarily talented chef who has traveled the globe and his cuisine reflects it. His use of Asian ingredients and light approach to French food is indeed refreshing...especially coming out of a city like New Orleans. If you can't make it to his restaurant, pick up his cookbook and try your hand at his recipes. You will love the unique taste of the dishes. Here is a chef who treats food with respect and elevates it to an art form...something lacking in many of the showman T.V. chefs of today.

What a fabulous find--fusion food finally hits New Orleans. This is like no other New Orleans cookbook in my library. If you love ginger, lemon grass and healthy cuisine, you'll love cooking from this book. Not for the beginner as many of the recipes require lot's of prep. and familiarity with cooking techniques. If you are planning a dinner party or a special dinner for two, add this to your library--you won't regret it. Even if you don't cook, the pictures are beautiful and will make you want to cook so you can enjoy this amazing food.

I bought several books before this one and I basically wasted my money! Finally I am able to identify the odes that I have photographed in the field. This is a must have for anyone interested in dragonflies and damselflies!

I have several guides for birds, butterflies, snakes, reptiles and amphibians. I just started learn about dragonflies this year and this is one of the best guides I have seen. In fact, it was highly recommended by an individual who has a Masters Degree in dragonfly study. I recommend it for individuals just starting out with dragonflies as the photos are great but it also provides enough information (range maps) to let you narrow down and identify the more difficult species.

This field guide is the one to own. It covers not only all the dragonflies of Texas and the Southcentral US, but all the damselflies as well. The photographs are superb and this make for easy identification of species in the field. However, because of these pluses, the result is a rather sizable guide that is just a bit too heavy to really qualify as a handy field guide. If you can deal with its size and weight, it more than makes up for this handicap in thes helpful information it provides. The only drawback and the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, is because it is a tad less user friendly for the novice or non-professional (i.e. The species identification keys are a bit confusing). Nevertheless, it is destined to become the standard to measure all other guides.

As an admirer of dragonflies and damselflies I was quite delighted to find this book by John C. Abbott. It is a mix of the very technical and (at least in part because of the 64 plates of magnificent color photos) the very useful for the non-specialist. The range maps are invaluable as a way of adding clues for the identification of similar species. The line drawings of anatomical parts are important in separating closely related species and the glossary of terms, the check list, and the large bibliography round out a very useful or even indispensable volume for the dragonfly watcher. In short, this book is a serious guide to an area with the highest odonate diversity in the United States. "Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States" simply is a must for anyone interested in the odonate fauna of the five states involved. Its production, along with at least three earlier regional and national books on the subject, is a testimonial to the growing popularity of these beautiful and fascinating insects.

This is not a book that you can skim; rather, it is one intended for the serious student of Odonata in Texas. Written by an acknowledged expert in the field, it covers everything you might want to know about the dragonflies found in Texas.

Be warned, though, that you cannot approach this book lightly. The author uses scientific terms liberally: you will have to spend time acquiring the vocabulary.

For the serious Texas "Odo-nut" this is an absolutely essential part of your library.

This is a wonderful history of Avery Island which includes many wonderful recipes. You cannot go wrong with this cookbook!!!!

After a wonderful forward by Paul McIlhenny (Tabasco) and introduction by
Marcelle Bienvenu (Who's your mama) you know this book has to be good.

The recipes are by Eula Mae, a long time cook for the Tabasco company, and
the narative is by Marcelle. Together they provide an insightful look into
Louisana Cajun cooking.

Miss Eula Mae has captured the spirit of Cajun cuisine. Of course, it didn't hurt that she lives on Avery Island and cooks under the auspices of Paul McIlhenny(of Tabasco fame). I found the recipes easy to use and uniformly delicious. My only problem was that I had a hard time choosing among all the great offerings. I suspect that I won't live long enough to try them all, but I intend to make a valiant effort to do so. If you like Louisiana cooking, whether or not you're accomplished at it, this is the cookbook for you.

My husband has taken up cooking in the last few years and has begun to appreciate cookbooks. This is one of his favorites. We both love the recipes he has tried. He says, "The recipes are delicious and easy to follow. Eula Mae's fascinating stories make the book even more enjoyable."

Besides a good collection of everyday Cajun food, this book is rich in the history and lore of the area. Thanks to Eula Mae Dore and Marcelle Bienvenue, the history as well as the recipes of this area will not be lost.

This is the only cookbook I've ever actually sat down and read. I learned so much about cooking that I was inspired to try some of these recipes. They're a little bit challenging but I think the average home cook can make these recipes work in their own kitchens. My family loves the ones I've made. If you are a semi-serious cook, or a professional chef, this is one book you can't pass up for your library!

John Folse is a great representative of South Louisiana Cajun Cooking and loves the history of the area. He relates the melting pot of the many nationalities that contributed to the culinary richness of South Louisiana cooking. This is an excellent book to learn all about all kinds of "roux", recipes and techniques of Cajun cooks. It's a fun book!

For anyone who loves the magic of the south especially the festivities behind louisianas Marty Gras would love to get a nibble if not more from this book. It is a very straightforward and beautifully prepared recipe book that will take you through years of shopping and parties with friends and families.Enjoy!

I am a Creole who grew up thinking everybody ate gumbo at least once a week. Using this cook book is like having my momma looking over my shoulder telling me how to make all her favorite dishes. I have purchased at least a dozen of these books for gifts to family and friends.

Chef John Folse's THE EVOLUTION OF CAJUN AND CREOLE CUISINE is an absolute must for any kitchen, whether it is home to a well-seasoned chef or a ripe, budding cook. Folse's description of the seven nations that settled Louisiana, the intermarriage of their cultures and cuisine and the recipes found between the covers of this book culminate in a "mouth-watering" explosion of down-home, Louisiana flavor.

The recipe format was easy to follow and ingredients were easy to find in most any supermarket. From cooking the roux to garnishing the final dish, EVOLUTION turns the simplest meals into culinary masterpieces.

Eye of the Cricket is the 4th Lew Griffin novel and begins similarly to the others with Lew attempting to locate a missing person. Although Lew has no real vested interest in finding the brother of one of his students, Lew naturally takes on this role even if it interferes with his job as a college professor. The irony is that Lew's own son is missing, and he has no clues where to look until a bum appears at a local hospital with one of Lew's books that he'd given to his son years ago.

As with the other Lew Griffin novels, the focus is not on the mystery but more on the inner struggle that Lew goes through, having dealt with the loss of so many loved ones and trying to reconcile. This book is really more of a social commentary, and the noir feeling to it beautifully highlights the struggles that Lew and all of us have to deal with. Lew just allows himself to sink to lower depths than most people would ever consider, giving him a different and well-rounded perspective.

The writing here is outstanding. Occasionally I'd have to pause in my reading just to bask in the perfection. For lack of a better word, it's just so poetic. The words and tone are spot-on, and many scenes are so wonderfully illustrated that I found myself smiling with satisfaction after reading them. Sallis doesn't waste any words yet still conveys the emotions and impressions of his characters so well. These novels leave such an impact that I'm always left wanting to read the next one.

New Orleans, old demons and a continuing search for the missing David. How could you go wrong? Lew Griffin is many things but never predictable. Everytime I read another Lew Griffin book I'm left wanting more....

Now that he is in his fifties, African American Lew Griffin would prefer to just quit fighting the tide and go with the flow. Instead, Lew finds himself investigating the cases of several missing children, including the half-brother of a friend, the son of another friend, and his own son, David. To perform his search of New Orleans, Lew must enter the crummiest neighborhood areas where it's known that a teenager could drop out and turn on.

EYES OF THE CRICKET is the serpentine (try flow charting the plot) twisted fourth entry of Lew Griffin. As with its three predecessors, this novel is well written and filled with numerous twists and turns. Lew is an extremely lovable chap, whose new philosophy of "I Quit" clashes with his reality. Jim Sallis has written a book that will please most mystery afficiandos, except perhaps those who prefer a linear story line.

Harriet Klausner

This is the 4th book in the exceptionally dark Lew Griffin series. Before heading between the pages of this series it would really be a good idea to work out how susceptible to depression you are. If you prefer happy, light-hearted mysteries then believe me, this book will not be for you.

EYE OF THE CRICKET is an example of southern noir or, to be more precise, it's New Orleans noir told from the first person perspective. Lew Griffin is a black man who teaches French and English literature in between occasional flurries as the author of several novels. He is also known to be quite adept at finding missing persons and so he moonlights as a sort of private detective. He is a man who seems to care a great deal for others, to the point where he has difficulty saying no to people's requests, often to his own detriment.

It is in his capacity as a teacher that he is approached to act as a private detective by a student who had heard of his ability at finding people and asks Griffin to try to find his half-brother. Griffin immediately agrees to help, no questions asked, a typical response.

What is revealed is that Griffin himself has a son that is missing and the tragic irony is, although he is able to find other people's missing loved ones, he can't seem to find his own son, not even a clue of where he might be.

That is, until a vagrant is brought into a hospital emergency room and the only item in his possession that might identify who he is, is a copy of one of Griffin's books - a book he had inscribed for his son. Suddenly he feels he might have the clue that he needs to continue his search.

Although the storyline seems straightforward enough, it is littered with flashbacks, dreams and memories, all of which managed to keep throwing me completely off balance. It was not always clear which parts were actually happening and which parts were just memories. Often times they interrupted the flow so badly I had forgotten what the original storyline was about.

As it turns out, the actual detective work done by Griffin is inconsequential and is given only minor importance as the focus is more squarely placed on Griffin and the question of how he would survive his demons. The missing persons case serves to remind him directly of his own missing son, a fact that he dwells on constantly. Combined with this is the beginning of a new relationship with a wonderful and understanding woman. But this prompts endless memories of LaVerne, his dead wife. Dreams, memories and reality become intertwined as Griffin fights thoughts of his own failings, the results of which form the body of his (Griffin's) latest novel.

Towards the end of the book, Griffin allows himself to sink to incredible depths in his quest to find his son. His willingness to do this typifies the man who, for all his dark thoughts and introspection, is a deeply caring person. There are some points where some truly moving moments can be found. But it is also at this stage that the maximum attention must be paid as Griffin's consciousness becomes distorted and consequently, so does the narration.

As far as the characters other than Griffin are concerned, although there are many of minor players, there are only 2 who play any substantial role in the story, or who are given any real substance. The first is Don Walsh, a police detective who is equally as jaded as Griffin making him a perfect friend. He has seen too much of the seamier side of life to hold any real hopes of happiness and exudes an air of tired desperation whenever he meets Griffin. The other character is Deborah O'Neill, Griffin's new girlfriend and the shining light in the book. She represents a chance for Griffin to break out of his miasmic haze of self doubt and is a breath of fresh air each time she appears.

If you're a devotee of noir fiction, particularly those involving troubled loner detectives, then this book will appeal to you. It reminds me a lot of James Lee Burke's early Dave Robicheaux books. A lot of that has to do with the Louisiana setting, but is also due to the depth of turmoil going through the protagonist's mind.

This is a story that is carried on the shoulders of Lew Griffin. Its darkness is generated by the demons inside his head, but there is a distinct feeling of optimism by the time we reach the last few chapters. While the book doesn't exactly finish with a happy ending or an ending with any real climax, it probably comes as close to one that we're going to get in this moody series.

Am a regular reader of mysteries. How I'd missed Sallis I don't know. I am pleased to "discover" him and his wonderful characters. He has a fine feel for my favorite city to visit: New Orleans, and gives a sound psychological sense to his characters. Even the minor characters stand out as people I would be interested to know. I took several quotes from the book and introduced them to a class I was teaching on Human Identity. The words just fit right into the context of the class. Now I've read Black Hornet and am waiting for more.

Enjoyable walk through the long run of Galatoire's. Recommended for anyone who has eaten there as I have a number of times. You don't need to be a regular to savor the stories. Here's hoping Galatoire's returns even better after Katrina. Steve

Burton and Holditch lovingly recount the 120-year history of this famous eatery, synonymous for many with New Orleans itself. Along the way we are regaled with anecdotes about the Galatoire family owners (now in the fourth generation), dedicated staff, and loyal customers. From Tennessee Williams to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, an impressive parade of celebrities, socialites and royalty have dined at this New Orleans landmark. The authors also include some traditional recipes. I recommend this book to anyone who likes good food, good times, and the Big Easy.

One-hundred-year-old Galatoire's restaurant, the greatest dining institution in New Orleans, where great restaurants are numerous, has at last found its chroniclers. Kenneth Holditch and Marda Burton, authors and long-time devotees of the place, have published Galatoire's: Biography of a Bistro, a charming, gossipy, witty account of the history and character of this famed eatery.

Galatoires, as Burton and Holditch portray it, is a microcosm of New Orleans traditions reflected in the history of the Galatoire family, the loyal generations of staff, food tastes as they have evolved, and the eccentric, and sometimes famous, patrons throughout the years who have made the restaurant so successful. The layout with photographs and numerous anecdotes convey the vitality of this venerable institution. We even tried some of the recipes and created a little bit of Galatoire heaven in our own kitchen. The many facets of this book will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers. Whoever thought anyone could portray the life of a restaurant so vividly on the printed page!

Anyone who has an abiding affection for New Orleans and its layers of tradition should read this book. I loved it. Authors Burton and Holditch observe and participate. In so doing they seem to say to you.....here have a seat. come. dine with us.

Of course there is the history of this great restaurant which fascinted me. But beyond that, I felt as if I have been there: in the kitchen, offices, even the outside alleyways with the smell of oysters wafting through the soft Louisanna air. And beyond that still are the sometimes eccentric and quirky characters that populate the community, the kitchen, and the offices. Its a splendid cook's tour done with integrity and savoir faire.