American Indians worshiped them as creators of the world, Napoleon ate them to celebrate his victories, Swedes have them shipped in from halfway around the world, and for Louisiana's Cajuns the humble crawfish is the centerpiece of cuisine, a symbol of ethnic pride, a staple commodity for thriving business ventures, and an inextricable part of folklore. Research and interviews spice this delightful book that details the relationship between crawfish and humans--from antiquity to the New York markets of the 1880s; from Depression-era pauper's feast to gourmet entree of the 1980s Cajun cooking craze; from spring afternoon pastime to modern aquaculture agribusiness. To get the reader's mouth watering, more than two dozen recipes from those who know crawfish best--both famous chefs and crawfishers--are interspersed throughout. Sections offer advice on catching, buying, handling, cooking, and, for those who wish to simplify their encounters with crawfish, ordering tasty dishes in restaurants. Included are also a bibliographical essay, an index to recipes, and a list of sources for spices, paraphernalia, and airfreight shipments of crawfish.

Crawfish Frogs (Rana areolata) have been called the most secretive frog in North America, and it is unusual in the twenty-first century – in the most scientifically advanced country in the world – that basic discoveries can still be made on an animal that inhabits a quarter of the United States. This is not only a story of the biology of Crawfish Frogs, but a case study of discovery. This volume describes the life history and natural history critical to the survival of the endangered amphibian and recommends management actions to ensure persistence. The authors tell an optimistic conservation biology story and fill a gap between science and the public. The authors have compiled and summarized the peer-reviewed literature on the biology of Crawfish Frogs, which may be one of the most interesting frogs in North America (that nobody knows about). Key Features Recounts the story of an imperiled species and how to go about saving it Vividly brings science to life and makes it accessible Provides a popular account of natural history research and ecological fieldwork Related Titles D. Vieira de Andrade, C. R. Bevier & J. Eduardo de Carvalho, eds. Amphibian and Reptile Adaptations to the Environment: Interplay Between Physiology and Behavior (ISBN 978-1-4822-2204-3). M. Ogielska, ed. Reproduction of Amphibians (ISBN 978-1-1381-1771-6). D. W. Sparling, G. Linder, C. A. Bishop & S. Krest, eds. Ecotoxicology of Amphibians and Reptiles, 2nd Edition (ISBN 978-1-4200-6416-2). F. L. Frye. Reptiles and Amphibians: Self-Assessment Color Review, Second Edition (ISBN 978-1-4822-5760-1).

In this collection of essays, John Thorne sets out to explore the origins of his identity as a cook, going "here" (the Maine coast, where he'd summered as a child and returned as an adult for a decade's sojourn), "there" (southern Louisiana, where he was captivated by Creole and Cajun cooking), and "everywhere" (where he provides a sympathetic reading of such national culinary icons as the hamburger, white bread, and American cheese, and sits down to a big bowl of Texas red). These intelligent, searching essays are a passionate meditation on food, character, and place.

Thick and thin, hot and cold, complex and simple — here are soups for every appetite and occasion. A master chef and co-founder of Gourmet magazine presents more than 700 outstanding recipes for bisques, chowders, consommés, and other soups

The hunt for red crawfish is the thing, the raison d'etre, of Acadian spring. Introduced to Louisiana by the swamp dwellers of the Atchafalaya Basin, the crawfish is a regional favorite that has spurred a $210 million industry. Whole families work at the same fisheries, and annual crawfish festivals dominate the social calendar. More importantly, no matter the occasion, folks take their boils seriously: they'll endure line cutters, heat and humidity, mosquitoes and high gas prices to procure crawfish for their families' annual backyard boils or their corporate picnics. Join author Sam Irwin as he tells the story--complete with recipes and tall tales--of Louisiana's favorite crustacean: the crawfish.