Mardi Gras preparations are well under way in New Orleans for this weekend’s festivities, and you can join the celebration with Cooking Up a Storm, a collection of recipes lost and found after Hurricane Katrina.  I love the flavors of New Orleans and this cookbook is a beautiful way to commemorate things that were lost in the storm, and the spirit of the city that endures.  The recipes were gathered by Judy Walker, food editor for The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, from newspaper archives, chefs, and readers.  For Mardi Gras, Walker recommended Baked Grits and Milk Punch, which sound amazing, but I’m sure anything from the collection (especially ones that involve oysters, I love oysters!) would be a delicious way to celebrate Fat Tuesday.

takepart by supporting the Edible Schoolyard of New Orleans.