[.ca] Emeril's Creole Christmas (ISBN 0688146910)

From Amazon.com:
It's time to celebrate Christmas the Creole way: Corn Cakes with Caviar, Sugarcane Baked Ham with Spiced Apples and Pears, Jiffy Pop Firecracker Shrimp (yes, you do make it with popcorn)--these are the dishes guaranteed to make your holiday season festive. Your guide to this Creole Christmas is Emeril LaGasse, renowned chef and owner of several restaurants in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and also the host of two television cooking series, The Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live. In addition to great appetizers, entrées, and desserts, Emeril includes some terrific stocking stuffer ideas--everything from his Homemade Worcestershire Sauce to a delectable recipe for Orange Pralines that are so good you might just decide to keep them for yourself. And if the recipes themselves weren't mouthwatering enough, the book is studded with gorgeous color photographs guaranteed to send you running for the kitchen--or your travel agent. Spend Christmas in New Orleans with Emeril Lagasse and laissez les bon temps roulez!

kick your christmas up a notch!:
I bought this cookbook for my sister, who is a big Emeril fan! I was a little worried after reading the reviews and as soon as the book came in, went through it to check it out. My mom and I both went through the book and cooked 2 Christmas dinners out of it! Yes, before I gave it to my sister. She was bummed that we hadn't gotten it for her. I wrapped it up and gave it to her used and I'm buying my mother her own copy as well. The food and stories were fantastic!!! and BAMBAMBAM!!!!! on the poinsietta cocktail, I highly recommend it for your next Christmas gathering!!!! loved it!!

Very disappointed with the book:
I was overjoyed with the delivery of the book. I purchased it used, at a fantastic price. There the joy ended. The recipes are ones that only a person looking for the completely abnormal meal would like this book. Only the section of Gifts to Make was worth reading. The recipes called for ingredients that are difficult to obtain and mostly of unusual taste. Would have cried if I had paid full price.

Not for the faint of heart--but worth it!:
If you're only familiar with Emeril from his TV appearances, this book may surprise you. It lacks the flamboyance and loud flashiness, replacing them with a certain elegance and gourmet style. It includes a Christmas Eve dinner for ten, Emeril's Christmas Day brunch buffet, New Orleans New Year's Eve dinner, a New Year's Day supper family style, the Chef's holiday favorites, and Emeril's "stocking stuffers." The book is filled with gorgeous photographs of lavish decorations and settings. They artfully set the mood in this book--one of no expense spared in the interest of fabulous holiday memories. Each section of the book is done as a menu, so that you can make the menu whole or steal individual recipes. None of these menus are quick things, and this book isn't designed for the cook who doesn't like to spend more than a half-hour in the kitchen. Shopping lists are included, as well as wine pairings. This is not the cookbook for someone on a budget: it calls for such expensive ingredients as caviar, truffles, and huge amounts of fresh raspberries, some of which can be tough to find depending on where you live. The book also assumes at least a little experience with basic cooking techniques--novices shouldn't be starting with a gourmet cookbook using expensive ingredients. Not all of the recipes cost so much, however, and they aren't all complicated; for example, the spiced pecans are extremely inexpensive and easy, and they're so good that we've made them more than 15 times at least (and we don't often repeat recipes). They're so good, in fact, that people request them specially when they come to visit at holidays. So try the salad of new potatoes and roasted walnuts with warm bacon vinaigrette, or the truffle risotto with parmesan croutons. Make the andouille cheese bread or the white cheddar truffle eggs. Save this book for an occasion when you really want to pull out all the stops, whether it's Christmas or some other important time in your life. The photos alone will inspire you to do great things in the kitchen!

Meal recipes kind of lame..."gift" recipes are good though:
I can't be too upset about this book as I bought it used, so I got my money's worth. If I had paid full price, even Amazon's discounted price, I would have been annoyed. The recipes seem to be a little "formula", just take a regular recipe and add some truffles or andouille and it's "Emerilized"...a little hack if you ask me. There are however several recipes (and even a chapter) on things you can give as a gift though...homemade barbecue sauce or bottled "essence"...good stuff when you want to give something to that distant aunt, but don't want to break the bank.

Creole Gourmet's Delight:
Having received this as a gift, I must confess that I have never cooked from it, but have perused it many a time. Included our recipes for a Christmas Eve Dinner for ten, Christmas Day Brunch, New Year's Eve Dinner, along with stuffing suggested gifts, mail order sources, shopping lists, and wonderful writing about the holidays and wine suggestions. On the "want-to-try" list are: Sugarcane Ham with Spiced Apples and Pears, Creole Christmas Fruitcake with WHiskey Sauce, Jiffy Pop Firecracker Shrimp, Crab Bisque with Crab Boulettes. Delightful book with great writing and photos and organization.