Gumbo Tales

A cocktail is more than a segue to dinner when its a Sazerac, an anise-laced drink of rye whiskey and bitters indigenous to New Orleans. For Wisconsin native Sara Roahen, a Sazerac is also a fine accompaniment to raw oysters, a looking glass into the cocktail culture of her own familyand one more way to gain a foothold in her beloved adopted city. Roahens stories of personal discovery introduce readers to New Orleans well-known signaturesgumbo, po-boys, red beans and riceand its lesser-known gems: the pho of its Vietnamese immigrants, the braciolone of its Sicilians, and the ya-ka-mein of its street culture. By eating and cooking her way through a place as unique and unexpected as its infamous turducken, Roahen finds a home. And then Katrina. With humor, poignancy, and hope, she conjures up a city that reveled in its food traditions before the stormand in many ways has been saved by them since.