I discovered Ms. Thompsons book about 10 years ago in Little Rock, AR. I am one of those guys that buys every cajun cook that he comes across. However, I have never found one that measures up to Ms. Thompsons in detail. You recognize right away that hers was a labor of love for the food and the history that produced it. I am a native from Kentwood, Louisiana and I enjoyed the cooking and history lesson. Each time I look through it I find something new and interesting. I have recently opened a restaurant in St. Louis MO (Jackies in Clayton) and the recipes from this book are our most popular dishes.