So, after I found the New Orleans estate sale cookbooks, I clicked around on those “suggested items you might like.”
I ended up discovering the cookbooks by Mercedes Vidrine. And I’m so glad I did!
Mercedes LeDoux Vidrine (1920—2010) began writing for newspapers at the very young age of fifteen. By 1962, she was writing a column for the Opelousas Daily World newspaper. By 1964, she had published her first cookbook, Quelque Chose deDoux avec une Demi-Tasse. Using the recipes she knew from family and those sent in by readers, she followed up with additional Acadian-centered cookbooks: Quelque Chose Piquante (1966), Quelque Chose pour un Joyeaux Noel (1967), and Quelque Chose Beaucoup Bon (1973).
I have three of them! I don't have the Beaucoup Bon...yet! I'm working on getting it. And look, the Joyeux Noel one was autographed!
In 1973, all of her “Quelque Chose” cookbooks were combined into one large colossal edition called, Louisiana Lagniappe. It’s huge and heavy, but it is literally four small cookbooks compiled into one binding.
I think the original version of Louisiana Lagniappe has the blue cover, but you will most likely find it in the red cover.
Oh, and this one is autographed!
It looks like she also published Louisiana Cajun Seafood published later, but I don’t have a copy of that (yet).
I also stumbled upon a copy of De Bonnes Choses a Manger (St. Matthew’s Guild, Houma, Terrebonne Parish, LA)
There’s no publication date that I can find. I wonder if this is a first edition?
And then there’s Roger.
Roger’s Cajun Cookbook (Vernon Roger, WAFB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA). Vernon Roger was a television reporter for a local station in Baton Rouge, LA. This cookbook is a compilation of recipes he knew as a child growing up in the area and from stories he did throughout the community.
This is a hard one to get. I lost a few eBay auctions before one finally came my way! There’s a “Lite” version for those watching their calories and I want to say a Christmas Cajun cookbook as well? I’m just thrilled that I was able to get this one. I mean, I’ll keep trying for a first edition, first printing but that is a hard “get.” The people of Louisiana know how good this one is and keep them!