Black America Cooks (Beta)

Celebrating Cooks, Culture and Tradition

Week Ending October 31, 2010

Skillet Diaries™ Salute

Leah Chase, Dooky Chase Restaurant, New Orleans

"Queen of Creole Cuisine"

Born: January 6, 1923
Hometown: Madisonville, La.
Cooking Style: Creole
Memorable Quote:

"There are no Secret Recipes…"

Notable Honors:

*James Beard Foundation: Who's Who, Food & Beverage

*New Orleans Times Picayune: Loving Cup Award

*Southern Foodways Alliance: Lifetime Achievement

Why we Love Leah Chase: She is a fantastic cook, the kindest woman you will ever meet and she keeps the flame burning under a cherished culinary tradition.

Books:

"The Dooky Chase Cookbook"

by Leah Chase, 1990

"Listen I Say Like This"

by Carol Allen, 2002

"And Still I Cook"

By Leah Chase, 2003

Pelican Publishing Company

Favorite Recipes:

Shrimp Clemenceau

"The Dooky Chase Cookbook"

Gingerbread

"The Dooky Chase Cookbook"

Weiss and Jews;

Skillet Diary

Week ending 10/31

, 2010

A Family Tradition of Leah Chase Fans:

"Today, my niece (top right) smiles when she points to the photo of "Mrs. Chase from New Orleans" in "The Dooky Chase Cookbook" and describes her as "Grandmommy's friend".

Along with her recipes, Mrs. Chase's messages of hope, humility, compassion, encouragement and humor continue to stir generations of family cooks everywhere.

My grandmothers both adored Leah Chase. My mother (who passed away in 2003) was a fan long before I ever imagined a food writing career. Recently, I opened the well-worn cover of the cookbook I inherited from Mom to find this inscription above Mrs. Chase's signature. It was written on my mother's birthday:

"...To Muriel, Enjoy Life with Good Food.…Grateful to you...1/23/92.

Reading this makes me smile…and consider the hundreds of thousands of diners, cooks, friends and family who are grateful to Mrs. Leah Chase.

Donna

Register for updates on Black America Cooks:

________________________

Terms/Privacy/Media Contact/Advertising Contact