7.08.2010

crab cakes and a book review

I'm so thrilled to have the opportunity to review The Food, Folklore, and Art of Lowcountry Cooking by the award winning author, Joseph E. Dabney. This book transports you to charming destinations like Savannah, Beaufort and Charleston. It is bursting with rich history and tradition. Recipes come from down-home folk as well as chefs and restauranteurs. This cookbook is a delightful mix of mouth watering recipes including appetizers, soups, beverages, bbq, seafood, benne seeds, grits, greens, wild game and desserts. There is also a nice helping of delightful poetry, famous quotes, heartfelt prayers and so many wonderful stories from the past. You will laugh and quite possibly shed a tear...or two.

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It was difficult to decide which recipe to try first. I almost went with the Alligator Ribs but then I thought about just how much it would cost to have fresh gator shipped to Oregon so...

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I went with the Beaufort-Style Crab Cakes instead.

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These cakes are packed with green and red peppers, mushrooms, onion and, of course, a pound of crab meat.

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Shhhh! Don't tell anyone in Beaufort but I tweaked the recipe just a teensy bit. I added a clove of garlic. I also had a bit of trouble getting these lovely cakes to hold together so I threw in an egg, too. I'm sure my troubles were do to the fact that I am a complete crab cake making novice. I vow to master the art of crab cake making!

My daughter proclaimed these to be delicious and let me know that she could probably eat twelve of them!

I whipped up some spicy dipping sauce for my crab cakes as well. Just a mix of mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, chili powder and lemon juice.

Be sure and keep your eye out for this cookbook, it's definitely worth a read!


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36 comments:

♥peachkins♥ said...

I want to get one crab cake from the photo!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

When I was in Greece at the cooking school I met some really good friends and their entire family from Beaufort. Every time I hear about low country boils, etc I think of them. The crab cakes and the cookbook sound awesome.

love lives in the kitchen said...

i love your crab cakes! may i have one of these right now ' :)
have a sweet weekend,
justyna

Anonymous said...

Your crab cakes are to die for. Delicious!

xo

Joanne said...

Awesome review and awesome cookbook! It sounds like it is filled with good comfort food.

The crab cakes look fantastic and I think your additions were probably for the best.

TKW said...

There's just about nothing finer than a toothsome crab cake. I drooled on my keyboard looking at yours.

Cathy said...

Looksk like a very interesting book, Kim. I'm looking forward to your reviews of some of the recipes. Your crab cakes sound delicious and I always add an egg to mine too.

See you tomorrow.

Kim said...

Alligator ribs would sure make for an interesting post:)

The crab cakes look gorgeous! I haven't had crab in ages and your plate of them definitely is calling my name right now.

Maddy said...

This looks scrumptious! And I'm not even a big fan of crab cakes, but I would definitely give these a whirl!

koralee said...

Sounds delightful!!!! I must look for this one..my list is ever growing! Happy weekend Sweet one! xoxoxo

Allyson said...

So, being a new Georgia Peach, I am SO excited about this book. Plus we've been coming to Hilton Head for YEARS and that's where Neal and I got married. We honeymooned in Charleston. I have a love-love relationship with the Lowcountry. I have 2 questions before I tackle this....
1) where does a girl find fish stock?
2) if for some reason, I can't find crab meat (highly unlikely, but still possible. We're landlocked here in Middle Georgia), can I use imitation crabmeat?

Looking forward to yummy crab cakes!!

theUngourmet said...

Allyson- I wasn't sure where to find the fish stock either. I had to stick with water. I also thought another type of stock might work. I don't know about the imitation crab. I found crab at Costco for a good price.

Randi Troxell said...

those crab cakes look awesome!

have a great wkend!!!!

Unknown said...

Sounds like a wonderful recipe book. I'll look for it next time I'm in America.
I just love a good crab cake!
Have a wonderful weekend.
*kisses* HH

Erica said...

Another beautiful recipe!!!Sounds like a great book.Thanks for sharing!

Stella said...

Hey Kim, I could probably eat 12 of those crab cakes too-they look delicious! Nice review & I hope to see more from the book-I'm from Georgia so I love this kind of food!

Jenn said...

Ironically, I was about to order some crab cakes when I went to this little seafood place in Malibu. Why didn't I take that instead????? Oh, well...i guess I'll have to make them a home then. :)

Anonymous said...

Oooooh.... this post makes me miss the south. I lived in Hilton Head for a year and we would go to Savannah and Beaufort all the time. I loved it there. Those look delicious.

chow and chatter said...

wow cool cookbook adore low country cooking we can drive to Charleston for weekends u have to plan a trip!

yummy crab cakes

Angie's Recipes said...

The crab cakes look terrific! Don't know about the author, but the cookbook sounds quite interesting!

Jeannie said...

Delicious crabcakes! I could eat a few of that too! Sounds like an interesting cookbook you have there...love the cover:D

Fresh Local and Best said...

It sounds like there are at least a couple of adventurous recipes in this book. The crab cakes look fab, it's one of my favorite things to eat.

Magic of Spice said...

Great review:) Love the crab cakes, they look perfect...I just did crab and lobster cakes on the 4th. We are cooking together without knowing it, lol.

sweetlife said...

great review, oh crabcakes...love them don't worry I won't tell anyone you tweaked them, ha ha

sweetlife

Donna-FFW said...

I love love love crabcakes.. I have yet to find a go to recipe..these sound perfect!

Brianna! said...

I am in love with BOOKS!
haha
and this cookbook is SO pretty.

xoxo
bB

jacqueline said...

This looks like a wonderful book! Thanks for such a good review on this book, i will just have to head to my local favorite book shop to look up on it! Have a lovely merry happy weekend and love to you!

Marilyn said...

Crab cakes, my adult daughter and her husband love them, these look like some I could make! I belong to Costco so will try them for the crab real soon.

pigpigscorner said...

Great looking crab cakes! I like the cover of that book!

Gloria Baker said...

What lovely cook books I love it! I love crab cakes! gloria

Janice said...

Those look delicious, I'd be interested to know which recipes they have included that have a Scottish heritage.

Jennifer said...

The book sounds fab, Im going to have to look for it! thanks for reviewing it and sharing the recipe for those amazing looking crab cakes!!

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

I am COMPLETELY drooling right now!

Katy ~ said...

I'll have to look for this; I'm a great admirer of southern cooking and this one sounds as if there's some real good cookin' in it. Thanks!

Faith said...

This sounds like a really good book, I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for it! The crabcakes look amazing too (love the garlic addition :) )!

Unknown said...

The cook book sounds lovely. Any good Caribbean recipes in there?

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