Da Cajn Critter is an exuberant and lighthearted book, one that celebrates food and life as expressed through the Cajun kitchen. As author Pamela D. Lyles states, "Cajun is the way of life of someone who wants to eat good food, be with real people, and make cooking simple and easy so you actually WANT to cook." Many of the recipes come from family members , reflecting both Cajun beginnings and the melting pot adaptation to life with recipes that have shaped the American palate. Among the not strictly Cajun recipes is a preponderance of Italian dishes, many of which influenced Creole cooking.
As a book of recipes, Lyles goes from Appetizers to Desserts, mingling the Cajun with the adopted recipes that have become mainstays, but she adds what terms a lagniappe. This word originally referred to a gift given by a merchant to a customer, and was taken up, primarily by the New Orleans culture, to mean that something extra. Lyles lagniappe is a happy one, including a pronunciation guide for south and north; the history of the King Cake; a food and wine pairing guide; decorating with flowers and napkins; tips for buying bread; cooking charts for meats and poultry; measurement equivalents; and what she calls "useful bits of Information." Here you'll find such disparate tips as how to keep fresh boiled shrimp crisp and cold; what to do to remove fish, garlic, or onion smell from your hands; even how to keep cats away from good curtains. Life is full in the Cajun world. This section is so playful that she extends the definition of lagniappe to mean a joyfully given gift.
Lyles offers three rules for Cajun cooking. The first rule states that there are no rules, and we know that recipes can be played with. This is where one "makes groceries," by compiling the list of everything needed. Rule two is to line up everything to make cooking easy. Rule three mischievously states that before you cook, you pour yourself a glass of wine. Lyles insists that this rule must not be broken.
The recipe chapters are as follows:
- Let's Get the Party Started (appetizers
- Rise and Shine with Da Critter (Breads, Breakfast and Brunch)
- Let Us Entertain You (Soups, Salads & Dressings)
- The Main Event (Meat, Fowl and More)
- See Food and Eat It (Seafood, the New Orleans staple)
- Sumptuous Sides (Vegetables, Potatoes, Pasta and More)
- They Saved the Best for Last (Desserts)
The message of the book is to enjoy cooking, enjoy living, enjoy those around you.
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