Celebrating local fare, the southeastern coast of the U.S., and togetherness, Bayou: Feasting Through the Seasons of a Cajun Life is a gorgeous cookbook by South Louisiana native Melissa M. Martin (Mosquito Supper Club) brimming with culinary traditions and exquisite photos. Life on Cajun country bayous is marked by "rituals playing out on a stove," Martin notes. She adds personal stories to her collection of 100 recipes, organized in eight chapters by seasons or circumstances. Thrifty, uncomplicated recipes in "Grace" include 7UP Biscuits and squash and corn dishes. "Abundance" includes Carnival, with crawfish, oysters, and shrimp fare for "the greatest party on earth." In "Love," Martin's special occasion recipes are labor-intensive, including a dressing with oysters and chicken gizzards, and Gateau Nana with pecan frangipane. "Warmth" introduces summer on the bayou and honors "the bounty of the sea" in a variety of crab and shrimp recipes. While some might decline esoteric dishes such as Deer Tamales and Fried Fish Collars, Martin's appreciation for her singular native region and her collection of delicious recipes will inspire any cook. --Cheryl McKeon, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y.