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Drag Queen Brunch
DRAG QUEEN BRUNCH is the new eye-popping, jaw-dropping cookbook-meets-lifestyle-spread by award-winning author and TV personality Poppy Tooker.
In her 6th book, Tooker, one of New Orleans’ most celebrated preservationists and historians, combines the history and tradition of New Orleans drag culture with striking imagery, captivating stories and curated recipes from some of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and chefs, including Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s, Antoine’s, Alon Shaya, Isaac Toups and more.
This page-turning book features sizzling spreads and profiles of 15 drag beauties; stunning photos by Sam Hanna; a foreword by nationally-renowned drag artist Vinsantos Defonte; and 60 mouthwatering brunch recipes including egg Sardou, crabmeat cheesecake, Caribbean Milk Punch and Legs & Eggs.
In her 6th book, Tooker, one of New Orleans’ most celebrated preservationists and historians, combines the history and tradition of New Orleans drag culture with striking imagery, captivating stories and curated recipes from some of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and chefs, including Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s, Antoine’s, Alon Shaya, Isaac Toups and more.
This page-turning book features sizzling spreads and profiles of 15 drag beauties; stunning photos by Sam Hanna; a foreword by nationally-renowned drag artist Vinsantos Defonte; and 60 mouthwatering brunch recipes including egg Sardou, crabmeat cheesecake, Caribbean Milk Punch and Legs & Eggs.
- GenresCookbooks
160 pages, Hardcover
Published August 27, 2019
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Poppy Tooker
11 books1 followerPoppy Tooker is a native New Orleanian who has spent her life immersed in the vibrant colors and flavors of her hometown.
Louisiana Eats, the NPR member affiliated weekly radio show produced and hosted by Poppy Tooker takes listeners into the fields, the waters, the markets and kitchens to hear from the people who maintain the state’s storied food traditions and create new culinary magic inspired by the wealth of Louisiana’s food culture.
Poppy contributes colorful food commentary on WYES, the New Orleans PBS affiliate's weekly arts and entertainment show, Steppin' Out. She has shared the screen with television celebrities such as Extreme Cuisine’s Jeff Corwin, Foodography’s Mo Rocca and even Bobby Flay could not resist a Throwdown with Poppy. Her famous seafood gumbo proved unbeatable on the popular Food Network show!
Poppy’s on camera flair has been viewed across the world in documentary projects such as Savouring the World and Taste of New Zealand. The History Channel enlisted her whimsical point of view for the Holiday Foods episode of America Eats. Poppy was a featured guest on Dining After Hours with Chef Daniel Boulud.
Louisiana Eats, the NPR member affiliated weekly radio show produced and hosted by Poppy Tooker takes listeners into the fields, the waters, the markets and kitchens to hear from the people who maintain the state’s storied food traditions and create new culinary magic inspired by the wealth of Louisiana’s food culture.
Poppy contributes colorful food commentary on WYES, the New Orleans PBS affiliate's weekly arts and entertainment show, Steppin' Out. She has shared the screen with television celebrities such as Extreme Cuisine’s Jeff Corwin, Foodography’s Mo Rocca and even Bobby Flay could not resist a Throwdown with Poppy. Her famous seafood gumbo proved unbeatable on the popular Food Network show!
Poppy’s on camera flair has been viewed across the world in documentary projects such as Savouring the World and Taste of New Zealand. The History Channel enlisted her whimsical point of view for the Holiday Foods episode of America Eats. Poppy was a featured guest on Dining After Hours with Chef Daniel Boulud.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 21, 2019
Tooker, Poppy with Sam Hanna. “Drag Queen Brunch”, Rainbow Road Press, 2019.
Breakfast with the Girls
Amos Lassen
Many people do not realize two of New Orleans’ greatest LGBT activities are drag queens and brunch. If you put the two together, you have a wonderful way to start the day. Poppy Tooker certainly understood this and she gives us a fabulous new book, “Drag Queen Brunch” and it is filled with beautiful photographs of food and queens.
When I lived in New Orleans, my favorite book to keep on my coffee table was a small little volume entitled, “Cross Dressing for Success” and I would love to see the looks on people’s faces as they wondered if I did indeed cross dress or not. Now in Boston, I have replaced that with “Drag Queen Brunch”. Those that might question that never know if I do either or both, drag queens or brunch. I am sad to say that in my circle of friends, brunch is seldom an option and I have grown too old to do drag unless as a queen mother.
With a foreword by Vinsantos Defonte, “drag-mister-ass of the New Orleans Drag Community and founder of the New Orleans Drag workshop, we get a bit of an overview of the drag community. In the introduction to the book, we get a bit of history of drag and food and it is fascinating reading especially because two of my favorite New Orleans restaurants, Antoine’s and Tujague’s are named and oh so many memories came forward. You have not lived until you have baked Alaska at Antoine’s and a meal with no menu at Tujague’s. New Orleans is unique in that eating in some of the finest restaurants in the world is n9t just about the food but also a celebration of having the opportunity to eat some of the best food in the world. At the Drag Queen Brunches, performance is key to success as the girls entertain audiences as diverse as the population of the world. It gets even better when you know that what you eat and what you see also benefits CresentCare, the nonprofit organization once known as the NO/AIDS Task Force (where I often volunteered when I lived there). Let me quote Poppy in saying that “This book is intended to curate the beauty and tell the delicious tales of drag queens past and present”.
Writer Poppy Tooker is one of New Orleans’ most celebrated preservationists and historians. Here she combines the history and tradition of New Orleans drag culture with stories and curated recipes from some of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and chefs, including Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s, Antoine’s, Alon Shaya, Isaac Toups and more. I found myself flipping pages as quickly as I could looking at the wonderful photographs by Sam Hannah and marking the pages that I planned to come back and read in more detail (almost all of them). I mused over how much I am dying for a plate of grillades and grits. I found a place here in Boston that attempts to make them but does not really know how and I had to explain the difference between hominy and grits and to use veal instead of brisket (although this cookbook allows you to use beef). It was a noble attempt but a supreme failure.
We get some 60 recipes and profiles of some of New Orleans’ finest drag queens. I have been gone now almost twenty years and I had completely forgotten about such dishes as Eggs Sardou, Crawfish Strudel and Crepes Fitzgerald and Eggs Hussarde to name a few. I do not know if I will be able to wait until March to get to New Orleans and to taste so many of the dishes here. I so appreciate this book but on the other hand (there is always an other hand, I am experiencing severe homesickness and dire hunger pains and pangs).
You can always tell when a writer is passionate about their work and you certainly feel Poppy’s passion in her words and in Sam Hanna’s photographs. I love when s book is a pleasure to read and one that you go back to over and over again. I know that will be true for me, especially regarding the recipes. A portion of the proceeds from the book will also go to CresentCare.
Breakfast with the Girls
Amos Lassen
Many people do not realize two of New Orleans’ greatest LGBT activities are drag queens and brunch. If you put the two together, you have a wonderful way to start the day. Poppy Tooker certainly understood this and she gives us a fabulous new book, “Drag Queen Brunch” and it is filled with beautiful photographs of food and queens.
When I lived in New Orleans, my favorite book to keep on my coffee table was a small little volume entitled, “Cross Dressing for Success” and I would love to see the looks on people’s faces as they wondered if I did indeed cross dress or not. Now in Boston, I have replaced that with “Drag Queen Brunch”. Those that might question that never know if I do either or both, drag queens or brunch. I am sad to say that in my circle of friends, brunch is seldom an option and I have grown too old to do drag unless as a queen mother.
With a foreword by Vinsantos Defonte, “drag-mister-ass of the New Orleans Drag Community and founder of the New Orleans Drag workshop, we get a bit of an overview of the drag community. In the introduction to the book, we get a bit of history of drag and food and it is fascinating reading especially because two of my favorite New Orleans restaurants, Antoine’s and Tujague’s are named and oh so many memories came forward. You have not lived until you have baked Alaska at Antoine’s and a meal with no menu at Tujague’s. New Orleans is unique in that eating in some of the finest restaurants in the world is n9t just about the food but also a celebration of having the opportunity to eat some of the best food in the world. At the Drag Queen Brunches, performance is key to success as the girls entertain audiences as diverse as the population of the world. It gets even better when you know that what you eat and what you see also benefits CresentCare, the nonprofit organization once known as the NO/AIDS Task Force (where I often volunteered when I lived there). Let me quote Poppy in saying that “This book is intended to curate the beauty and tell the delicious tales of drag queens past and present”.
Writer Poppy Tooker is one of New Orleans’ most celebrated preservationists and historians. Here she combines the history and tradition of New Orleans drag culture with stories and curated recipes from some of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and chefs, including Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s, Antoine’s, Alon Shaya, Isaac Toups and more. I found myself flipping pages as quickly as I could looking at the wonderful photographs by Sam Hannah and marking the pages that I planned to come back and read in more detail (almost all of them). I mused over how much I am dying for a plate of grillades and grits. I found a place here in Boston that attempts to make them but does not really know how and I had to explain the difference between hominy and grits and to use veal instead of brisket (although this cookbook allows you to use beef). It was a noble attempt but a supreme failure.
We get some 60 recipes and profiles of some of New Orleans’ finest drag queens. I have been gone now almost twenty years and I had completely forgotten about such dishes as Eggs Sardou, Crawfish Strudel and Crepes Fitzgerald and Eggs Hussarde to name a few. I do not know if I will be able to wait until March to get to New Orleans and to taste so many of the dishes here. I so appreciate this book but on the other hand (there is always an other hand, I am experiencing severe homesickness and dire hunger pains and pangs).
You can always tell when a writer is passionate about their work and you certainly feel Poppy’s passion in her words and in Sam Hanna’s photographs. I love when s book is a pleasure to read and one that you go back to over and over again. I know that will be true for me, especially regarding the recipes. A portion of the proceeds from the book will also go to CresentCare.
Displaying 1 of 1 review