If You Can’t Stand the Heat

By Robert Medina

Robert Medina was raised in New Orleans around family and friends where cooking is a way of life. They still get together to watch their beloved New Orleans Saints and have tailgate cook-a-thons that would rival anything, anywhere. Every sporting event, family event, or even a non-event is turned into an excuse for a party. It’s the New Orleans way! Robert spent nearly twenty-four years as a firefighter in New Orleans, where he took over duties as the firehouse cook after honing skills he learned from his predecessors. To this day, he sticks with the credo that if you can satisfy a firefighter’s palate, you can satisfy anyone’s. If You Can’t Stand the Heat…a New Orleans Firefighter’s Cookbook brings you into the firehouse kitchen.

It contains recipes for classic New Orleans fare as well as many original firefighter recipes from this culinary capital. If you’ve ever wanted to cook a gumbo, make an etouffee, or just master a basic roux, this book is for you. If You Can’t Stand the Heat goes a step beyond the typical cookbook by including as many details as possible. Should the pot be covered while cooking? Should the ingredient be hot or cold when mixed in? These step-by-step instructions take all the guessing out of cooking. If you have ever had the desire to try Southern, Louisiana, or in particular, New Orleans-style cooking, Robert Medina breaks it down into easy-to-follow steps that will turn you into a great firehouse cook practically overnight. It is truly Big Easy cooking made easy!