Spicer, of the New Orleans restaurants Bayona and Herbsaint, shares her secrets for the perfect pantry. Each recipe has an engaging introduction, which might include tips about cooking methods, an alternative way to serve, reasons certain ingredients were chosen, or personal anecdotes. We sat down with Spicer to discuss her career and her cookbook.

Southern Accents: You've cooked all over the world. What was one of your most memorable experiences?
Susan Spicer: Cooking in Bangkok at The Oriental Hotel was just amazing. There were about eight different restaurants in the hotel, and every morning, the ladies who prepared the Thai dishes for several of the restaurants would bring us some incredibly fragrant, steaming concoction and then stand there giggling and watching us while we devoured it. Talk about spicy! My tolerance and appreciation for chilies turned into a serious craving by the end of the two weeks. One time I smelled something so heavenly that I walked around to see what it was, and they were dumping a huge basketful of jasmine flowers into one of their stockpots!

SA: Your mother inspired you to love cooking and entertaining. How did she do that?
SS: I would sit on the kitchen counter watching her prepare dinner for all nine of us. Later, I loved to help her get ready for the dinner parties she was always having (and still has at least once a week, at the age of 86). I didn't realize that what she was doing was something called mise en place (having all your ingredients ready before starting to cook), which I would learn the importance of many years later in a professional kitchen.

SA: When you decided to open Bayona, how did you go about preparing the menu, and what were your primary influences?
SS: I trained mostly with French chefs but got wanderlust from my naval officer dad and a global palate from my European mom. So when I finally opened my own place, I decided to let myself explore the world from a cook's perspective. And there's no denying the powerful influence of being raised around the cuisine and ingredients of New Orleans. That's why sometimes we make crayfish étouffée, and sometimes we make crayfish curry.

SA: This cookbook brings together the best of your two restaurants -- Bayona and Herbsaint. How do they differ?
SS: Bayona was always eclectic, and we wanted to be a little more Louisiana/French-focused when we opened Herbsaint. The feeling of the two restaurants is also different; Bayona is more romantic and elegant, while Herbsaint is the hipper, bistro-casual spot.

SA: You present the Spicer pantry in your book. What are the ingredients you can't live without?
SS: Lemons, shallots, cheese, mustard, olive oil, and hot sauce.

SA: What is one of your favorite foolproof dinner party lineups from this cookbook?
SS: Start with Goat Cheese Croutons With Wild Mushrooms in Madeira Cream, then the French Braised Leeks With Dijon Vinaigrette, followed by Grouper Baked in Grape Leaves or Roasted Duckling With Orange-Cane Syrup Sauce. I'd finish with either the Espresso Pôts de Crème or the Epiphany Lemon Tart.

SA: What are some popular dishes that you serve for the holidays?
SS: I always think of oysters around the holidays. I guess it's because that's when the local ones are at their peak of brininess and flavor. I love to put them in stuffing (we call it dressing in New Orleans), on salads, or over toast. I also love winter squash, such as butternut or acorn squash.

SA: What are your tips for creating a great dinner party? Is there an ideal number of guests?
SS: My mom is the pro at this, and she says six guests is the right number because they can all participate in the conversation. If you have eight, the table gets split in half. I think good music (not too obtrusive), fresh flowers, and an interesting wine or beverage selection are all important elements -- and, of course, having your mise en place ready!

For more information about Susan Spicer's restaurants, call Bayona at 504/525-4455, or visit www.bayona.com, or call Herbsaint at 504/524-4114, or visit www.herbsaint.com.