There really aren't many bad cookbooks on the market, but some are certainly more useful than others. Whether you're a gourmet cook, a home cook looking for basics, or a Southern food and history enthusiast, you'll find these cookbooks helpful and enjoyable.

Southern Cookbooks
These cookbooks are written by some of the nation's top food writers, chefs, and food historians. They all contain recipes, but I've broken them into two groups. The Southern cookbooks are primarily recipes, while the Southern historical cookbooks are either vintage cookbooks reproduced or contain a good deal of information on traditions and culture of particular dishes and/or regions.

• Southern Cookbooks
• Southern Historical Cookbooks

Louisiana Cookbooks
Traditional Louisiana, Cajun and Creole recipes from famous chefs, organizations, and food writers.

• Louisiana Cookbooks

Slow Cooker Cookbooks
One of the problems with the slow cooker in the past was the lack of good, tasty recipes. With several new slow cooker cookbooks on the market each year, not to mention the many resources on the Internet, people are dusting off their pots and putting them to work.

• Top Slow Cooker Cookbooks

Low-Fat Cookbooks
Southern food has a reputation for being high in fat and calories, but these cookbooks lighten many of our favorite recipes and include many healthy tips. From Soul Food to Cajun Cuisine, there are ways to make your favorite dishes healthy.

• Low-Fat and Light Southern Cookbooks