"The name Louisiana rolls off the tongue with a lilt that tickles the soul and conjures up images of a unique and fascinating culture and lifestyle well known for its deep, fun-loving French-Creole influence," the Junior Leaguers maintain.

These Southern recipes, organized by month, include such unusual creations as Shrimp and Grits With Artichokes, Real Cajun Red Beans and Rice, Grilled Tenderloin With Blueberry Sauce and Louisiana Crab Cakes With Sauce Ravigotte, one of the few recipes with a note as to its origin. More could have been included in this regard. The index could have been better, also.

"Plantation Tours & Tastes" by the Church Women of Prince George Winyah Parish, Georgetown, S.C. ($29.95), was the third-place winner. It, too, lacks mention of recipe origins. However, the introductions to each chapter highlight places of historical interest.

The number of recipes in this spiral-bound book is unknown, but there are probably 200 or so. They come at you from all sides, including the margins. On one page you'll find Lemon Chess Pie, Chocolate Chess Pie and Last-Minute Chess Pie, for example. The margin items describe preparation techniques, too.

The awards program also recognized six regional winners from Brooklyn, N.Y.; New Albany, Ohio; Boston; Lake Charles, La.; Tempe, Ariz., and Chico, Calif.

It is too bad that the McIlhenny Company's own cookbook, "Tabasco: An Illustrated History" by Shane K. Bernard (2007), was not eligible for an award. It clearly is a winner.

1 large orange

1 tablespoon shortening

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup pitted dates

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the orange into halves and squeeze the juice into a 1-cup measure. Preserve the orange rind. Add enough boiling water to the juice to measure 1 cup. Stir in the shortening until melted. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Pulse the reserved orange rind in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the dates and process until coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess. Spoon into a large mixing bowl. Add the orange juice mixture, sugar, vanilla and egg and mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour into a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the loaf tests done.

Makes 1 loaf.

Catfish has always been one of my favorites. This recipe is from the second-place winner, "Mardi Gras to Mistletoe."

Tartar sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 teaspoon minced onion

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Catfish:

2 tablespoons ranch salad dressing

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 (6-ounce) catfish fillets

Sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon pepper, lemon juice, dill weed, onion and Old Bay seasoning in a bowl and mix well. Chill, covered, for 2 hours before serving.

Catfish: Whisk the salad dressing and egg whites in a bowl until combined. Mix the cornmeal, cheese, flour, cayenne pepper and salt in a shallow dish. Dip the fillets in the egg white mixture and coat with the cornmeal mixture.

Arrange the fillets on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes on each side or until the fillets are light brown and flake easily when tested with a fork. Serve with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings.