Life is celebrated in the kitchen. New Orleans native, Pamela D. Lyles knows firsthand that cooking creates bonds that last a lifetime. Da Cajn Critter: The Lifestyles, The Rules, and Makin' Groceries unites culture and family with 185 simple recipes of rich heritage that create uniquely flavored dishes using everyday ingredients.

Pamela Lyles has been cooking and creating in the kitchen since she was a little girl. Growing up in New Orleans, she observed the magic in her own family's kitchen and her grandmother's kitchen. For the past twenty-five years, she has worked in sales management and marketing for the cosmetic industry, which included working with Elizabeth Taylor as a member of the team that developed the marketing and sales plans for Taylor's internationally distributed fragrances. Da Cajn Critter began as an idea for a cookbook that evolved into so much more. Reading it is like sitting down in a comfortable chair in the family den and becoming a member of the family. The Critter was born out of childhood memories, juggling family, career, traveling, and finding a way to enjoy her personal life.