Book excerpt: With more than 600,000 copies sold, The Cotton Country Collection is a classic among Southern cookbooks. This vintage book, first published in 1972, was listed by USA Today as one of the top five regional cookbooks in the United States. It includes everything from drinks and hors d'oeuvres to soups and salads to meats and candy. Try favorites such as Cotton Country Rum Punch, Andy's Creole Shrimp, Applesauce Nut Bread, Cajun Dirty Rice, Marie Louise's Turkey and Gravy, or Grand Champion Sponge Cake. Compiled by the Junior League of Monroe, Louisiana, the book features 1,100 triple-tested recipes from Louisiana's legendary kitchens.