Review by Booklist Review
Fans of the Food Network channel and PBS' No Passport Required will recognize chef, restaurateur, philanthropist, author, and food activist Samuelsson (The Red Rooster Cookbook, 2016). Along with James Beard Award--winning author Osayi Endolyn and recipe developers Yewande Komolafe and Tamie Cook, here he takes readers on a culinary journey to discuss the diversity, history, culture, and spirituality that Black food and Black chefs express. Among biographies highlighting the culinary contributions of dozens of contemporary Black chefs including Shakirah Smiley, Nina Compton, and Eric Gestel, readers will find more than 150 delicious recipes, each shared in tribute to their work: Lagos plantains with suya dip in honor of Eduardo Jordan, island jollof rice in honor of Eric Adjepong, grilled Piri Piri shrimp with papaya and watermelon salad in honor of Devita Davidson. The book also contains information on ingredients, spice blends, and cooking techniques that readers are sure to find helpful. This book is a celebration of Black culture through food, and a must for all readers of culinary history. An amazing addition to any library collection.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Chef Samuelsson (Yes, Chef) underscores the significance and breadth of Black contributions to America's culinary culture in this remarkable collection of recipes from and profiles of Black chefs, writers, historians, and more. Among the topics covered are where Black food is headed, its history in various parts of the country, and the influence of the American South ("I've come to think of the American South as not only a geographical region but a state of mind... food in the South is still very much West and Central African cooking reinterpreted, remixed, in America"). Recipes include condiments and pantry items, such as San Francisco activist Shakirah Simley's benne seed dressing and TV food personality Carla Hall's garden egg chow chow, and heartier items, as with Samuelsson's bird and toast (an ode to Harlem restaurateur Melba Wilson) and his wife's recipe for doro wat rigatoni. The variety of recipes is impressive and appealing, from the chicken liver mousse with croissants of Le Bernardin executive chef Eric Gestel to the spiced lemon chess pie by Oxford, Miss., bartender Joe Stinchcomb. While the recipes are reliably excellent, the book's positive messages of equality, enlightenment, and social justice make it something anyone would want to have in their home. (Oct.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Reminding us that Black food is not monolithic and is more than soul food, award-winning chef Samuelsson (The Red Rooster Cookbook) creates a groundbreaking resource devoted to Black foodways and the ongoing history of food as a part of racial justice. For him, authorship of our own foodways is essential; Black people have always cooked, but it's only recently that we've received recognition. The chef takes care to show that Black food is American food, and sparks a conversation on what it means to be a Black cook in the United States, and abroad. With the assistance of cowriters Osayi Endolyn (food writer) and Yewande Komolafe (recipe developer and food stylist), Samuelsson profiles influential chefs in the diaspora and creates recipes celebrating their legacy. Among the highlights are Toni Tipton-Martin being honored with beets with sage leaf and dukkah spice and Tavel Bristol-Joseph with coconut fried chicken with sweet hot sauce and platanos. Rich photographs by Angie Mosier place chefs and their inspired foods in context. VERDICT Samuelsson's enthusiasm and appreciation shine throughout this inviting collection, a must-read for all interested in Black foodways and culinary history.--Stephanie Sendaula, Library Journal
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