2 comments about Addy's Cook Book: A Peek at Dining in the Past With Meals You Can Cook Today (American Girls Pastimes Collection).

1. I love this cookbook! I've tried almost all the recipies and they are all really good! Especially the shortbread wich I have made more times than I can even remember. I love to bake and cook, and this book is one of my favrite books to cook from, thanks Jodi Evert! Keep up the good work!



2. Addy's Kitchen is a wonderful look at the American Girls Past times. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will enjoy sharing it with my neice.

5 comments about The Gospel at Colonus.

1. Yes, this video performance must be re-released! How important is this production to me: 1987 -saw this live seven times! 1997- took 15 people to see the 10th Anniversary show! Have the soundtrack on vinyl, cassette and DVD. A good friend GAVE me a copy of the PBS performance (still in excellent condition).
   
   Here's a production that is more than just creative staging. It's a life lesson about forgiveness and redemption.



2. This play has been one that will not be easily forgotten. A really good play for all to see. I am searching really hard to find the video/disc. The soundtrack to it is great but seeing would put me there with the orginial cast especially the narrator and performers. Please email me and tell me how to acquire one. Great and wonderful play.



3. I want the tape as well! Saw it on PBS and like the rest of the reviewers can't find it any where. HELP!



4. I saw the play on PBS and was amazed at the production. It was one of the best plays that I have ever seen. I have been in search of the video version of the play for years and have yet to find it. I have the cd version of the Philadelphia cast of The Gospel at Colonus, but I would be ecstatic if I can own the video/dvd version of the play. If anyone knows where I can get a video version of the play, please share the information with the rest of us.



5. This is an outstanding DVD/CD/Book. Anyone who loves traditional Gospel should have this in their collection. I looked for this for over 10 years! Thanks Amazon.com!!!!!

2 comments about Hog and Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History).

1. I enjoyed this book immensely! I found that it gave excellent detail on the origins of soul food and tied it nicely from colonial America to modern day America. This book filled in the historical holes that I have found in the Food Network, Discovery Channel etc... programs about soul food and Southern cooking.
   
   The book is both a scholarly work as well as an entertaining read. I have no doubt that Dr. Opie will add "Best Selling Author" to his resume of accomplishments.



2. I had a lot of interest in the topic but found the book hard going. In the first half, Opie establishes that Africans were already familiar with American foods like corn and black-eyed peas before the slave trade really got under way. He goes on to cite (I can't say "incorporate") various sources which produce factoids about the slaves' cuisine. The first half of the book reads like a dissertation that has been adapted into a book, common enough in academia.
   
   The book does get interesting in Chapter 7, "The Chitlin Circuit." Here Opie clarifies the origin of the term "soul food" as something that grew out of the civil rights struggle, particularly in the 1960s. Opie acknowledges that the hog jowls, grits, chitlins, greens and so on represent the same food eaten by white southerners, especially poor white southerners. He quotes Amari Baraka, Pearl Bowser and many others to show their effort to claim this cuisine as a central part of African-American culture.
   
   There's a lot of info in this book (although it is too focused on New York City), but the great, sweeping STORY of black people's eating is still waiting for a writer.

5 comments about Rufus Estes' Good Things to Eat: The First Cookbook by an African-American Chef (Dover Cookbooks).

1. Dover Publications has reprinted Rufus Estes' Good Things to Eat: The First Cookbook by an African-American Chef, the first cookbook by an Afro-American chef, returning this time-lost 1911 culinary classic to print. It's refreshing to read a title from the past which doesn't skimp on the lard or the fats, and intriguing to read about Estes' Southern childhood and early years as a railway attendant, while the easy recipes for Baked Milk (an early form of custard), or Parsnip Fritters.



2. This is a good book to add to your collection if you are into collecting cookbooks or African American collectibles. There is a very brief introduction by the author of his life. It doesn't go into a lot of detail of his experiences as a chef but names a few places where he worked. Some of the recipes may be familiar to the seniors out there. I remember my grandmother preparing dishes that were similar in nature to some of the recipes listed.
   
   Obviously, this isn't a cookbook like the ones of our generation. The recipes are very brief, don't always list proportions, and are skimpy in preparation detail. If you purchase this and decide you want to try something, make sure you read the recipe over a few times to ensure that it flows and will work. For example, the fried chicken recipe instructs you to steep the chicken but there isn't enough liquid mentioned in the recipe for that, and the instructions on cooking the marinade are vague as they only specify that the liquid is heated. Since the marinade or steeping liquid includes carrots and turnips (yes, really) you have to assume that either water or broth was used and the mixture cooked until at least those vegetable were softened.
   
   I suppose the recipes are in the tradition of the cooking like Grandma used to do, a pinch of this or a spoonful of that with most of the detail being committed to memory!
   
   The title says that this is the first cookbook by an African American Chef. However, there is another book (available at Amazon), "What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking" that was published in 1881.



3. This is more than a cookbook (because most recipes you can't recreate), it is a historical account of life as a slave cook.



4. It is an honor for me to purchase a cookbook written by the first published African American chef. I am looking forward to duplicating the dishes... He made it so easy to follow so anyone can do this.



5. The cookbooks was very interesting. i found receipes that my grandmother used many years ago when i was a small child. Good Eats and flavorful dishes too!

3 comments about The 5-Factor World Diet.

1. I recommend this common-sense diet book, particularly for the recipe section. This book is 271 pages long, not including notes, an index, and a separate index of recipes (which I think is a good idea). There are 125 pages of recipes, and I have tried a few and found them to be simple to prepare and very good. The estimated preparation times appear to be accurate. The various cuisines included in the recipes provide a good deal more variety that many diet plans, yet they all adhere to the basic principles of this diet. If the diet you're on is getting boring, this one should provide some good alternatives. Even if you're not on a diet, the recipes are worth the price of the book.



2. Pasternak's 5-Factor Diet book is one of the best diet books around and helped me to change my approach to healthy eating and exercise for good. Now this companion piece expands on those same principles while giving us a real melting pot of culinary experiences from around the world to broaden our horizons! Each chapter divulges a concise and informative breakdown of what makes the cuisine of other nations healthier and teaches us how to adopt their habits and recipes for better living. Well worth reading!



3. The pot sticker recipes are healthy and fabulous. It is easier to make these then to order carry out. I also loved reading about the different approaches to eating and exercise in countries with low obesity rates.

5 comments about Spoonbread & Strawberry Wine: Recipes and Reminiscences of a Family.

1. I come from a family who loves to eat and cook, and my brother (a chef and bistro owner) has recommended a wide variety of books to me over the years. This book I found myself at a Half Priced Bookstore! Lucky me. I was not expecting that it would become one of my most valued kitchen friends. The stories are wonderful but the wide range of recipes is really amazing. From ice cream to how to make face cream! My favorite all time is the Refrigerator Rolls using mashed potatoes. They come out moist and buttery and is perfect for cinnamon rolls and special occasions. Now I am picking up a copy for my brother!



2. This book has a very special place in my heart. It was the first cookbook I ever purchased, and it is still a favorite. The wonderful Darden sisters share stories of their unique family as well as recipes that are simply stellar. I think this book is the very best of it's kind!
   I live in Australia now, and my last copy was destroyed in storage. I am hoping Amazon.au has a copy to send me- if not, my family in the states will need to send me one, because I can't be without it :-D.
   Does anyone know what happened to the Darden sisters?



3. I love this book because my mother made a lot of these dishes when I was young . I did not learn to cook from my mother ( who by the way was from Virginia and a great cook ) because she never measured anything . I love the old dishes but did not know how to make them and then along came the sisters . The only thing that kept me from rating it a five star was the print . At my age I wish the print was larger . That may just be a personal thing



4. Wonderful receipes / great insite into family / a real keeper / great pictures inside also



5. I bought this book years ago when it first came out and I still have it. It is a charming book with family anecdotes woven with recipes. Every recipe I tried came out well. I love this book -- I bet you will too.

5 comments about Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in America.

1. "Cooking With Grease" will be interesting for any political junkie though obviously liberals will enjoy it far more than conservatives. Brazile gives a highly detailed inside look at how Democrats approach elections but a problem is her writing style, which sometimes obscures critical points. As she discusses Eleanor Norton's campaign, she says a tax problem was resolved thusly: "We decided to just write a check, no matter what the amount was..." Now doesn't that sound like the campaign paid the candidate's back taxes? In another case, she is describing the fact that the campaign staff is tense and needs some time for relaxation. She explains that campaigns are "notorious for sexual escapades and relationships." Then they (Brazile and Tony Coelho) plan a party for the campaign workers and "[t]he kids got down all night and so did Tony and I." Doesn't that seem to imply that she and Tony had an affair. Yet another passage left me scratching my head: "I decided to help Craig, the former campaign manager, line up clients to continue helping me out with my new duties." Does this mean she sent business Craig's way in order to increase his revenues so he would be available to help her in her campaign duties? I am sure she would be appalled to have given these impressions but couldn't she write more clearly?
   Also, can someone get this woman a dictionary and explain to her that the word "literally" is not a contraction of "like, totally" as in a situation that was "literally down to the wire."
   Conservatives will have a hard time getting through this book; I know I did. Brazile has a vision of America where people are perpetual victims in need of protection from the evil rich. She believes poverty and homelessness are uniquely Black issues (God help the White politician who says that.) She adores the electoral process until anyone other than Democrats want to play. For example, she boasts of her ability to assemble large crowds on short notice but derides Republicans for "bringing in people to create a mob-like atmosphere."
   Brazile, or someone much like her, will be running Democratic campaigns in the near future. It will pay to understand how they think and what their tactics are like.
   P.S. In true liberal fashion, my library copy has been annotated in pen.



2. I had the chance to meet Ms. Brazile at a college graduation. She was the commencement speaker and I found her surprisingly down to earth and a good natured. The book adds to my opinion of her. As a woman in a man's world, she handled herself in good fashion.
   Pick it up and enjoy!



3. One word, awful. I am both a political junky and an avid cable news watcher. I've enjoyed Ms. Brazile's political savvy and her insight on politics. However, this book was not that. The story was flat most of the book with Ms. Brazile playing "Monday morning quarter back" about what the Dems (Al Gore) should have done with the Florida recount. Half the book she named dropped and made a poor attempts at trying to connect the dots.
   
   Donna is not an exciting story teller and failed (just like her many campaigns) at providing context to the most controversial election of our times. Overall the book was bland as though she has never cooked with grease. I've tasted more flavor and style in other political books then in this dull recount of an unsuspecting campaign strategist. It was not worth my money or time.



4. Excellent book, it kept my interest. Awesome stories of her life as a kid in New Orleans. Now when I see Donna on CNN I can understand a little better where she's coming from.



5. I have not completed the book, but my bookclub rates the book 4 (with 5 being the highest). They considered it funny and informative.

5 comments about Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes.

1. None comes better. The recipes are honest and measure up to the quality of the author! Props to Sister Angelou !



2. I was so disappointed in this book. Not because it was a horrible book but because it ended. I was reading the memories she had of each recipe and throughly enjoying myself when I realized that the next page that I turned was the index. I didn't want it to be over so soon. I really felt a sense of deep disappointment. I was surprised at my reaction because it was after all only a recipe book. This book pulls you in and takes you on a journey both of her life and her culinary expertise. You will get wrapped up in it as you laugh and imagine the flavors of the dishes. I think that she should write another recipe book. I'm sure that these are not the only recipes she knows. I admire Dr. Angelou both as a poet, writer, woman, and cook.



3. I love Maya Angelou and the way she tells her stories. I've read several of her books and is always amazed of how she finds joy in every situation. "Hallelujah! The Welcome Table" should not be used as just a cookbook. It should be read cover to cover. The recipes are always accompanied by an amusing story. The stories are funny, touching and well-written. I gave it four stars because there are not too many recipes in this book, but the recipes that she has are very good--basic down home cooking, nothing fancy. I've made her Ashford Salad (Romaine lettuce with avocado dressing) p.211 countless times. This book is a good collection of short stories with recipes.



4. Great Book...recipes I have made so far are great, especially the Caramel Cake. I have made this one twice, and I am very pleased with it.



5. This charming cookbook caught me off guard. I was expecting something straightforward, but, was pleasantly surprised once I began to explore. I love her whimsical approach to writing this book. It left me "hungry" for more. I have tried several of the recipes and thoroughly enjoyed them. Hopefully, we shall see more cookbooks from this acclaimed authoress.

5 comments about Finding Martha's Place: My Journey Through Sin, Salvation, and Lots of Soul Food.

1. Come home, find friends and brand new loved ones glistening with a appreciation for life.



2. This is a very moving book worth reading. It was like a breath of fresh air.



3. What captures the reader's attention in Finding Martha's Place is the description of a restaurant in Montgomery Alabama, the directions to, and the kind of special place with prayer and love. The restaurant isn't fancy, but it is where good food and a place where people come from all around to visit and enjoy the good food at Martha's Place. Several famous people have stopped by to eat here.
   
   Our attention is perked, when you hear the description of the menu, and the lima beans cooked with love. Martha Hawkins, owner of Martha's Place in a conversational tone, tells the the story of determination, courage, poverty, family, frustration and mental illness to owning a unique restaurant and becoming a motivational speaker.
   
   It was a childhood dream to own a restaurant, and one can see that her roots propagate the notion. She describes how in her own family, it was the smell of good food, people always over, people talking and having fun, love, prayer and eating good food to enjoying music and dance. We learn of her beginnings where the men in her life walked out, but she was determined to give her boys a strong work ethic, strength and love.
   
   Her world transformed toward difficult challenges, the mental breakdown, depression, and shock treatments, hospitals, bills, struggles, an assault, etc. etc.
   
   After her illness, the seed was planted that began when she dabbled in the cooking business, buffets, friends, people, the restaurant and success.
   It was her childhood dream come true.
   
   Marcus Brotherton, co-writer has written a wonderful book, conversational in style, cohesive, and a well told memoir of Martha Hawkins' life. The writing is believable for the person telling the memoir. We hear her voice continuously. Brotherton has written several books and is author of A Company of Heroes: Personal Memories about the Real Band of Brothers and the Legacy They Left Us and We Who Are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers.
   
   And best of all, several recipes are provided; the recipes are simple, easy to fix and include Corn Bread, Pork Chop Casserole, Southern Baked Catfish, Mac & Cheese, Unforgettable Rice, Scalloped Potatoes, Fried Green Tomatoes, Perfect Pecan Pie, Whipped Cream Pound Cake, and Martina's Delight (bread, milk, coconut).
   
   If I ever get to Montgomery Alabama, I would surely stop by, because Martha's Place is more than a restaurant!!........Rizzo



4. I myself, had never heard of Martha Hawkins, so I took a chance reading this biography of a hard-working woman, who "made it" through a lot of adversity in her life. The book was very enjoyable, and I found myself both smiling at times, and feeling sad, while reading about her life. I would call it a light, easy-reading story, and written using the language of her people living in the Deep South - of Montgomery, Alabama. Martha came from a very large and loving family. I feel that somehow she got lost in the shuffle, and did not learn enough of Life's Lessons when it came to her early relationships with men. Her growing family of four boys was her anchor and salvation during her time of great hardship and crumbling emotional health. She persevered, and became an honest and reliable worker, and renowned public speaker. Her great spiritual faith, and ability to bounce back from troubling circumstances have inspired many other people. Martha's childhood dream of someday having her very own restaurant finally happened, after many years of struggling to get a good life for her boys, and finally finding and loving "herself". Her restaurant is nationally known as a wonderful place to relax and enjoy an excellent meal, nourishing both body and soul. Martha also included a few easy recipes in the back of the book. My only disappointment was that she did not include the recipe for her famous Lima Beans! (I believe she said it is a secret family recipe.) If I ever get a chance to visit in the area, I will most definitely have a meal at Martha's Place.



5. Reading Finding Martha's place is like discovering a fantastic chocolate cake recipe in your grandmother's attic, staying up all night to bake it and then eating it all in one sitting because you just can't put down the fork. After prying this book out of my best friend's hands I devoured it and then passed it along to my mom, who is reading it as we speak. Hawkins and Brotherton have managed to tell a story that is both excruciatingly painful and breathtaking in its beauty and depth. It is soulful without being cloying, honest without being gratuitous or morbid, and absolutely delightful in its telling. A great gift book, ideal for foodies and anyone who likes a true story with a genuine happy ending.

5 comments about Sistah Vegan: Food, Identity, Health, and Society: Black Female Vegans Speak.

1. No other book has really touched me on such a personal level as this anthology of stories from other Black-identified female vegans. I finally feel as if there are others out there whose experience mirrors mine. Some of the writings referenced in the book are on my to-do list for new books to read, especially Queen Afua's book on healing. I like the uniqueness of each contributor; I never felt as if I was reading the same story twice. I'm in the final chapter of the book and am sad that it's coming to a close. I really hope for a second volume to this book for I would definitely love to contribute a personal story.



2. One word to describe this book is oxymoran. It defeats the purpose of even picking up a book entittle sistah vegan. If you're into endless rants about racism from someone who isn't even black writing this book then do you. The author is using the fact that she is black as a scapegoat to write a book entittled sistah when she is not conscious. Her son isn't even black. This book is not about empowerment but about beating a dead horse and recycling concepts from bitter black women looking to try something "new". You can't be race concious and "grey" at the same time. Either color doesn't matter or it does.



3. I am a female vegan and very grateful for this book of personal narratives and research. I am a white person uncomfortable initiating certain discussions with Black people. I would love to know more about oppression and simply get to know people whose qualities I don't share may shape their experiences. I don't wish to intrude or offend. I do want to help create the liberation we so badly need for all oppressed beings. This book has moved me deeply, right up there with _White Like Me_ by Tim Wise (originally recommended to me by _Sistah Vegan_ author/editor A. Breeze Harper). As a white person of privilege, I've never doubted my voice would be heard. So I now shut up and welcome the voices of others.



4. This anthology of essays is simply amazing! It's quite difficult to find the voice of women of color in the world of food and nutrition due to mainstream press. I use Sista Vegan in my Food Justice courses with youth and adults. All the essays are highly informative and come from practical, real-life experiences of women of color without all the technical jargon. Returning to a whole foods based diet is essential to optimal health and wellness. This book lifts this thinking up and then some! Purchase this book TODAY!



5. I really liked this book, with a few exceptions. The book explores veganism from a health and spirituality perspective, rather than an animal rights perspective, and the focus is on what a vegan diet can do for us as humans. As such, there was little gory details of animal suffering, which I appreciated as someone burnt out on such details. The book explores the environmental aspects of veganism as well. This is the crucial perspective missing in white vegan writing--looking at food issues from an antiracist, anticolonial perspective, and including issues of class/access to healthy food in disadvantaged communities. I believe if veganism ever catches on and becomes widespread, it will be because of vegans of color like Breeze Adams and not white vegans--and I am white. If there was anything I didn't like about the book, it was that sometimes it veered off into a general discussion of black female health and away from veganism in particular--for example, there is a lengthy discussion of pregnancy which mentions a vegan diet only in passing and goes on and on about pregnant women's health in general. A great book and, as there are many vegans of color that are seldom heard from, it's a book whose time has come.