No comments about North African Cooking.

4 comments about The African Kitchen: A day in the life of a Safari Chef.

1. As a South African and having spent time in the USA, I tried to think of ingredients etc that one would need if you were living outside of Africa, most seem easy to obtain. It's a beautiful book both in recipes and photos.Being a professional photographer it's a fun book to look at for the photos as well as different style of cooking. Most recipe books are static and don't motivate me into purchasing it, but this one caught me. It has a great African feel. Worth buying.



2. The book is simply stunning, I was most impressed with the food and images. I reccomend the termite mound pizza, although with all the termites it isn't really a veggie dish, you can always pick them off....(he he ha ha)

   Really enjoyed it. inpsired me to go to Africa




3. I really have enjoyed this book. It gives you an insight into African cooking and the beautiful scenery. I had the pleasure of meeting Josie Stow at Tswalu and sampled some of the recipes in the book. They are incredible. Most of the items are easy to prepare and the photos will make you want to go there!



4. An inspiring book in every way! Get this book if you are interested in real Africa and African cooking. The recipes are great and the photo's give you real insight into the safari travel and the bush lifestyle.

2 comments about Casablanca Cuisine: French North African Cooking.

1. The secret of life is Aline Benayoun's mint soup. Trust me, this book is fabulous and if the only recipe you do is the mint soup, you're way ahead. But don't stop there. The thing is, I'd marry someone who makes mint soup like this. Come to think of it, I did... her! Bon appetit. /JR



2. I'm giving this book 5 stars, and that's still not enough. The recipies are simple to make yet delicious. The meals are healthy and well balanced. Trust me, it's really very good. I definately recommend it to anyone who likes to eat good food.

5 comments about George Crum and the Saratoga Chip.

1. Hip Hip Hooray! A fabulous biography that is not only multi-cultural, but will hold the interest of every child who reads it! Thanks go out to author Gaylia Taylor, who must have researched many months to find enough details to bring George Crum half Native American, half African American, back to life. Embarrassed and laughed at in school as a child because he couldn't count to one hundred, George decided to live his life by making his own choices, not those of society. There are strong messages about self esteem and perserverance in this story, yet they never beat the reader over the head.
   Frank Morrison's illustrations are both interesting and fun.
   This book is a must have for all Elementary School libraries. I loved it so much, I bought one for each school in our district!



2. I purchased this book for my 7 year old grandson who is biracial. He is having problems with classmates calling him names and I thought this book would show him that race has nothing to do with accomplishments. The book was a little to old for him. The pictures were very dark and not at all bright. He really didn't enjoy the book at all. I don't recommend this book for young children.



3. I enjoyed this story of George Crum, who in 1853 invented the potato chip while working as a chef at the prestigious Moon's Lake House in Saratoga Springs.
   
   Crum was confident of his cooking skills but as a person of color, part African American and part Native American; he faced difficulty finding a position as a chef. Hired by Moon's Lake House, Crum's menu soon brought the rich and famous to the restaurant in droves.
   
   He felt great frustration and chafed at the pettiness of wealthy restaurant patrons. After one customer complained about the thickness of some French fries, Crum, in retaliation, sliced the potatoes wafer thin and fried them at a very high heat. The rest is history.
   
   This book works well for kids on many levels. It is a skillfully told story from history. Morrison's illustrations are bright and engaging and evoke the time period. In the dining room of the restaurant, the patrons are white and the waitstaff is black.
   
   Readers will applaud George Crum's independent spirit and his determination to follow his own path. This story of one of our favorite snack foods is a terrific read to share with students.



4. Frank Morrison's illustrations are the best thing in this biography of the inventor of the potato chip, Mr. George Crum. I've seen Morrison's work in both "Sweet Music in Harlem" and "Jazzy Miz Mozetta," but I think this is his best work to date. Sure, he has those signature elongated limbs and faces, but his backgrounds also curve around, inviting you into the picture. His choice of colors is outstanding, rich greens and browns make you taste the Adirondack mountains, and his precious orchid tones suggest the high-minded, precious ambience of the exclusive restaurants where Crum eventually works. Morrison commands each scene, whether the action table side or in the kitchen, (where George whips up a batch of French fries--their return by yet another horrendous customer prompts an angry George to invent the dish we now call the potato chip), or in a fish-shaped lily pad floating on the river where George lays down his pole.
   
   The story depicts mid-18th century America, and includes some interest-provoking material about George and his sister and supporter, Kate. An early scene that show George's frustration at school sets up George's later feisty personality, and his "revenge" on the fussy french fry complaint. However, it seems a little contrived, and the details about his entire life seem somewhat superfluous. Not to make too fine a point of it, but I also wondered at the cozy racial integration shown both at school and at the cafes. Perhaps this is useful for educational settings, but it's internally inconsistent with Crum's difficulty procuring a chef position, and is very probably contradictory to the times.
   
   While some scene-setting is necessary, perhaps a better tact would have been conclude the story at its dramatic high point (the invention and fame of the potato chip), and include some of the early and later details in the excellent afterward by Ms. Taylor. Still, any story about a food as familiar as the potato chip will attract lots of interest, and Morrison's pictures make this a tasty read.



5. George Crum and the Saratoga Chip is a informative and interesting book that tells of the invention of a favorite food of the U.S. It is a wonderful addition to any library seeking to add multicultural depth to the collection. It has great illustrations.

4 comments about Real Men Cook: Rites, Rituals, and Recipes for Living.

1. This book is a culmination of recipes and stories from a unique annual family event "Real Men Cook", which focuses on the joys of fatherhood and cooking. This book is a wonderful addition to the library of anyone who finds joy in preparing meals for the ones they love.



2. Kofi and his wife, Yvette, are co-founders of Real Men Cook for Charity. They sponsor the Real Men Cookout, which is a Father's Day Charity event designed to celebrate black men as positive role models--everyday men, as well as celebrities. The charity started in Chicago and today, it is celebrated in over twelve cities. The cookbook is more than just recipes. There are stories/essays and poems to help celebrate the African American culture by and about many different people. The stories are just as good as the food. Enjoy!



3. A cook book, a history book a great gift! I love a man who cooks, and Real Men, do cook. My husband James cooks brunch each Sunday and my friend Terry Allen (p. 40) of Dallas, has found his place in cooking history with his heritages dishes preserved in the book. Real Men Cook highlights exceptional, amazing men cooking mouth watering dishes. Give your favorite guy a copy of this `real men' cookbook and you can support a great non-profit that celebrates ordinary American men being extraordinary in major cities; Dallas, Chicago, Los Angles, New Orleans, and all across the America.



4. This will help you try some meals that you love but can't find someone to make for you. Now you can stop calling your mama, sister, and bugging your wife to find out how to make great dishes. I know it is hard for us to read instructions but this is an easy read and fillingly rewarding.

5 comments about Soul Food: Recipes and Reflections from African-American Churches.

1. A cookbook will be judged primarily on its recipes and this one really delivers the goods. Unlike so many books that chase prevailing food trends and offer gimmicky recipes with needlessly lengthy ingredients lists, this one presents plenty of time-tested classics that are economical and simple to prepare. A cookbook that you'll really *use*, rather than just put on your coffee table. The affectionate background material included by the author is a charming bonus.



2. I am a cooking fanatic and a cookbook lover. This is a wonderful book just to flip through - the stories are amazing - and the recipes will exceed anyone's expectations!! My favorites so far are the Macaroni and Cheese and the Mean Greens. (They are my favorites because those are the only two that I have tried!) I made the Macaroni and Cheese last Thanksgiving and being one of the last dishes to the table I was surprised to see it as being one of the first to go!! My family asked why I didn't make more! And the Mean Greens have given me a name. (The only thing that I hate is that people keepe requesting them!) I left this cookbook over a friends house by accident and because I know I will have a fight on my hands tryig to get it back so, I just ordered another one so that he can have it! I also ordered Brown Sugar, the dessert version of the same cookbook. I can't wait!!!



3. I collect Aferican-American cookbooks. My perfect book is a good mix of authentic recipes and backroung info to add to heritage of the recipe. While I like the format and actual page layout of other African-American cookbooks better, this book has some solid recipes. Where this book excels over others is that there is a story behind nearly every recipe and there is lots of variety in the recipes. The recipes are easy to follow and do remind you of church anniversary dinners!



4. It would be impossible to single out one recipe in this book and say it's the best. They are all the best and they work well together. I must say, I never thought molasses would be a staple in my cupboard but it is. If you bought this book just for the neat meatloaf recipe, it would be worth it. These are tried and true recipes of the past, each one with its own unique story.



5. This is a great cookbook. It brings back many memories of great and talented family cooks. I gave away six copies as Christmas presents to family members. We are not Southerners, but we are foodies and we do remember church socials and events fondly here in New Jersey. The baked rice, Texas Chili rice and the squash casserole have become big hits in my own household. Kudos to Ms. White and her friends.

5 comments about Feast for 10.

1. This book has been around for a long time, but it continues to be a favorite in my classroom. It's one of those simple books that sparks so many different curriculum paths! Counting, number groupings, nutrition, cooperation, family activities, word choices, story writing, and more. It has also initiated collage art projects, quilt making, and paper mache vegetables! FEAST FOR 10 is a goldmine. I see that it's coming out in a board book soon, too. We have both the hardcover and several paperbacks in my class.



2. 
   A sweet 1-10 counting book that has a nice rhyme scheme and builds its story by counting to ten, not once, but twice. The art designs feature a black extended family, however, this is not central to the story. What is emphasized is the feeling of family warmth and cooperation throughout as everyone pitches in to create the feast for ten. Children can also count the items in each picture that correspond to the poem. Well done.



3. My son actually pick this book out by himself in a bookstore when he was 18 months old. He fell in LOVE with it. We had to read it every morning. We loss it transit and I finally remember to get it from Amazon this summer. At 2 1/2 it is still his favorite book. He loves the counting and the actvities reminds him of when "Granny-Gran" comes to visit. Thank you so much for this book.



4. A very sweet and very simple book. Nice to see a family of color in a book for a change.... so my daughter gets a nice variety. My daughter's teacher requested books for the classroom as her Christmas Gift this year... so that should be a selling point! So sweet that the teacher wanted it! :)



5. Or about living in Africa, or living in the past, or some sort of troubles (modern or historical). It's so nice to just see a family doing what families *do*. (They even recycle!)
   
   My nieces ask me to read this book to them often. It's a very fast book, suitable both for very young children and for slightly older ones. We love looking at various details - like the fact that "five kinds of beans" includes JELLY beans, or the fact that the baby sits on a lap at dinner. It's just a quick, sweet book.

3 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.

1 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!

5 comments about The African-American Heritage Cookbook: Traditional Recipes and Fond Remembrances from Alabama's Renowned Tuskegee Institute.

1. I received the book in just a few days. It was all that I'd expected and more. Excellent!



2. I purchased this book year ago. I'm kind of a beginner when it comes to cooking from scratch. I purchased this book because I wanted to learn how to cook a variety of southern foods for my fiance who is originally from Mississippi and loves home cooked meals.I've cooked a lot of the recipes in this book and they have all turned out delicious.I would encourage any one who is trying to learn to prepare soul food like your grandmother to invest in this cookbook.You won't be sorry.



3. I bought this book about four years ago. Please note that I am a Grandmother who has been told that I could 'burn'! After purchasing this book, I have changed my personal recipes for the ones in the book.
   
   I have also purchased more as gifts for my friends and especially my family...my Daughters and Granddaughter included. I also enjoy the historical facts and pictures. My Grandson made his first macaroni & cheese by following the recipe.
   
   IT'S A WINNER!!



4. This cookbook is a gem!! I have long been searching for a cookbook with the delicious Southern recipes I enjoyed when visiting my grandparents and great aunts in South Carolina. This is it! This cookbook has the original, homemade Southern recipes with the original ingredients and also includes vignettes on how these recipes were prepared back then and for which occasions. The recipes are simple and I have not received an unsatisfactory result from one yet. Since these are authentic recipes, some of the ingredients are not very healthy but can be easily substituted with something more heart or waist friendly without sacrificing taste.



5. This book is so reminiscent of my childhood; it makes me tear up at times! Excellent recipes...