Customer Reviews

Iron Pots and Wooden Spoons: Africa's Gifts to New World Cooking

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Africa has not been given its place among the world's great cuisines, and its influences on American cooking have not been properly acknowledged. This book is a step in the right direction.

If you enjoy both traditional recipes, and learning about the people and places that developed the traditions, then this book is for you. "Africa's Gifts to New World Cooking: Iron Pots and Wooden Spoons" contains about 180 recipes from over a dozen countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas, all of them pieces in the culinary puzzle of the African diaspora.

The recipes are categorized as "Appetizers"; "Soups"; "Sauces and Condiments"; "Vegetables and Salads"; "Starches"; "Main Dishes"; "Desserts and Candies"; and "Beverages". Each category contains a mix of African and African-influenced New World recipes, for example, in the "Main Dishes" section we find "Chicken Pelau" (from Trinidad and Tabago), then "Moqueca de Peixe" (Brazil), then "Caldou" (The Gambia), and "Roast Chicken" (United States). Each recipe is introduced by a short paragraph about its history or the author's thoughts.

In addition to the recipes, the book contains an informative introduction, and a glossary of ingredients and utensils. There is also an index. This book is a worthwhile addition to any cookbook shelf, as is the author's book of African recipes "The Africa Cookbook: Tastes of a Continent".

This was my first Jessica Harris cookbook, but I now own all of them. In the early 90's it was not so common to include history as precursor to a recipe, but it has always been her style. A great beginning cookbook which embraces the African Diaspora.

I "stole" this book from my mother and my ex "stole" it from me. I am real happy to have found it online. All the wonderful foods of my youth are in there...and it's great to be able to explain to your dinner guest the origins of a particular dish. You will love it so much, you'll ask for seconds (smile)

So many of us in the U.S. do not know the history of the food we eat. Even the recent history is lost in the wake of processed foods promoted by an industry that offers food that is unsatisfying and unhealthy. In Iron Pots & Wooden Spoons, we discover how Africa has influenced the food of many cultures. The recipes in Harris' book are honest and the history of them is offered so that we know where what is on our plate or in our bowl comes from. This book is a must if you care about where your food historically comes from. Some one asked me the other day that if I could have someone to have dinner with who would that person be. I responded, "Jessica Harris". I'll have to settle for her books like this one, I'm happy with that.

I was surprised to find Brazilian recipes in this book with their correspondent names in Portuguese. There are several mistakes I would love to see Miss/Mrs. Harris correct to proper Portuguese.

My boyfriends mom is from Texas and this recipie book makes her drool when I cook from it. Also has cultural info in it. easy directions great selection lots of friends intrested in the drink section for hot days. i like the spices.