A Taste of Africa [Paperback]

Dorinda Hafner (Author), Whoopi Goldberg (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1994

Spiced with color photos, history, and folktales, Dorinda Hafner--widely known for her PBS-TV cooking show--presents recipes from African and beyond.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hafner, who was born and raised in Ghana, knows what she's doing in this survey of African and African-derived foods circling the globe from the continent itself to its sundry beneficiaries--New Orleans, Cuba, Tobago, and others--where African culinary traditions have long mingled with native and once-colonial tastes. Before each of 16 chapters are a helpful map and informational tidbits (lists of the nation's food crops, etc.), and then, without further ado or introduction (which might have been both interesting and useful), we find palmnut soup with fufu (fufu is a dumpling-like food), from the Ivory Coast, or arroz con pescado al ron (rice and fish in rum), from Cuba, or fish in socks (i.e., batter), from New Orleans. Along with Hafner's recipes, her book's design jauntily stirs the appetite: full-color photos set the plenty of a meal or a course beside robustly well-wrought examples of African crafts. Prim styling seems the rule in cookbooks; Hafner's thrust is much more vivid and energetic.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (May 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898156602
• ISBN-13: 978-0898156607
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,638,920 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Appetizing and Colorful African Cookbook,, January 31, 2002

By 

Ed Gibbon www.congocookbook.com - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Taste of Africa (Paperback)

Dorinda Hafner of Ghana has authored cookbooks and is featured in a television series about African and African-inspired cuisine. "A Taste of Africa: With over 100 Traditional African Recipes Adapted for the Modern Cook" is a very good introduction to African food for anyone who knows kitchen basics. The recipes are mostly easy and quick, and are made with readily available ingredients. Each recipe has a short introductory text. Recipes are arranged by country; this book contains recipes from each of ten African countries: Ghana; Ivory Coast; Mali; Morocco; Egypt; Ethiopia; Kenya; Tanzania; Zimbabwe; and Nigeria. African-based recipes from five other countries and one city are also included: Brazil; Trinidad and Tabago; Martinique and Guadeloupe; Jamaica; Cuba; and New Orleans. Thoughout the book are boxes containing short features on African history, legends, foodstuffs. A short glossary and bibliography are included. Very well illustrated with photographs of the prepared dishes.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars African cooking made easy!, October 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: A Taste of Africa (Paperback)

Dorinda Hafner, the engaging host from the PBS cooking shows, has written a companion book. Arranged by country, it has African diaspora recipes from the continent, the Caribbean and the Americas. The recipes are simple and you don't have to be a gourmet chef to cook them. It's a great introduction to the variety and richness of African cooking.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great recipies, June 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Taste of Africa (Paperback)

I was in Africa recently and then I saw this book and I had to buy it! I made sudza, the staple in Zimbabwe, and it tasted like it did in Zimbabwe. There are some other really good recipies in the book too but i think sudza, made right is the best. I would definatly recomend buying the book and giving it a try!