A Taste of Africa: Traditional & Modern African Cooking [Paperback]

Dorinda Hafner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 18, 2002

Over the past few centuries, the influences of Portuguese, Spanish, and French cuisines have created an entirely new cuisine across the African continent, while African influences have simultaneously traveled across the Atlantic to countries such as Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, and the United States. Written by bon vivant and storyteller Dorinda Hafner, A TASTE OF AFRICA is a tantalizing introduction to some of the most exciting, dynamic food in the world. In over 100 traditional and modern recipes from ten countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, Dorinda lovingly shows readers how to prepare a wide range of African delights, such as the Moroccan classic Tagine of Lamb with Pumpkins, Vegetables, and Fruit and Fried Plantains. This guide to wholesome and tasty cooking the African way, illustrated with maps and enlivened folk tales and history, will find a valued place in kitchens everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dorinda Hafner was born in Ghana, West Africa. She later moved to Australia and has worked as a storyteller, actress, dancer, choreographer, public speaker, writer and television chef. Dorinda has written five books and is the host of a popular cooking show broadcast in 39 countries. Dorinda currently divides her time between Australia, Great Britain, and the United States.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (November 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580084036
• ISBN-13: 978-1580084031
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > African

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pan-African delight, July 16, 2006

By 

Nef (Urban east coast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Taste of Africa: Traditional & Modern African Cooking (Paperback)

Dorinda Hafner, a Ghana-born cook, is a witty, urbane presence in this pan-African collection of recipes, handily arranged by country rather than food type or course (you can use the index for listings the in the latter fashion.) Dorinda is one of those cookbook authors who is well-traveled, with many friends from many different national and ethnic origins, friends upon whom she calls for recipes and to whom she gives credit.

Each recipe is prefaced with background info on the country, the origins of a dish, regional variations, etc. Some of the information she includes is clearly anecdotal and perhaps a little archaic--local creation myths, for example--but they add to the overall "flavor" of the book, provided you don't assume they represent the views of all peoples of a specific country.

African Countries included (each gets its own chapter with several recipes): Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe,

Non-African (own chapter, as well): Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Louisiana (USA).

What Dorinder is good at is showcasing the diversity of Africa's peoples, cuisines, religions, and cultural traditions. She makes a few overly broad distinctions--e.g. "Africans south of the Sahara do not like fruits mixed with savory dishes;"--but she also provides from useful connections, noting that the African-indigenous okra vegetable is popular in every region of Africa and throughout West African-influenced Louisiana (U.S.A.) and the Caribbean.

The recipes are simple and most of them are extremely filling/satisfying, combining in one dish meat, chicken, or fish with starch (plantain, sweet potato, couscous), greens (spinach, collards), or other vegetables (pumpkin, okra).

Note: there are no pictures in this book, only maps of each country at the beginning of country chapters.

The book is well worth the price for the recipes, many of which you will make over and over and will learn to vary based on your own tastes and creative urges.

Recommended.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great way to start your African cookbook collection..., March 30, 2009

By 

ChelB (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Taste of Africa: Traditional & Modern African Cooking (Paperback)

I really love this book. I am glad that I added it to my ever increasing number of African cookbooks. The book is really full of wonderful recipes and a lot of great information about the continent of Africa itself. I make various recipes that are given in this book throughout the week now.