In The Africa Cookbook, culinary historian and cookbook author Jessica
B. Harris takes you on a tour of the Motherland, exploring the extraordinary
diversity of the cuisines of the continent.
The Africa Cookbook features more than 200 traditional
and contemporary recipes collected from home kitchens across Africa,
including the familiar couscous of Morocco, the savory stews of
the eastern grasslands, and the curries and chutneys of the Swahili
coasts. From the sophisticated cuisine of Senegal to the creolized
food of Mauritius and the Seychelles to the Afrikaner barbecues
of South Africa, Harris presents the food of the continent and paints
unforgettable portraits of the people who shared their culinary
heritage with her. Illustrated with archival postcards from the
author's collection, The Africa Cookbook celebrates countries whose
contributions to the way we eat today have been too long ignored.
Now home cooks can sample Potatoes with Mint Leaves and Garlic from
Algeria or Senegal's classic Theibou Dienn. Spicy fried oysters
with peanut sauce from Togo wakes up the palate, while Mango Cream
from Cameroon cools the fire. Carrot Sambal from South Africa makes
a piquant side dish, while Kedjenou (chicken stewed with tomato,
onions, chile, garlic, and ginger) from Cote d'Ivoire makes an intriguing
main course.
A special section
of menus using recipes from the book complete with suggestions for
appropriate decor and music, makes it easy to plan a variety of
African feasts. Harris also includes a glossary of ingredients and
utensils, a selection of mail-order sources, and a list of more
good reading on African foods.
