African Americans - General & Miscellaneous, Holiday Cooking - General & Miscellaneous, Holidays (Non-Religious) - Social Sciences
Log in to track your reading progress.
Overview
A celebration and affirmation of African-American culture, food, and family, A Kwanzaa Keepsake contains everything you need to create your own unique holiday traditions. Structured around the seven days of Kwanzaa and the virtues each day represents, there are blessings, proverbs, ceremonies, family projects, inspirational biographies of heroes and heroines of the African-Atlantic world, and of course, wonderful food. Jessica Harris, African-American culinary historian and cookbook author, provides a feast for each night. The theme of each meal reflects the principle of the day:. The menu for Umoja (Unity) serves up dishes of multinational origin, such as Seasoned Olives from Brazil, Mechoui-Style Leg of Lamb with Cumin, Mint and Chile from Senegal, and the Caribbean's Classic Rum Punch - reminding us of the union of all peoples of African descent. The second night supper for Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) is composed of dishes from the African continent and includes South African Sweet Potato Fritters, Moroccan-Style Grilled Pepper Salad, and the West African hot sauce Piment Aimee. The sixth night of Kuumba (Creativity) is an African-American healing supper, a communal meal that opens the gates of remembrance through food. This repast is centered around your own heritage recipe for stuffed turkey or a vegetarian main dish, and you'll also find recipes for Pickled Black-Eyed Peas, Biokosso, a fish dish from the Cote d'Ivoire, Spicy Cranberry Chutney, and Killer Pecan Pie with Molasses Whipped Cream.This festive cookbook captures the true spirit of the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa, providing more than 50 recipes in menus for each night of Kwanzaa, plus inspirational biographies of ancestors of the African-Atlantic world and special projects for each of the seven days. Illustrations.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Stuffed with recipes and stories, this generous resource will kick the holiday into high gear. Mouthwatering dishes abound, as do vignettes of people and events in African and African-American history.Library Journal
Because Kwanzaa, the celebration of African American heritage and culture, was established as recently as 1966, it is still in some ways an evolving holiday, and these two books provide a variety of different ways of marking the weeklong (December 26-January 1) festivities. Harris, the well-known author of The Welcome Table (LJ 12/94), includes menus for each night of the holiday, along with texts to be read, biographies of honored ancestors, ideas for homemade gifts, and a special project for each night. For example, on the third night, with its theme of collective responsibility, the project is to help fight against hunger, and Harris proposes a potluck supper to which each guest can bring an extra dish for a homeless shelter or other beneficiary. Medearis (The African-American Kitchen, LJ 8/94) offers recipes organized by course, along with separate chapters on cooking for company and bringing gifts from the kitchen. She begins with a step-by-step guide to the holiday, and succeeding chapters describe the different nights of celebration. Quotations from important African Americans serve as headnotes for many of the recipes; it's a bit disconcerting, however, to see a statement about struggle by Frederick Douglass attached to Medearis's recipe for Cheese Steaks. With its readable, informative text and thoughtful menus, Harris's book [BOMC alternate; BOMC HomeStyle Bks. alternate] is the first choice but both titles are recommended.School Library Journal
YA-A comprehensive guidebook on this African and African American feast. Prefaced by a history of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, the text comments on practical ways to enhance each phase of the celebration and offers concrete descriptions of rituals associated with each one. Also, a project that families can complete together is presented for each night. This is an excellent companion to Eric Copage's Kwanzaa (Morrow, 1991), which provides more recipes and some culture. This volume has more culture and some recipes. The two together reap the richness of this reflective feast.-Margaret Nolan, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VABook Details
Published
January 1, 1999
Publisher
New York : Simon & Schuster, 1998, c1995.
Pages
176
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780684853253