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58th out of 163 books
—
55 voters
The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa
"For as long as I can remember, I've had Africa on my mind." Award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson may be best known for his innovative take on Scandinavian cuisine at New York's Restaurant Aquavit, but his story begins thousands of miles away, in Africa. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden by adoptive parents, his life transcends national boundaries, and his individual a...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
September 1st 2006
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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This book is more of a picture-filled history book of Africa and it's food than a simple African cookbook. Each page contains beautifully photographed dishes as well as National-Geographic quality "articles" about the culture of different African regions, complete with gorgeous pictures of the land and its people. Samuelsson certainly does the continent justice.
Now for the recipes-some are surprisingly simple to recreate, such as the corn mashed potatoes, plantain chips, almond cookies and some...more
Now for the recipes-some are surprisingly simple to recreate, such as the corn mashed potatoes, plantain chips, almond cookies and some...more
I want to own this book! I read it cover to cover, and examined every single recipe in it. It is written by an Ethiopian raised in Sweden, who is a chef/owner in New York City who wanted to go back to his roots and also create a cookbook spanning the vast culinary experiences around the Continent. I also read all the fascinating commentary that the author gives throughout the book on the history and culture of past and present African cuisine. Not only was it so much fun to read, it brought back...more
I like this cookbook, though many of the meals in it are very complicated and take a long time. So, I haven't made many of them. The explanations are great, the pictures are great, and the idead behind it is great. However, it is quite a high level cookbook and you must have access to some pretty specialized ingredients - and use them!
Also, one of my pet peeves about a cookbook is rampant in this one. Many many of the recipes require that you make some other recipe from the book before you even...more
Also, one of my pet peeves about a cookbook is rampant in this one. Many many of the recipes require that you make some other recipe from the book before you even...more
So far, no misses from the recipes I've tried! Of course, everything not animal friendly (i.e., the butter, chicken stock) were replaced with vegan versions.
Berbere (p. 12; a spice mix used in Ethiopian cooking)- I made my own from a recipe here and it's great. Yay!
Shiro (p. 103)- this was a bit odd on its own (and I don't think it's really suupposed to be eaten by itself) but YUM mixed in with some rice.
Mustard Greens & Corn (p. 183) - who knew mustard greens could be SO GOOD? A few changes...more
Berbere (p. 12; a spice mix used in Ethiopian cooking)- I made my own from a recipe here and it's great. Yay!
Shiro (p. 103)- this was a bit odd on its own (and I don't think it's really suupposed to be eaten by itself) but YUM mixed in with some rice.
Mustard Greens & Corn (p. 183) - who knew mustard greens could be SO GOOD? A few changes...more
This is a wonderful cookbook focused on African cuisine, written by Marcus Samuelsson, a well-known chef who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden. It's really more than just a cookbook--it has a narrative of Samuelsson's travels across the African continent, and the photography is just beautiful. Many of the recipes are exotic and interesting, but there are also many that are perfectly suitable to an American cook using local ingredients. I came away with many recipes to try, from spicy Pir...more
Incredible book---gorgeous photos, a bit of history, and observations about many aspects of African culture. Recipes are plentiful and lovingly described. I made the ground nut beef stew with okra and it was great. This is a book I'd love to own.
Too much peanut, nuts and spices for my simple tastes. Found 2 recipes that interested me, from "over 200", but it is a very nice looking cookbook.
Great just to read...but most recipes call for ingredients I can't find around here. Loved, loved, loved reading about Africa, though.
Beautiful photos, interesting text, pretty swell recipes. All you could want in a cookbook inspired by African cuisine. I even already made some honey bread!
Nov 06, 2012
Samantha Davenport
added it
I got this because I loved his memoir. Still haven't cooked anything from it but it's lovely on the shelf.
What a beautiful book with a wide range of cook-able recipes. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Absolutely beautiful cookbook. Very informative - great recipes!
May 31, 2007
Nick Schmuck
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People interested in African cuisine
This book has opened my eyes to African cuisine, which I had falsely assumed was boring and limited. Very interesting read, and the one dish I made from the book was quite good. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to broaden their food horizons.
This is a wonderful book to introduce outsiders to the diversity of African Cuisine, which most people assume is not very diverse at all. The recipes, however, did not leave me very inspired to try them in my own kitchen.
Absolutely amazing. Lucidly written, with an eye toward balancing authenticity with accessibility for an American kitchen. Not mention it's beautifully composed and photographed. I'll be using this one frequently.
Beautiful. The pictures are amazing. The stories along with the recipes are great. The actual recipes are only so-so, but it is still a must have.
Good overview of African cooking, but more of a travelogue in little chunks. Bought as a research book, some great pictures.
I've had good success with the recipes so far (except for one okra one). excellent cookbook.
beautiful pictures. time consuming recipes, but i love adventurous cooking.
Dec 31, 2007
Amy
marked it as to-read
A gift from Matthew's mom this Christmas. Looks beautiful and thoughtfully written.
Inspiring. History, narrative and food all found in one place.
Africian cooking yo!
Jun 18, 2013
Pam
marked it as to-read
Jun 08, 2013
Eric
marked it as to-read
Jun 05, 2013
Amanda Miklik
marked it as to-read
May 09, 2013
Kasane Teto
marked it as to-read
Apr 24, 2013
Mariagrazia Nadalet
marked it as to-read
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Marcus 'Joar' Samuelsson is an Ethiopian-born, Swedish-raised chef and owner of Red Rooster Harlem in New York City and three other restaurants.
In addition to his recognition as a world-class chef, Samuelsson is an award-winning cookbook author with titles in both English and Swedish. His 2006 African-inspired cookbook The Soul of a New Cuisine received the prize "Best International Cookbook" by t...more
More about Marcus Samuelsson...
In addition to his recognition as a world-class chef, Samuelsson is an award-winning cookbook author with titles in both English and Swedish. His 2006 African-inspired cookbook The Soul of a New Cuisine received the prize "Best International Cookbook" by t...more
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