HomeCookbooksEthiopean CookbooksThe Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa |
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35 of 35 found the following review helpful:
 Unbelievably Good Recipes. Mar 08, 2008
By Tess
I am obsessed with this cookbook, especially now that I have had a chance to make some of the recipes. If you are looking for new flavors and interesting and challenging new foods to cook then I highly recommend you buy this book. Unlike some other reviewers, I did not buy this book for the travelogue aspect. I wasn't looking for an in depth encyclopedic knowledge of any specific country's cuisine. I was just looking for something new and different and delicious. I'm a cook and a foodie and I love ethnic cooking. This book is a great introduction to the trendiest new food in the US. My favorite so far has been the Crab Burgers, which feature easy black bean crab burgers topped with pickled cabbage and chili mayonnaise. I can still taste how unique and delicious they were. Everyone who tried them was blown away by their flavor, which can't really be imagined before you take a bite. While making all the components was a bit time consuming (but really not that bad) none of the recipes were terribly difficult. But I would say this book is geared more to more experienced home cooks and adventuresome eaters. Those with mundane palates probably should stay away.
In response to an earlier critique, I think that reviewer missed the gist of the book. The idea was to take the cuisine of various African countries and get the basic idea of it but then to expand that idea to something bigger. So the recipes keep a common ingredient but fix it in a unique way or use a technique with a unique combination of ingredients. I love this about the book. Samuelsson keeps techniques, such using a morter and pestle, that can't be matched with modern methods but uses modern technology, such as the mandoline, when it performs the needed task more easily, and in this case if your knife skills are lacking, with better results. I do agree, however, that the photographs that go with the recipes can be misleading. I'm still not sure what the Stir Fry Beef Stew is supposed to look like. The pictures on the pages with the recipe are vastly different and not labeled but both could be the stew in question.
All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves cooking and ethnic foods. The flavors are out of this world and the recipes are highly inspiring.
46 of 52 found the following review helpful:
Fabulous Recipes Jan 09, 2007
By M. Davis
"Rabid Reader"
I agree with B. Marold that the writing is weak, but who "reads" cookbooks? I got the book for Xmas and have made a few of the recipes, and they are HEAVEN. Last night: a roast chicken stuffed with olives, ginger, cardamom, lemon rind and rubbed with a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, cardamom and ginger. Each bite burst with the individual flavors. I was in love. That recipe alone was worth the $26.40. And there are dozens more that I can't wait to try. This is food porn at its best.
15 of 16 found the following review helpful:
An Impressive Work Nov 25, 2007
By A. Flamholz
I just made a meal for 10 people from Marcus Samuelsson's new cookbook. 6 of them kept strict kosher, 3 of them were vegetarian, one was allergic to the entire nightshade family (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplant), and another to hard cheese and chocolate. I still managed to produce a great meal with more than enough to eat for everyone and to introduce myself and my friends and family to flavors they might not otherwise have experienced.
The book is impressive both as an exploration of African culture through a Western culinary lens and as a source of widely varied, great, flavorful, and simple recipes. Marcus' perspective is intriguing because he grew up a European but was born an Ethiopian - he clearly feels a deep connection to Africa (especially Ethiopia) and somehow simultaneously commands the perspective of an insider and an outsider. A great read. I very highly recommend it.
15 of 16 found the following review helpful:
A Treasure Oct 27, 2007
By NuJoi
"Create with me"
I collect historical cookbooks and cultural cookbooks. This book is both! There is a ton of information about Africa. Samuelsson has divided its cuisine into four regions. Outside of Moroccan, I know nothing about African cuisine, so I found this book extremely helpful. The beautiful photography and personal stories really bring the dishes to life.
The book is divided into the following sections:
- Ingredients
- Spice Blends & Rubs: 11 recipes
- Condiments, Sauces & Dips: 13 recipes
- Salads & Sides: 9 recipes
- Breads & Sandwiches: 11 recipes
- Vegetables: 12 recipes
- Fish & Seafood: 10 recipes
- Poultry & Meat: 19 recipes
- Desserts & Drinks: 10 recipes
My favorite sections are the spice blends and condiments chapters. They add variety to simple stuff like grilled chicken breasts.
The U.S. has fully embraced cuisines from many parts of the world. Indian cookery seems to be our latest fascination. I applaud Samuelsson for pushing the envelope futher with the favorites of Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa. As we explore more with our taste buds, these flavors will become just as welcomed to use as hot and sour soup.
27 of 33 found the following review helpful:
 A good introduction, but not a great book Feb 23, 2009
By Robert London
I really had high hopes for this book, and there is little else out there dealing with this region. It is a nice introduction to the ingredients but the recipes are lacking in detail, I am able to fill in the blanks but without a solid knowledge of cooking most recipes would be difficult to complete with complete success. And do not be fooled by its size, most of the pages are half full and although the book is well designed there are a lot of pictures - which means less talk of food and recipes. So think of it as training wheels, but it is not the bible of African cooking
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