Malinda Russell, Lena Richard, Edna Lewis, Leah Chase

February 1, 2020 2:14 PM

Rewriting the history of American cooking. In The Jemima Code in 2015, Toni Tipton-Martin redefined the history not only of black foodways but of American foodways at large. Her 2019 book Jubilee: Recipes from two centuries of African American cooking adapted the historical recipes for a modern-day kitchen. "Over the course of 30-plus years, the Los Angeles–born journalist and food editor compiled more than 150 black-authored cookbooks spanning over 200 years in pursuit of overturning the prevailing story line that white chefs and home cooks are the sole heroes of American gastronomy." (Interview in Taste)

Lena Richard graduated from the Fannie Farmer Cooking School in 1918, but as the New Orleans' restauranteur and entrepreneur put it: "I learned things about new desserts and salads but when it comes to cooking meats, stews, soups and sauces, we Southern cooks have Northern cooks beat by a mile."

A great previously on Edna Lewis and a previously on her passing.

posted by spamandkimchi (5 comments total)

I don't often use recipe books for cooking from anymore, but this pair of books sounds like a wonderful way to indulge myself in what I do still use recipe books for: immersing myself in descriptions, images, history and ideas about food. Sometimes that's more satisfying than actually cooking it.
posted by lollusc at 5:27 PM on February 1, 2020 [3 favorites]

I hear you lollusc. I read recipes as a form of relaxation. I have amassed quite a collection of cookbooks. Stained pages etc. Never use them anymore. Hello Internet. That said I’m heading off to purchase. Great post.
posted by pipoquinha at 6:25 PM on February 1, 2020

Oh I forgot to add: Fannie Farmer!!!
posted by pipoquinha at 6:29 PM on February 1, 2020

This is extremely relevant to my interests and I am going to look for these books.
posted by Frowner at 5:53 AM on February 2, 2020

With her writing and the recent discoveries of lost strains of rice I'm glad this important work is being done to recover these foodways and the related culture and history. But also if I'm being honest I'm looking forward to tasting the results.
posted by fedward at 5:37 PM on February 4, 2020 [1 favorite]