(*NEW ARRIVAL*) (African) Thomas Boswell. Mother Africa's Table: A Collection of West African and African American Recipes and Cultural Traditions

Comb-bound pictorial boards. First Edition. NY: National Council of Negro Women, 1998.

A wonderful compendium of foods, feasts and festivities, Mother Africa's Table brings to life the history of a people, the survival and evolution of their culture and the spirit that has sustained them for centuries.  Like the folk stories passed on from one generation to the next, some of the recipes here are presented in their original African form, while others have their roots in Africa but reflect the creative adaptations of generations of African Americans.

Descriptions of the history and cultural significance of various celebrations--ranging from an age-old African naming ceremony to Kwanzaa, a harvest festival created in America in 1966--provide the entertaining, informative background for a culinary adventure rich in flavor, texture and tradition.  The recipes, all of which contain one of more ingredients indigenous to West Africa, include such delicious dishes as African Seafood Soup; Curried Lamb; Ginger Roasted Fish; Chicken Groundnut Stew; Banana Fritters; and Yam and Sweet Potato Fufu, a perfect accompaniment to the spicy and intricately flavored stews and soups that are an integral part of this mouthwatering cuisine.

Fine.

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