America I AM Pass It Down Cookbook: Over 130 Soul-Filled Recipes Paperback – February 1, 2011

Oh Child....I saw some talk about this book and was so enamoured I bought it immediately...and that was in the same month it was published. Well....this book is so GREAT---that it sold like quicksilver through its 1st publishing in less than a month.There are many things that make this a great one.First maybe its not all about the food...this book also has a tie -in with Tavis Smileys touring museum exhibition on all things African American.It is put together realizing that Black persons come from all areas , all background. We have roots from different countries besides Africa..and we live in all states from Maine to California to Alsaka to Hawaii to Puerto Rico.We may have very deep roots from Africa or we may not ! The authors here realize this and so these recipes are varied just like African Americans . They are offerings from everywhere.I also cannot help but be impressed when they mention several older cookbooks from African Americans especially Mamma Dip's Kitchen by Mildred Council and a even earlier book by Rufus Estes "Good Things to Eat" !Give DUE to those that went before us ---whether nappy headed , red lipped or servants or train workers.They are the forebears and deserve acknowledgement and respect.Each recipe features its donators name , face and story. Where the recipe originated from and by whom. This is the type of information that I have not seen prior in a cookbook of this type.My only downside to this book is this....as you FIRST read and go thru --make sure you have page markers on hand .I suppose because of recipes written as Mrs. Janes this or that-----it made it quite impossible to have a real index of the recipes and you will have a hard time finding the exact location of the recipe you need once you've moved on further into the book.MARK THOSE PAGES AS YOU GO !!EXCELLENT BOOK !

The best of this book is in the traditions. Each submission gives you the where and why of the ever evolving world of Southern Food. There is a touch of whimsy in the telling of how each author's food journey has culminated in the recipe they submitted. It shows the triumph of the Black American spirit through the teaching & passing along of traditional celebrations & everyday foodways & rituals.I think it should be a sort of Encyclopedia that adds a new book state by state taking us from The Low Country to Sunny California. We all have a story to tell & they all should be heard in the sweet language and dialogue this book has.

I just got this book in the mail today and couldn't wait to get read through it! There is a great selection, and I can get most of the ingredients here (I live in a small town, so not all ingredients were available). The directions are easy to follow, and the ingredient lists are reasonable not to long. I made the mac and cheese tonight just to start with something easy. The only thing I would change about this cook book, and the reason I am giving it only 4 stars is the lack of colored photos; I'm a visual person so like cook books where I can see a taste picture of the food.

I read this book while in culinary school years ago before it was edited and loved it! I recently purchased it in honor of black history month so that I could include some of the stories and recipes on my blog and Facebook page; I felt they should be shared with family and loved ones. I can't wait to delve into the pages once again; African food history is intriguing and exciting! You can look forward to my versions of the recipes on culturalpalate.net. Thank you Amazon for a very speedy transaction, I'm very pleased as usual!!!

I love reading this cookbook and experience the great story and African American and the contribution they gave to American.When I was little girl growing up in Shannon NC, this Africa America lady I called Aunt Eva made tea cakes for me and my sibling.This help me to appreciation all culture. By me been Native America I realized that we all connect with FOOD. I really appreciated this cookbook and will keep it in my collected for years to come and pass it down to my neice.

Nice compilation of recipes and narratives about African American cooking traditions and heritage; all of which should combine to create an informative and readable COOKBOOK. However, several of the narratives are nothing more than a thinly disguised political discourse on alleged oppression and stereotyping of African Americans. Apparently, some of the writers are of that group who still feel (and love to remind everyone) that present day African Americans should be owed a debt because their ancestors, generations now removed, were carried into slavery in the early chapters of American history. That discussion appropriately belongs in a political or history book and unfortunately detracts from the cooking theme.

I purchased three (3) of these books for gifts to my children. They love it not only for the recipesbut also for the history. I have plans to purchased more for gifts to other family members. I havetried some of the recipes even though I've cooked Soul/Southern Style food for 55 years--we enjoyed thenew twist.

I am so glad I purchased this cookbook. It has some really great recipes in it. I have tried several already. This is a cookbook you can pass down to your children and grandchildren. I may be a little bias because one of my good friends has a recipe published in this cookbook. Even with that it is a wonderful book with a lot of history.