A Taste of Africa

An interesting collection of African recipes; by necessity just a sampling, of course. The recipes tend to stick to the coast, e.g. nothing from Central African Republic. Recipes from the Caribbean and Louisiana as well, I was pleased to find. Though I have not, as yet, tried them all, most (though admittedly not all) at least sound appealing; then again, that may be do to my finicky palate. The format is very pleasant, and I appreciated the cultural notes regarding cuisine and local legends.

Dorinda Hafner, a Ghana-born cook, is a witty, urbane presence in this pan-African collection of recipes, handily arranged by country rather than food type or course (you can use the index for listings the in the latter fashion.) Dorinda is one of those cookbook authors who is well-traveled, with many friends from many different national and ethnic origins, friends upon whom she calls for recipes and to whom she gives credit. Each recipe is prefaced with background info on the country, the origins of a dish, regional variations, etc. Some of the information she includes is clearly anecdotal and perhaps a little archaic--local creation myths, for example--but they add to the overall "flavor" of the book, provided you don't assume they represent the views of all peoples of a specific country. African Countries included (each gets its own chapter with several recipes): Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Non-African (own chapter, as well): Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Louisiana (USA). What Dorinder is good at is showcasing the diversity of Africa's peoples, cuisines, religions, and cultural traditions. She makes a few overly broad distinctions--e.g. "Africans south of the Sahara do not like fruits mixed with savory dishes;"--but she also provides from useful connections, noting that the African-indigenous okra vegetable is popular in every region of Africa and throughout West African-influenced Louisiana (U.S.A.) and the Caribbean. The recipes are simple and most of them are extremely filling/satisfying, combining in one dish meat, chicken, or fish with starch (plantain, sweet potato, couscous), greens (spinach, collards), or other vegetables (pumpkin, okra). Note: there are no pictures in this book, only maps of each country at the beginning of country chapters. The book is well worth the price for the recipes, many of which you will make over and over and will learn to vary based on your own tastes and creative urges. Recommended.

Dorinda Hafner of Ghana has authored cookbooks and is featured in a television series about African and African-inspired cuisine. "A Taste of Africa: With over 100 Traditional African Recipes Adapted for the Modern Cook" is a very good introduction to African food for anyone who knows kitchen basics. The recipes are mostly easy and quick, and are made with readily available ingredients. Each recipe has a short introductory text. Recipes are arranged by country; this book contains recipes from each of ten African countries: Ghana; Ivory Coast; Mali; Morocco; Egypt; Ethiopia; Kenya; Tanzania; Zimbabwe; and Nigeria. African-based recipes from five other countries and one city are also included: Brazil; Trinidad and Tabago; Martinique and Guadeloupe; Jamaica; Cuba; and New Orleans. Thoughout the book are boxes containing short features on African history, legends, foodstuffs. A short glossary and bibliography are included. Very well illustrated with photographs of the prepared dishes.

Dorinda Hafner, the engaging host from the PBS cooking shows, has written a companion book. Arranged by country, it has African diaspora recipes from the continent, the Caribbean and the Americas. The recipes are simple and you don't have to be a gourmet chef to cook them. It's a great introduction to the variety and richness of African cooking.

I was in Africa recently and then I saw this book and I had to buy it! I made sudza, the staple in Zimbabwe, and it tasted like it did in Zimbabwe. There are some other really good recipies in the book too but i think sudza, made right is the best. I would definatly recomend buying the book and giving it a try!