The Peppers, Cracklings, and Knots of Wool Cookbook: The Global Migration of African Cuisine

As a fan of ethnography and food folkways, I found this book interesting. The first thing that jumped out at me was the author's note of thanks to Embassies of Laos, Peru, and India... Intriguing? African cuisine migrated to India? To Laos? The second thing that jumped out at me was the first recipe, which called for "egusi seeds." No worries - there is nearly 100 pages of glossary, sources of ingredients, and bibliography. The third thing that you notice is the author's penchant for railing against those Eurocentric writers who discredited African foodstuffs and cuisine, and denied the Africanism of Egypt and the Olmecs. Even if you never prepare a single recipe, this book serves as a source of African culinary and social history. Nearly every recipe is followed by a bit of history and the story of African migratory influences. Chapter 1 focuses on "Eastern Ethiopians" and Dravidians (the Southern Indians including speakers of Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada) -- participants in the lucrative spice trade for centuries. Highlights for me included "Mississippi Masala Rice"; "Sesame Yam Patties"; "Doro Wat", a chicken in pepper sauce; and "Lamb and Beef Dar Es Salaam" with 7 spices and 3 meats. Chapter 2 is on the Sons and Daughters of Kambu, or those Ethiopian-Indians who migrated and influenced Southeast Asian, Khmer,and Cambodian societies. While highlighting the similarities in certain rituals in Southeast Asia and Africa, the recipes include: Spicy Fish in Peanut Sauce, Afro-Khmer Shrimp and Spicy Rice, Black-Eyed Spring Rolls, and Khmer Sweet Black Eyed Peas (like Hoppin' John, it reminded me of the film "Catfish in Black Bean Sauce"). Chapter 3 is on "Peppers, Cracklings, and Knots of Wool" or African cuisine found in Mexico and Central America. The "knots" refers to African hair. While the author discusses African influences, as well as an Almec-Africa connection, her recipes include: Masar Spicy Roasted Turkey; Yam and Plantain Fruit Pudding; Balimaya Pek Corn Dumpling Stew; and Hunabqu Omon Corn and Masa Soup. Chapter 4 presents the story of Africa in Peru and the highlands, titled "Zancu, Sweet Potatoes and Beer." Recipes include: Garden Patties with Onion and Cassava Cream Gravy; Zancu; and Yugeno (a cocktail known as the Peruvian blowdart). Chapter 5, titled, "Body and Soul" The Miscengenation of Cuisine and Culture in Brazil and Cuba," focuses on Brazil and Cuba, while Chapter 6 focuses on America, Haiti, Maroon settlements, and other Caribbean islands. The author, fond of cakes since childhood, include several cake recipes including a Chocolate Coconut cake and a Coconut Cake. "Brazen Tomatoes" will catch your attention. I enjoyed the final two chapters the most. Chapter 7 is a study of the migration of the African American cooks from the American South to the North of the country, and Chapter 8 is titled "Flapjacks and Blue Notes." Recipes include those for dinner rolls; smothered steak; Dr. Carver's peac

In American colonial and antebellum literature there are many references to the black slaves' "natural genius" for cooking. At the same time, cookbook writers and other gastronomic experts state that Africans had no culinary traditions or cuisine of their own; they learned it all from contact with Europeans. There is a contradiction here. It is this book's goal to document African cuisine and especially to demonstrate the unacknowledged and unappreciated African influence on culinary traditions outside of Africa.Of course, "The Peppers, Cracklings, and Knots of Wool Cookbook" has chapters on African influences in the cuisine of the Southern U.S., the Caribbean, and Brazil. It should be obvious that the food traditions that came to the Americas with enslaved Africans had a significant effect. (Should be obvious, though is still unacknowledged and unappreciated.) What is surprising and a bit controversial is Spivey's hypothesis of African influences in ancient times in the Americas and Asia. Spivey takes it as a given that Africans sailed to and traded with the Americas in ancient and medieval times. The real extent of this contact (if any) and its effects on cuisine may be lost to history. At this time, most scholars are unconvinced -- however, this could change with time. The question remains: When there are similarities in the cuisine Mesoamerican people and West African people, is it may be due to specific historical contact between the two? or it could also be a case of two separate cultures making the best possible food in similar environments with similar gastronomic possibilities? Spivey clearly prefers the former and ignores the later. There is the need for more research here; this book is just getting the ball rolling. (The possibility of Old World peoples visiting the Americas before Columbus is well presented in "The Diffusionists Have Landed" in "The Atlantic Monthly" magazine; January 2000.)Spivey's book is also part cookbook, and the recipes are excellent. It should be mentioned that these recipes are more based-on-tradition than actually traditional. In some cases it seems that Spivey invents recipes based on the theory of historical contact between African and non-African cultures. For example, "Chocolate Lamb and Beef Sauce" which combines the African peanut-stew and the Mexican molé sauce traditions. Does Spivey believe that ancient Africans made this after their voyages to America? Is there any historical text that mentions such a dish? Or did this recipe come into being with her book? Either way, it sounds delicious.

It's about time that Africa has been placed on the culinary map. I always knew that Africa had influenced other peoples but to learn about Africa's culinary and cultural connection to Southeast Asians, Mexicans and others is simply a revelation (one such revelation was learning that ancient Cambodians wore their hair in cornrows and ate black-eyed peas!). I will never read another cookbook without comparing it to "The Peppers, Cracklings, and Knots of Wool Cookbook." It is revolutionary in concept and content. This book not only offers great recipes, but it is also a great source for African and African American history and insight on a number of issues. No cookbook I have ever read has inspired me more than this one. I highly recommend this book, not only to avid cooks, but also to avid readers of history as well. "The Peppers, Cracklings, and Knots of Wool Cookbook" should be mandatory reading from now on for anyone attempting to write anything on African culinary history.

After first buying a copy of the Peppers, Cracklings and Knots of Wool Cookbook, reading parts of it, and trying several of the recipes, I bought a second copy. One copy goes in my kitchen forever! The recipes are fabulous taste treasures that defy adequate description. My family and I simply could not believe how good these meals taste. I did have to search at findng some of the ingredients to the more intricate recipes. The end results were well worth any effort. Since I tend to make a huge mess when cooking and my cookbooks suffer from it, I decided that I needed a second copy of the book. The second copy now occupies a prominent place on the bookshelves in our family room.