Between Harlem and Heaven

Shop Notes:

This isn't just an incredibly fine collection of delicious and mouthwatering recipes.  I love how Alexander Smalls and JJ Johnson make their case that not all black cooking is "Soul Food" and that the story of the African diaspora in the United States is closely intertwined with the story of other immigrant communities.  And please do not read this review as a critique of soul food, far from it. I am just perennially uncomfortable with the idea of monolithic cultural groups and the authors not only balance this notion in an adept way, but have also found a voice that celebrates traditionally African-American (read: soul) dishes while working confidently towards a more expansive future. 

From the Publisher:

In two of the most renowned and historic venues in Harlem, Alexander Smalls and JJ Johnson created a unique take on the Afro-Asian-American flavor profile. Their foundation was a collective three decades of traveling the African diaspora, meeting and eating with chefs of color, and researching the wide reach of a truly global cuisine; their inspiration was how African, Asian, and African-American influences criss-crossed cuisines all around the world. They present here for the first time over 100 recipes that go beyond just one place, taking you, as noted by The New Yorker, "somewhere between Harlem and heaven."

This book branches far beyond "soul food" to explore the melding of Asian, African, and American flavors. The Afro Asian flavor profile is a window into the intersection of the Asian diaspora and the African diaspora. An homage to this cultural culinary path and the grievances and triumphs along the way, Between Harlem and Heaven isn't fusion, but a glimpse into a cuisine that made its way into the thick of Harlem's cultural renaissance.

About the Authors:

Condition: New