The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks

This beautiful coffee table book is full of history and recipes. It’s a way to explore African-American history while enjoying stories about our ancestors who created the foods that we enjoy every day.

Loved this book!

This item is far more than a cookbook. It's a beautiful journey through Black history. Stories, pictures, and fact filled narrative woven throughout the book and recipes provide insight into a rich spiritual culture. I've almost finished reading the book and have not cooked a single dish yet.I did not care much for the use of some descriptive words used in this book. I find the words to be racially derogatory. However, the author of this book used these terms for the book so I respect the work done and continue to read it for the culture and history.

1. I love cookbooks, kitch, and the evolution of Betty Crocker, Aunt Jemima, refrigerators, microwaves, appliances, kitchen colors, you get it.2. How the above-mentioned items reflect our evolving cultural milieu is amazing.3. I wasn't certain where this book was going when I purchased it but it delights me.Through pictures, recipes, and narrative the author explains the blending of cultures to create a large portion of our uniquely American menu. Tipton-Martin draws similarities between slave kitchen cooks and the mistress of the house (Afro-European) and the lack of black authored cookbooks. I'm not done with the book yet - I'm taking my time because every page is a pleasure. I can't lend you my copy of the book because I'm keeping mine. You have to read about Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben...

I truly appreciate reading and interpreting the many recipes that brought families comfort and joy. It is important to honor our hard working cooks who supported so many through generations of adversity. I noticed there are a lot of calories in many of the recipes and taste so much better than the quick foods of today. This book is a keeper to refer to for many occasions from day to day.

The Jemima Code when I tell you I have been waiting to buy this book for at least 2 years it's the truth. But once I got it I was disappointed because there were no recipes in it. So I put in for a refund and the day I was about to send it back I felt like I should at least look through it again. So I flipped through the pages one more time and I was suprise as to what I found out. The book is a great reference and a foundation of the pride, committment, and love that these famous cooks put into the soul of their food. They made exceptionally good food with less resources than we have today. I absolutely love it and I am happy that my better judgement led me to look through the book one more time before sending it back. This is a wonderful purchase and I would recommend it to anyone that is a true cook.

If you like history and cooking, this is a great read. The author has presented this history in an easy to understand format. The culinary contributions of generations of African Americans is documented, in stories, ingredients and recipes. I have thoroughly enjoyed this historical collection and enlightenment.