*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.

Let's start with the title on this book. Was there ever a more well-crafted, evocative title? I certainly don't think so. It's what drew me in. Going deeper into the meaning of it, and the framework of the book, you get a combo cookbook, combo memoir, combo history/sociological lesson; and it's really just a well-done mix of topics. I also appreciated the photography and family memories shared as well.

The author, Wilkinson, uses family history, whether through oral storytelling, written down recipes, or others, to tell of the cooks that came before her. Her family crafted foodways in Appalachia and kept traditions strong, caring for their families and trying to show that love with food. I know the first thing you think of when you think Appalachia is not black families, and that is why this book so deeply resonates (and is touched upon by the author as well). The area is rich in history, but it's not just the mountain men you see in popular media. Families eked out a living and learned to use the availability of goods around them.

I can't say I've made any recipes from this book yet, which I normally try to do before writing a review, but that's no fault of the authors. I just haven't had the time/energy. But there are plenty in here that I would like to try. And honestly, just reading about them was enough. I was hit with memories when I came across the popcorn balls recipe. It brought me back to my grandfather, preparing tons of them for a fundraiser for his social club every year, storing them in trash bags in an unused staircase in the house, the air smelling like candy. I recently just hit the anniversary of his death and this first year has been tough; he's one of my kitchen ghosts and the author's messages resonated with me as a result.

We all have our ghosts, but a kitchen ghost is not a bad thing to have.

Review by M. Reynard 2023

Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghost
Stories and Recipes From Five Generations of Black Country Cooks
Crystal Wilkinson

Author Crystal Wilkinson grew up on her grandparent’s farm in the hills of Appalachia in Indian Hill, KY. Her grandfather raised. She was born in 1962 in Hamilton, Ohio. Her grandfather was a tobacco farmer; he also raised corn and made homemade sorghum molasses. Her grandmother was a domestic worker for the local schoolteachers.
Crystal shares the history of her family through the recipes in this book. “…food is never just about the present---every dish, every slice, every crumb and kernel also tethers us to the past.” “The recipes in this book were influenced by the matriarchs of the Wilkinson family. Many of the recipes date back to the 1700s.”
The first recipe she shares with readers is Granny Christine’s Jam Cake. Among the recipes in this book the reader will find: Hot Milk Cake, Chicken and Dumplings, Meatless Greens, Sauteed Fiddleheads, Dressed Eggs, Pine Lick Mutton Leg and Gravy, Basket Meeting Green Beans and New Potatoes, Pimento Cheese With A Kick, Classic Benedictine (Cucumber Spread), Wild Berry Lemonade, Gingerbread and Sauce, Sweet Sorghum Cookies, Hearty Vegetable Soup With Hamburger, Indian Creek Chili, Chicken And Noodles, Ron’s Pulled Pork, and Easy Old -Fashioned Popcorn Balls.
I have tried several of the recipes and they are delicious. My husband loves Chicken and Dumplings but I have never been able to get it quite right until I used the recipe in Praisesong For the Kitchen Ghost. While I enjoyed the recipes very much it is the history and stories of author Crystal Wilkinson’s family that truly touched my heart.

There is something about cookbooks that make cooking personal. I swoon over books like this. Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghost does not come out until Jan but I have pre-ordered it. It is beautifully written from the historical part of Ms. Crystal's family history to the recipes and their history.

I loved this book. I felt part of Ms. Crystal's story and felt extremely honored that she is sharing it with us. It was easy to read and follow.

I cannot wait to add this to my collections.

5 Pickles