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