Jemima Code

My thanks to #NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review. The Jemima Code is no ordinary cookbook. Part history book, part anthology, and mostly a tribute to the magnificence and resiliency of the African-American culinary contribution. The African and African American contributions to the American Southern cooking are well chronicled within the book, and a more complete understanding of the African-American place in the American culinary tradition. Highly recommended for any cook who likes to know the history of the American culinary tradition.

This was an interesting book, in a format I don’t think I have ever seen before. According to the publisher’s notes about the book, the author has one of the largest private collections of cookbooks by/about African American cooks, and this book is a compilation of reviews/descriptions of more than 150 of these cookbooks.

The book is divided into chapters that are broken down by time periods. Each chapter begins with a short essay about the historical period covered within that chapter, and the how the cookbooks of that particular era reflected the beliefs society held about these chefs and home cooks during that period. This essay is followed by entries about each individual cookbook, featuring a photo of the cover, a description of the content, and sometimes images from inside the book as well.

I found myself slightly disappointed with this book. At first because I was hoping to find more actually recipes, but once I really understood that this was not the intent of the book, I found myself disappointed that the later chapters felt much less analytical about the social milieu out of which those later books arose.

I finished the book unsure whether the author was trying to provide a bibliography of sorts featuring African American cookbooks, in which case I would have liked to see more of the actual pages inside the books, or if she was trying to do a scholarly examination of society as reflected through the framework of cookbooks, in which case I wish she would have included fewer books, and examined the ones she did include more closely. In either situation I finished this book with a better understanding of what my college professors meant when they told me that I hadn’t taken my argument far enough. I would love to read more from this author, but only if she digs more deeply into what we can learn about society through a careful examination of the domestic art of cooking.

This is the type of food history I love to read about. I love reading about what cooking looked like in previous centuries and this did not disappoint. I only wish I would look in all of these mentioned cookbooks.

A wonderful cookbook that connects the history with the recipes of African American culture. Really great read

An interesting read about African-American chefs and cookbooks through history. I really enjoyed this book!

This book is an excellent, thoroughly-research, and timely read. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it to anyone who wants to understand more about the history and culture of food in the United States. Fantastic!

Not really what I was expecting ( a cook book) , instead it is an encyclopedia about the history of African American cookbooks from the 19th century to the present.A great resource of information about who created what recipes, I might add.

This book is for history and food lovers and people like me who are African American history buffs. It was absolutely fascinating to see the space we created for ourselves in the world of cookbooks and domestic service. We were not just cooks, maids and butlers. We wrote guidelines for running an entire household, managing dinner parties and creating numerous dishes with sweet potatoes (my favorite). I wish I could afford to purchase every single cookbook mentioned. Maybe one day.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for and honest review. I selected this book thinking it was a cookbook. However, it turned out to be so much more. I learned so much from this book I was almost in tears. The history, the depth and the extraordinary research that was done to bring this book to life. I was constantly writing and searching for the the books mentioned in this book. I had no idea the depth and sacrifices people made in order to share their recipes with the world.

Phenomenal!
The work done by Ms. Tipton-Martin on the role of African-Americans in the history of culinary arts is to be applauded! While this subject has been written about previously by a limited group of authors who are solid in their knowledge and provide excellent information, add this book to the list. Ms. Tipton-Martin has provided vivid documentation on the contributions of African-Americans to the culinary world as well as the background information demonstrating how these contributions fit into history
The breadth of publications in this book, some as early as before 1900, demonstrates the contributions made by African-Americans to a level that has not been previously acknowledged. It is even more interesting to know how many more contributions made and recipes they created that were not credited to them. The removal of credit may lead to an erasing of the history surrounding that creation. Ms. Tipton-Martin has contributed a revelation of that history. Well done!
DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily received a copy of this work in eBook format from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions given in this review are my own.

I was unable to download this and view. I followed the directions for viewing on a PC and it did not work. I was really looking forward to viewing this since I love Soul Food.

I had heard really great things about this book and was very excited to get a copy. It did not disappoint! The history of these cooks and the food they created is fascinating. The recipes, although not as many as I would have liked, are charming and flavorful. Everyone who enjoys cooking should have a copy of this book... keep it on your coffee table and invite your friends who also enjoy cooking over for a cuppa and great conversation.

I had the pleasure of seeing this author at the Texas Book Festival where she was moderating a session for another author. Out of curiousity I looked her up and found this book - am I glad I did. This is an extensive, detailed and historically accurate book of African American Cooks and Cookbooks. The many photos of cooks, cookbooks, receipes and articles were incredible. This is a history book more than a cookbook and I am very glad it is. As much as I enjoyed the book itself, the forward and introduction were also well worth the read and gave you insight into the author.

I have heard several authors of fiction (particularly of a particular culture or era) say that cookbooks are an important part of their research before writing. This book takes a deep dive into the cookbooks themselves, in particular, American cookbooks written by African American authors. I learned about this book around the same time that another title contends with some of the same material (The Cooking Gene: a journey through African American culinary history in the Old South by Michael Twitty) and I plan to pick up Twitty's book next. The rich heritage of culinary artistry among African Americans is explored in this book and it is fascinating to read the language and focus of recipes from earlier centuries in America. Close attention and recognition needs to be given to the contribution of African American citizens as well as the appropriation and assimilation of African culture into the more general American culture. I especially enjoyed the visual aspect of viewing the actual pages of these cookbooks from earlier eras. A great book for anyone interested in American history and culture.

Extraordinary bibliographie and research. This a geam that must be in own libraries.

I'm sorry to say I won't be reviewing this book after all. I've lost interest in reading it. Thank you for the opportunity.

I actually ended up purchasing a copy of this book. Some of the recipe copies reminded me of my grandmother's old cookbook that is now just a stack of yellow pages wrapped in ribbon. The research that went into the book is extensive and I thought it was truly fascinating.

A brilliantly written book that absolutely demolishes the idea that black women and slaves were just 'cooking on instinct' with no finesse, no idea of what they were doing, and their food was good by sheer luck. Black women have a rich history and their contributions to cooking have been vast and underrated. A must read for everyone who loves cooking and/or food!

I can't seem to open this file. When I downloaded, I was given the option to open in OverDrive, but that didn't work. Instead I have a file in OD that won't open. Disappointing.

This book is exactly what it says it is - two centuries worth of cookbooks by African American authors. Yes, there are introductions on the social and political aspects of African American cooking during that time, both for the book in general and also the sections, or perhaps that should be eras, the books are divided into. But basically this is a list of cookbooks from 1827 to 1990 - okay, not an exact two hundred years but two centuries is still correct.

The earlier years are understandably sparser and more spread out. The books are rarer, both in terms of the number printed and the number preserved. It's a shame since in many regards they are the more interesting sections being that much more removed from a world we find familiar. However, the modern books shouldn't be discounted. They chronicle history as much as anything older and can still hold your attention. Part of what makes it work in that regard is the book reviews, if that's the right word, themselves are almost completely devoid of anything beyond the pages. They are simple affectionate looks at the very subject. A collectors catalogue with reverence for the items themselves and ignoring the bigger picture that may surround them. As I say, that's left for the side-commentary. It's a very simple split that I didn't expect in what could be a very complex and intertwined history.

The book is laid out beautifully, yet has somewhat plain and practical photos of the books being examined. They could be direct from a museum exhibit. Yet it frames them well. It gives the historic pages a chance to be appreciated for themselves rather than competing with other books.

Yes, the book can be a little dry in places. As with any collection there will be peaks and troughs in terms of personal engagement, but what is clear throughout is a real fascination with the subject at hand. It makes for a surprisingly enticing read that is easy to come back to.