Kwanzaa: An African American Celebration of Culture and Cooking

by Eric V. Copage

Book Overview

Known as "first fruits of the harvest" in Swahili, Kwanzaa is an annual holiday of African American cultural heritage, celebrated between December 26 and New Year's Day. Now in paperback after its celebrated hardcover release two years ago, Kwanzaa is a complete guide to the holiday's history and food. Illus.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688128351
• ISBN13: 9780688128357
• Release Date: October 1993
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A CULTURAL FEAST

Kwanzaa is rapidly approaching and as with all holidays requires detailed preparation. Contained in these pages are all the components you need for a meaningful Kwanzaa celebration with ritual and food. Eric Copage shares with us the origins of Kwanzaa as well as his own experiences in first celebrating the holiday. We are introduced to the seven princples of Kwanzaa and the relevance that it has for the African-American community. You can't have a true celebration unless good tasting food is present. At the very heart of the book are over 120 recipes for you to prepare for the Kwanzaa feast. The recipes are samples from Africans throughout the diaspora. Indulge yourself with pigeon peas and rice from the Caribbean. Avocado mousse with shrimp sauce from Brazil will tantilize your taste buds. A pot of mustard greens from "down home" (the South) in the United States will fill your belly. And let us not forget spicy matoke from Kenya. If you mouth is not watering yet for these delicious treats then something must be wrong with your taste buds. The above dishes are easy to make and you are provided with suggested menus for the feast. If by chance some of the unusual ingredients are not available in your local grocery store, never fear. Mail order resources are provided for you in the book. As Kwanzaa approaches enjoy the friendship, food and celebration but must of all stand firm with the principles which bind us together as a people. Enjoy! Happy Celebration.