These 19 Cookbooks Celebrate Black Culinary Traditions For Juneteenth And Beyond
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Summer is upon us once again, and with it comes a whole slew of reasons to celebrate. Maybe you're looking forward to your annual beach vacation, or perhaps you're stoked for the weekly cookouts that see friends and family getting together for some much-needed community time. If there's one summer day that absolutely deserves fussing over, it just might be June 19th, popularly known as Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.
Though Juneteenth has been celebrated in the Black community for decades, it has not always been a widely-known holiday — but since former President Biden made the day a federal holiday in 2021, it's finally getting some well-deserved national recognition. There's a plethora of ways Black and non-Black communities can celebrate the day, but over here, it comes as no surprise that we'll be engaging in culinary festivities. Food is an important part of any culture, and the roots of Black home cooking in the U.S. date back centuries — as you might imagine, this rich history has cultivated some mouthwatering dishes well worth salivating over. This Juneteenth, join the celebration by diving into Black culinary traditions and making recipes from some stellar cookbooks.
Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking
If you're after a cookbook that will take you through the evolution of African American cuisine over the centuries, you may find none better than "Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking." Written by Toni Tipton-Martin, this book is as much a history lesson as it is a culinary one. The recipes featured in this book have roots that go back to some of the greatest Black culinary figures, and all the classics are covered here, making it easy to dive into some bona fide African American cuisine.
Among the recipes in this book, you'll find comfort food like sweet potato biscuits with ham and Southern pecan pie laced with whiskey. You'll also come across sumptuous salads (like a wilted mixed greens with bacon recipe) and even drinks worthy of imbibing, such as a Champagne cocktail.
Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations
A quick Google search for Juneteenth cookbooks will show this cookbook at least a couple times (even if only because the holiday's name is in its title). Nevertheless, "Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations" is well-deserving of a spot in this lineup. You'll find effortlessly elevated versions of classic recipes scattered amongst these pages, and any would look elegant on a Juneteenth table — but what we love more are the small, personal anecdotes that foreword each recipe.
From a sweet and scrumptious Liberation sundae (that has you make a rhubarb compote), to five-ingredient lamb chops and a fermented harissa dip, any of these recipes will pay the holiday the homage it's due, while filling your belly in the process.
Sweet Home Cafe Cookbook: A Celebration of African-American Cooking
If you've ever visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture, the "Sweet Home Café" cookbook may sound familiar to you — after all, it's named after the eatery housed in the museum, and features many of its recipes. As such, you'll get a decent variety of tried and true African American dishes in this book, well-suited for bringing to any Juneteenth gathering.
Of course, the book has recipes for the obvious — such as chocolate chess pie and fried green tomatoes — but it also contains some less-obvious (but just as delicious) dishes that are deserving of your attention. Feast on Maryland crab cakes or Jamaican grilled jerk chicken, and even go all-out by making a vat of Sénégalaise peanut soup.
Tanya Holland's California Soul: Recipes From a Culinary Journey West
When one thinks of soul food, it's easy to conjure images of hot kitchens in the deep South that churn out all manner of comfort foods, and that's certainly not a bad representation of the culinary genre. However, Tanya Holland — author of "Tanya Holland's California Soul: Recipes From a Culinary Journey West" — would remind you that soul food isn't confined to Southern kitchens.
This cookbook will take you on a culinary migratory journey, following the route African American families took from the South out to California (a journey Holland's own family went on). You'll find eclectic dessert recipes like rhubarb upside-down cake and honey lavender chess pie, along with mouthwatering mains such as grilled rack of California lamb with collard-almond pesto and fried chicken paillards with arugula and pea shoots salad.
Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking
Of course, we had to include at least a couple of cookbooks that focus purely on the art of baking. The first we'll turn our attention to is "Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking," and if a half-second glimpse of the cover doesn't make you feel right at home, we don't know what will. Accolades are peppered across the book's Amazon page, noting several "Best Cookbook" awards and a James Beard nod.
Best of all, Day's book isn't just focused on sweet treats. In addition to recipes for mouthwatering cakes and pies, you'll also learn her secrets to perfecting savory bakes like biscuits and chicken pot pie. This makes for a well-rounded cookbook any baker should have in their cupboard, ready to thumb through at a moment's notice.
The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South
If you want a cookbook whose story is as engaging as its recipes, look no further than Michael W. Twitty's "The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South." Admittedly, it might be a bit of a stretch to call this a cookbook — it functions primarily as an engaging memoir, whose pages are peppered with recipes throughout. But the centuries-long family history woven through its pages will have you continually coming back for more.
Interspersed between the stories of this book, you'll find recipes that are just as telling as the foods' history that Twitty details. Most recipes bookend a chapter and act as a culmination of what you've just read, and they're as simple (and powerful) as a homemade kitchen pepper seasoning and a sensational fish pepper sauce.
Bludso's BBQ Cookbook
Think you know everything there is to know about the art of BBQ? Kevin Bludso would (in all likelihood) beg to differ, before tossing you a copy of his eponymous "Bludso's BBQ Cookbook." He's a bona fide master of the subject, having worked over Texan BBQ pits since his youth. He now has his own BBQ stands in California, Texas, and even Australia, and his book is just as much an instruction manual as it is a cookbook.
It goes without saying that you'll find plentiful BBQ recipes in this cookbook (such as grilled mojo shrimp and BBQ lamb leg), but you'll also learn how to make hearty sides. After all, what goes better with BBQ meats than Creole cabbage and "Down Home" mac and cheese? End your gathering by feasting on some of Bludso's buttermilk pie or Mom's banana pudding.
At the Table of Power
Another book that's just as much a historical tale as it is a cookbook is Diane M. Spivey's "At the Table of Power: Food and Cuisine in the African American Struggle for Freedom, Justice, and Equality." The recipes in this book are accompanied by lengthy (and rightfully so) tales detailing their historical context and cultural origins. If you're wary of getting another history lesson, don't be — there are enough recipes in this book to constitute a cookbook in its own right.
You'll learn how to make a plethora of cuisines, such as ice cream (pineapple and coffee flavors included) and intriguingly named Cough Syrup and "Sorry to See You Go" cinnamon swirl sour cream poundcake. Hearty meals include lobster salad, breakfast cakes, scalloped oysters, and Fiddler's clam chowder.
Bress 'n' Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes From a Sixth-Generation Farmer
If you haven't already done a deep dive into the Gullah Geechee culture in the South, it's high time you did so, and Matthew Raiford would be more than happy to accompany you on the journey. The Gullah Geechee people find their roots along the southeastern coast of the U.S., along the coastlines of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Raiford's "Bress 'N' Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes From a Sixth-Generation Farmer" offers the perfect instruction manual to mastering this unique cultural cuisine.
In its pages, you'll find classic recipes like hot buttermilk biscuits and buttermilk griddle cakes. You'll also learn how to make Gullah-specific dishes like "Potlikker Goobers" (seasoned boiled peanuts), Gullah rice (a jambalaya-esque dish), and CheFarmer's grits, for which the author recommends sourcing grits from Geechie Boy Mill.
The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food: A Cookbook
Fans of chef and TV personality Marcus Samuelsson may already have his "The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food" in their pantries. Samuelsson shares the spotlight in his cookbook by including not only his own recipes, but also some in honor of other Black personalities who are well-deserving of recognition.
You'll find recipes for every genre of cuisine under the sun, from drinks to vegetables, pasta to poultry, and soups and salad to fish and seafood. Every recipe is intriguing enough to inspire an attempt in the kitchen. Take the spiced catfish with pumpkin leche de tigre, for example, or coconut fried chicken with sweet hot sauce and platanos. For dessert, indulge in a tigernut custard tart with cinnamon poached pears or a simple spiced lemon chess pie.
Grandbaby Cakes
Another baking-forward cookbook we had to include in this lineup is Jocelyn Delk Adams' "Grandbaby Cakes," which boasts a cover just as sweet as the recipes it contains. If you've ever heard of the Grandbaby Cakes blog, then you already have an idea of what's in this cookbook, which is the first release from Adams after becoming a well-renowned web food writer.
The recipes in this book tell the stories of her family's heritage, perhaps most notably detailing the fond memories she has of her grandmother, aka "Big Mama." You'll find hybrid, long-winded desserts like pineapple upside-down hummingbird pound cake and zucchini cupcakes with lemon cinnamon butter, as well as more classic recipes for a marble Texas sheet cake, a Mississippi mudslide cake, and a Kentucky brown-butter cake.
My America: Recipes From a Young Black Chef
If you've ever wanted to be taken on a culinary journey through the African Diaspora, go ahead and grab yourself a copy of Kwame Onwuachi's "My America: Recipes From a Young Black Chef." The recipes in this book follow the journey of Onwuachi's own family history and cover multiple regions, from Nigeria to the Bronx. It offers an easy way to bring global cuisine to your home kitchen while getting glimpses into various cultures along the way.
This Juneteenth, treat your guests to Onwuachi's suya (a spiced shrimp, steak, and chicken dish) recipe, or indulge in some of his Jamaican beef patties and jollof rice. End the night by feasting on scrumptious banana pudding or red velvet cake.
Rodney Scott's World of BBQ
It's not surprising that multiple BBQ cookbooks are being featured on this list, and "Rodney Scott's World of BBQ" is a worthy addition to your cookbook collection. In fact, this cookbook was the first by a Black pitmaster, and aforementioned author Marcus Samuelsson says, "[N]o one is better at BBQ than Rodney." Given that Scott started when he was just 11 years old, his expertise comes as no surprise to us.
If you've ever had a taste (or even a simple look) at Scott's BBQ and wondered what makes it tick, he divulges all his secrets in this cookbook. Learn how he prepares incredible hush puppies and barbecued spare ribs; best of all, he makes his recipes accessible for even the newest aspiring pitmaster. You'll also find his recipes for classics like macaroni and cheese, fried catfish, and BBQ bacon burgers, along with scrumptious corn bread with honey butter.
Eat Plants, B*tch
We bet you hardly expected to see a vegan offering among these cookbooks, but Pinky Cole's offering caters to all the plant-based foodies among us. "Eat Plants, B*tch: 91 Vegan Recipes That Will Blow Your Meat-Loving Mind" could likely make even the most carnivorous among us turn to plants for fuel, and if you've ever entertained the idea of becoming vegan yourself, Cole's book offers the perfect place to start.
Don't worry about sacrificing flavor — Cole's Chickpea Sunrise recipe is tasty enough that its vegan-ness is secondary, while her black pea cauliflower po' boy is just as deserving of the name as any meaty version of the sandwich. Cole also tells you which vegan staples you'll want to have on hand, and she'll answer some of your most pressing questions about veganism along the way.
The Juneteenth Cookbook
With a name as self-descriptive as "The Juneteenth Cookbook," this was an obvious inclusion to our list. Moreover, as you can probably tell from looking at the cover, this cookbook invites your kids to get in on the action for some family-friendly cultural immersion. The recipes in this cookbook (which may as well double as a picture book) are easy enough to make with your children, and yummy enough for everyone in the family to enjoy.
Grab the kids, get out your cooking tools, and work together this Juneteenth to make recipes like hot links and chow chow relish, corn Mmuffins with hot honey butter, and Mac 'n' Please. However, we're willing to bet that your kids' favorites will probably be sweet treats like the book's red velvet ice cream sandwiches, Freedom Fizz, and sweet potato pie bars.
Northern Soul: Southern-Inspired Home Cooking From a Northern Kitchen
As we've already said, soul cooking isn't exclusive to Southern territories — you can find scrumptious soul recipes in the North, as well. This is a point that's ruthlessly driven home in Justin Sutherland's "Northern Soul: Southern-Inspired Home Cooking From a Northern Kitchen." The "Iron Chef" winner owns many restaurants in the Twin Cities, but thanks to his cookbook, you don't have to go to Minnesota to get a taste of his cuisine.
Sutherland gives "Northern flair" to well-known Southern recipes, but don't think that detracts from their taste at all. Obvious Southern recipes like Creole jambalaya, chicken and waffles, and bourbon pecan pie dot the book's pages. Good luck skipping past the Handsome Hog Burger (the picture of which looks like the best darn burger we've ever seen) and the hot mac and cheese recipes.
Black Girl Baking
Bakers, listen up: Jerrelle Guy's "Black Girl Baking: Wholesome Recipes Inspired by a Soulful Upbringing" will make it impossible not to bring multiple bakes to your Juneteenth celebration. Food has always been an integral part of Guy's life, in many ways acting as a therapeutic presence when faced with the weight of the world. She passes her healing recipes along to readers in this stunning cookbook.
The storyteller and baker's recipes are engaging as they are yummy, and you'll find the likes of orange peel pound cake and plaited dukkah bread amongst them. Don't forget to try Guy's blue blueberry drop biscuits and pecan pie rugelach recipes, as well as her cake doughnuts with coffee glaze, baked halva pralines, and sweet potato pie with chocolate hazelnut crust.
Carla Hall's Soul Food
You may have seen Carla Hall on TV shows such as "The Chew" and "Top Chef," but have you taken the opportunity to make any of her recipes for yourself? Well, with her cookbook — "Carla Hall's Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration" — you can finally try crafting them in your own kitchen. Hall herself is from Nashville, but she doesn't limit her cuisine to the region, and you'll find foods that trace their history all the way to Africa and the Caribbean, as well.
All her recipes are warm, comforting, and indulgent, and best of all, they can satisfy the health-conscious among us. Delight in her cracked shrimp with Comeback Sauce as an appetizer before feasting on some Ghanian peanut beef stew with onions and celery. For sides at your gathering, try your hand at her roasted cauliflower with raisins and lemon-pepper millet. Lastly, dessert will be a time to remember with Hall's sweet potato pudding with clementines or her poured caramel cake.
The Black Family Reunion Cookbook
Last but certainly not least is a collection of recipes compiled by The National Council of Negro Women in "The Black Family Reunion Cookbook." Rather than detailing the story of a single Black family or culture, this cookbook includes tales of famous Black personalities, including the likes of Patti LaBelle and Natalie Cole. As such, you'll get a wide-ranging collection of recipes, all of which are meaningful to their authors.
Start your Juneteenth celebration off with a yummy breakfast, like the cookbook's Emancipation Proclamation breakfast cake recipe. From there, move to African-inspired mustard greens with peanut sauce, before diving into the book's Family Famous chicken and dumplings recipe. Sweet potato biscuits and Reeder refrigerator rolls provide some much-needed carbs, while Sunday sugared doughnuts provide a sweet treat to end your day with.