A renowned chef explores the continent of Africa from a deeply personal perspective, sharing both his travels and his interpretations of the African foods he discovered along the way. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Starred Review. Born Ethiopian, raised Swedish, and now one of New York City's top chefs, Samuelsson (Aquavit: And the New Scandinavian Cuisine) has written an exotic yet accessible book that will hasten the coming of the African fusion cookery he envisions. His 204 recipes and 258 color photos are enriched with personal and political history; as in his many condiments and sauces, the balance is right. While he stresses the diversity and bounty of the second-largest continent, he repeatedly describes African cuisine as poor people's cooking, crafted with simple tools and necessarily emphasizing starches, vegetables and big flavors. Whether it's rosemary for Honey Bread or turmeric, ginger and cinnamon in his Vegetable Samosas, herbs and spices are always sauteed in oil or tossed in a hot dry pan, to intensify and mellow. He even proposes toasting the cinnamon for the whipped cream accompanying his Ethiopian Chocolate Rum Cake. The recipe for the cake is typical: the batter is prepared in a single bowl, mixed with a spoon, and bakes up moist and gingerbread-like, with great keeping properties. Toasting the cinnamon takes seconds and is impressive in the complexity it delivers. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Samuelsson, a celebrity chef and an ambassador of the world, previously wrote a cookbook about his adopted homeland of Sweden (Aquavit and the New Scandinavian Cuisine) and now this one on his native land. Chef and co-owner of the Swedish restaurant Aquavit in New York, he traveled to Africa and even took cooking lessons in Ethiopia, the country of his birth. Samuelsson emphasizes that this is not the definitive cookbook of an area with over 800 languages and dialects, but an overview of what he saw and ate in his travels. The more than 200 recipes, divided by food type, have been adjusted for the American kitchen. There are sections on spice blends and rubs (containing ginger, cardamom, chilies, and cinnamon) and condiments, sauces, and dips, as well as breads, salads, and fish. An Avocado Fool, Yeast Corn Bread, and Spiced Egg Salad are a sampling of the variety of recipes. This is a unique cookbook about a little-known cuisine, including travel essays and enhanced by beautiful color photographs that depict the food and the people of Africa. A necessary acquisition for international cookery collections. [See the profile of Samuelsson's book, p. 38. Ed.] Christine Bulson, SUNY at Oneonta Lib. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Samuelsson established his reputation as one of the foremost exponents of contemporary Swedish cookery through Aquavit, his celebrated New York City restaurant. Now he travels to wholly new territory by returning to the land of his birth and the glorious traditions of African cooking. From his native Ethiopia he prepares injera, the country's staple fermented flatbread. Moroccan cooking, one of Africa's most sophisticated, contributes harissa, a fiery spice paste that warms many North African dishes. Cassava stuffs shrimp for a satisfying West African meal. Samuelsson substitutes beef for lamb in South Africa's renowned bobotie but takes care to preserve the dish's curry-influenced spicing. Jerk chicken, more generally associated with Jamaica, shows how African eating traditions have spread abroad. He does not flinch at using contemporary ingredients such as arugula and Yukon Gold potatoes to make his recipes attractive. The immensity and diversity of Africa make it difficult to comprehend a continent's varied cooking styles in a single book, but Samuelsson's achievement celebrates a little-known cuisine. MarkKnoblauch. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Foreword	ix
Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction	xvii
Ingredients and Equipment	1
Spice Blends and Rubs	8
Condiments, Sauces, and Dips	38
Salads and Sides	74
Soups and Stews	108
Breads, Dumplings, and Sandwiches	136
Vegetables	168
Fish and Seafood	198
Poultry	238
Meat	266
Desserts and Drinks	298
Sources	336
Index	337

Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.