A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook – Jessica B. Harris

 

From OCC Patron, James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award winner and author of High on the Hog, comes an updated and revised edition of her classic celebration of African American culture, food and family.

Since its original publication in 1995, A Kwanzaa Keepsake has offered everything readers need to create uniquely African-American traditions. Now, with a new introduction by award-winning writer and culinary historian Carla Hall, this updated edition of A KWANZAA KEEPSAKE AND COOKBOOK (published November 5, 2024) provides blessings, proverbs, ceremonies, family projects and inspirational biographies of heroes and heroines of the African-Atlantic world, organized around the principles of each of the seven days of Kwanzaa.

Accompanying each night of Kwanzaa – Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith) – is a full menu with recipes that reflect the day’s intention. There are instructions for how to prepare for Kwanzaa, and projects designed to bring all generations of the family together. And there are blank pages throughout the book so that family members can record their own recipes, histories, reminiscences and traditions as their own personalized practices deepen. This book is meant to be a tool, a building block, a keepsake and a history of its own, to be passed down from one generation to the next, connecting each new owner back to the traditions and legacy of those who have come before.

Some of the themed feasts featured in the book include:

• Umoja (Unity) – The menu for this first night serves up dishes of multinational origin, such as Seasoned Olives from Brazil, Mechoui-Style Leg of Lamb from Senegal, and the Caribbean’s Classic Rum Punch, reminding us of the union of all peoples of African descent.
• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) – The second night features dishes from the African continent like South African Sweet Potato Fritters, Moroccan-Style Grilled Pepper Sala, and the West African hot sauce Piment Aimee, inspiring reflection on the importance of defining oneself rather than allowing other voices to speak for us.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) – The fourth night celebration is a formal meal meant for business networking. Friends come together to discuss business plans and ideas over dishes like Broiled Grapefruit with Rum, Pecan-Coates Roast Loin of Pork with Baked Peaches, and Caribbean Sorrel.
• Kuumba (Creativity) – This sixth night is an African-American healing supper, a communal meal that opens the gates of remembrance through food. This repast is centered around your own heritage recipe for stuffed turkey or a vegetarian main dish, alongside recipes for Pickled Black-Eyed Peas, Biokosso (a fish dish from the Côte d’Ivoire), Spicy Cranberry Chutney, and Killer Pecan Pie with Molasses Whipped Cream.