Kwanzaa Recipes & Cookbooks

This is more than just a book for a holiday. It is a cookbook and a source of inspiration to be used all year long.

Fruits of the Harvest: Recipes to Celebrate Kwanzaa and Other Holidays offers more than 125 treasured recipes from people of African descent all over the world: Jerked Pork Chops and Fresh Papaya Chutney from Jamaica; New-Fashioned Fried Chicken, a dish from the Deep South; and Tiebou Dienne, Senegalese herb-stuffed fish steaks with seasoned rice. In addition to main courses, there are recipes for a full range of dishes, from appetizers to soups, salads, side dishes, vegetables, breads, beverages, and, of course, desserts. Fried Okra, Antiguan Pepper Pot, Ambrosia Salad and Potato Salad, Garlic-Chedder Grits SoufflÉ, Caipirinha, and Sweet Potato Tarts in Peanut Butter Crusts are but a few of the delights featured here.

And along the way, learn about African American culture, including the seven principles of Kwanzaa and how people of African descent all across the globe celebrate the best their cultures have to offer through food and communion. Fruits of the Harvest: Recipes to Celebrate Kwanzaa and Other Holidays isn't just a cookbook -- it's a source of inspiration for the most extravagant of holiday gatherings as well as for a simple Sunday dinner.

Traditionally, Kwanzaa brings family, friends, and the community together for a winter celebration. But Kwanzaa can be a part of your life year round. The twenty million people of African descent who celebrate this holiday steeped in cultural richness observe the holiday for its seven principles--principles that inspire the individual and promote community. Whether you're a first-time celebrant or a seasoned veteran, Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day is a must-have reference for making Kwanzaa special for you and your loved ones. With this book, you'll learn:

• Planning for daily observance and festive gatherings

• The seven principles at the heart of Kwanzaa...

• How to involve everyone in your Karamu (feast)

• Recipes for traditional dishes you can make at home...

• Zawadi (gifts) that reflect your values...

• Popular Kwanzaa songs and even one Kwanzaa rap...

• Where to find the best Kwanzaa accessories

• And more!

Let Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day show you how to turn your Kwanzaa observance into a way of life to enrich your family, friends, and community.

"Of the several books on Kwanzaa, few are invested with such utility as Maitefa Angaza's thorough-going discussion and analysis...a meaningful, wonderful guide." --Herb Boyd, author of We Shall Overcome: The History of the Civil Rights Movement As It Happened

A DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO CELEBRATING KWANZAA THAT HONORS AND AFFIRMS AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE, FOOD, AND FAMILY

Structured around the seven days of Kwanzaa and the virtues each day represents, A Kwanzaa Keepsake contains everything you need to create your own unique holiday traditions: blessings, proverbs, ceremonies, family projects, inspirational biographies of heroes and heroines of the African-Atlantic world, and a feast for each night. Each meal reflects the principle of the day:

FIRST NIGHT -- Umoja (Unity)
Multinational dishes such as Seasoned Olives from Brazil and Moroccan Mechoui-Style Leg of Lamb with Cumin, Mint, and Chile remind us of the union of all peoples of African descent.

SECOND NIGHT -- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
South African Sweet Potato Fritters and Senegalese Chicken Yassa are part of a menu that is composed of dishes from the Motherland.

THIRD NIGHT -- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
Share Herbed Chicken Thighs, Spicy Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese, and Deep Dish Apple Cobbler at a potluck supper for family and friends.

FOURTH NICHT -- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
Pecan-Coated Roast Loin of Pork with Baked Peaches accompanied by Baked Potatoes with Spiced Yogurt is the centerpiece of a formal meal to entertain business contacts.

FIFTH NIGHT -- Nia (Purpose)
Honor your ancestors' American presence with a Roast Chicken dinner, accented by Home-Style Collard Greens with Spicy Vinegar and sweetened with Holiday Gingerbread with Molasses Whipped Cream.

SIXTH NIGHT -- Kuumba (Creativity)
An African-American healing supper opens the gates of remembrance through food. Surround your own heritage recipe for stuffed turkey or a vegetarian main dish with Pickled Black-Eyed Peas, Spicy Cranberry Chutney, and Killer Pecan Pie.

SEVENTH NIGHT -- Imani (Faith)
Usher in the New Year with North African Carrot Salad, Red Snapper Fillets in Creole Court Bouillon, and classic Southern Succotash.

With space to record your own family history, memories, and recipes, A Kwanzaa Keepsake is a book to cherish, and to turn to again and again.