Winner of the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook
"Between Harlem and Heaven presents a captivatingly original cuisine.
Afro-Asian-American cooking is packed with unique and delicious layers
of flavor. These stories and recipes lay praise to the immense influence
the African Diaspora has had on global cuisine."-- Sean Brock
In two of the most renowned and historic venues in Harlem, Alexander
Smalls and JJ Johnson created a unique take on the Afro-Asian-American
flavor profile. Their foundation was a collective three decades of
traveling the African diaspora, meeting and eating with chefs of color,
and researching the wide reach of a truly global cuisine; their
inspiration was how African, Asian, and African-American influences
criss-crossed cuisines all around the world. They present here for the
first time over 100 recipes that go beyond just one place, taking you,
as noted by The New Yorker, "somewhere between Harlem and heaven."
This book branches far beyond soul food to explore the melding of Asian,
African, and American flavors. The Afro Asian flavor profile is a window
into the intersection of the Asian diaspora and the African diaspora. An
homage to this cultural culinary path and the grievances and triumphs
along the way, Between Harlem and Heaven isn't fusion, but a glimpse
into a cuisine that made its way into the thick of Harlem's cultural
renaissance.
JJ Johnson and Alexander Smalls bring these flavors and rich cultural
history into your home kitchen with recipes for...
- Grilled Watermelon Salad with Lime Mango Dressing and Cornbread
Croutons,
- Feijoada with Black Beans and Spicy Lamb Sausage,
- Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Casserole with Rosemary and Caramelized
Shallots,
- Festive punches and flavorful easy sides, sauces, and marinades to
incorporate into your everyday cooking life.
Complete with essays on the history of Minton's Jazz Club, the melting
pot that is Harlem, and the Afro-Asian flavor profile by bestselling
coauthor Veronica Chambers, who just published the wildly successful
Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson, this cookbook brings the rich history
of the Harlem food scene back to the home cook.
"This is more than just a cookbook. Alexander and JJ take us on a
culinary journey through space and time that started more than 400 years
ago, on the shores of West Africa. Through inspiring recipes that have
survived the Middle Passage to seamlessly embrace Asian influences, this
book is a testimony to the fact that food transcends borders. -- Chef
Pierre Thiam
