Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

My first impression of Afro-Vegan is that it is literally a work of art. The binding strip of elegant African floral cloth, the full-page full-color photography, and the beautifully laid out pages all indicate that this is much more than a cookbook. In addition to over 100 intriguing recipes (I’ve made about six since getting the book last week, and they were amazing), Chef Terry shares his obvious passion for life and food, for music and art, for high culture and down-home good times, for gourmet appetites and raw-knuckled activism. Somehow all these diverse elements mix it up and produce an elegant work in which each flavor stands out, yet complements the others. At one level, this is a cookbook for African Americans, showing the way back to a traditional, healthy, local, seasonal, and plant-centered diet that speaks of community, resilience, innovation, and love. At another level, Afro-Vegan is also for all of us who - whether we know it or not - owe African-American culture a huge debt of gratitude. From the African farming techniques that are being rediscovered by modern permaculturalists, to the explosive flavor mixtures that arose from the African Diasporic experience, to the incisive and sometimes incendiary beats and memes of modern hip-hop; this book is a guide and a celebration of it all. Each recipe, for example, is accompanied by a suggested soundtrack. The track for the Blackened Seasoning I made over the weekend is Buckwheat Zydeco’s “Let Your Yeah Be Yeah.” I swear I could hear the accordion in every bite of the blackened cauliflower cutlets. Afro-Vegan also contains stories and profiles of folks I feel privileged to meet in its pages. It’s full of appreciation for the heroes - sung and unsung - of the various movements of liberation and exploration whose efforts have paved the way for Mr Terry’s considerable accomplishments. But enough of that - it’s a cookbook, and you want to know about the recipes. Chef Terry begins with a chapter on spice mixtures, from Ethiopian Berbere to Cajun Blackened Seasoning to to several others. By roasting and grinding them in advance, I was able to put together the recipes that rely on these flavors quickly and easily. The recipes hail from all over Africa, the Caribbean, and the US south. Chef Terry's encyclopedic knowledge of techniques and ingredients from all over the world allow him to synthesize and fuse artistically: North African chermoula sauce meets tempeh (fermented Indonesian soybean cake); Jamaican patty filled with Lousiana maque choux; Brazilian vatapa informed with Southern okra, corn, and tomatoes. Just about every recipe features a surprising yet intuitive cultural conversation. Dirty millet (I used quinoa, don't tell) with fresh and dried mushrooms was moist and robust, satisfying any carnivore's desire for the mouthfeel of flesh. Slow-braised mustard greens was so good, my 14-year-old son asked for thirds! The meals I’ve made from Afro-Vegan have been delicious and unlike any others I’ve encountered. I own about 30 vegan cookbooks, and this one contributes significantly to plant-based cuisine. Afro-Vegan is a beautiful, big-hearted, brash, and brilliant new friend, and is helping me grow as a cook and as a person.