Black History Month Book Fact #1

It is always interesting when you come across something that inspires you. For me it is history, cooking and reading. This book contains all three. Normally smells from the kitchen will bring back the memories associated with the first time you tasted a dish. It can invoke feelings of comfort and happiness. When I was little I spent a lot of time in my grandmothers kitchen just watching her bake or cook. There were no measurements, just a pinch of this or a handful or bunch of that. I learned to bake by watching her. Her sour cream pound cake is to die for. I have 13 aunts and uncles on my moms side and 8 on my dads so there was plenty of opportunity for me to learn different techniques and skills. My aunt Marva taught me to make sweet potato pie that I continue to make every year to this day. My mom and dad taught me to make collards, baked macaroni & cheese, cornbread among many other things. For me sitting in the kitchen watching them cook was the most wonderful thing in the world.

Today as I sit and think about my ancestors I realize that there was so much that they have passed down to me. Finding the first African American published cookbook was exciting because as I read through it I could see my grandmother at the stove. I could see my aunt making pie crusts or pulling those fresh baked pies out of the oven. I could see my mom canning pickles and preserves or making biscuits for us to eat with hot peaches. I could taste my dad’s jelly cake or nut bread. This book is part of my history and I hope reading it will inspire you to try some of the recipes yourself. Then later your children can have the same wonderful memories that I have.

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Abby Fisher was born a slave in Alabama. Her husband and she moved to San Francisco sometime after the Civil War. There she worked as a cook or caterer and made pickles and preserves. She was awarded a Diploma at the Sacramento State Fair in 1879 and two medals at the San Francisco Mechanic’s Institute Fair for best pickles and sauces and for the best assortment of Jellies and Preserves.

In 1881 she published this book however, Mrs Fisher was illiterate. She explains that she dictated the book to someone. This probably explains the spelling variations such as Jumberlie which is Jambalaya.  There are Beat Biscuits  Plantation Corn Bread, Sweet Potato Pie, Ochra and Chicken Gumbo, Boiled Turkey and Creole Chow Chow. This book is an awesome representation of Southern cooking during the early 1900.

Click the book above to get your copy!

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