High on the Hog (book)

First edition

High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America is a non-fiction book by Jessica B. Harris, published in 2011 by Bloomsbury. The book chronicles the development of African-American cuisine from its origins in African cuisines.

David A. Davis of Mercer University described the book as "the culmination of her career-long research into African-American foodways".[1]

Contents

There are recipes in the book; they total 15 pages.[2]

Adaptation

A Netflix television series, High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, released in 2021 was based on the book.[3] Osayi Endolyn, in The New York Times, stated the television series was "sorely overdue".[4]

Reception

Dwight Garner of The New York Times praised the book, stating that it had "an eye for detail and an inquisitive manner" and "plain, gently simmering prose".[5] Garner stated that in regards to the portions from the mid-20th century to the present, the portions were those he "especially enjoyed".[5] William Grimes, of the same newspaper, stated that the author "handles the cultural politics of black cuisine skillfully".[6]

Davis called the book "engaging, accessible, and valuable", and argued it is a "valuable contribution".[7]

Jennifer Jensen Wallach of the University of North Texas stated that the work is "engaging, readable, and impressive in its chronological scope".[8]

Vanessa Bush of Booklist described the work as a "passionate perspective" that the photographs had "enhance[d]".[9]

Kirkus Reviews criticized the book, and summarized its review by stating that the author "folds into her batter so many weighty ingredients that it fails to rise".[2]

References

  • Davis, David A. (2012). "High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America". The Georgia Historical Quarterly. 96 (1): 185–187. JSTOR 23621708.
  • Wallach, Jennifer Jensen (2011). "High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America". The North Carolina Historical Review. 88 (4): 455–456. JSTOR 23523621.

Notes

  1. ^ Davis, p. 185-186.
  2. ^ a b "HIGH ON THE HOG A CULINARY JOURNEY FROM AFRICA TO AMERICA". Kirkus Reviews. 2010-11-01. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  3. ^ Severson, Kim (2021-05-17). "The Making of 'High on the Hog,' Bringing Black Food History to TV". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  4. ^ Endolyn, Osayi (2021-05-17). "The Profound Significance of 'High on the Hog'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  5. ^ a b Garner, Dwight (2011-01-24). "What Africa Brought to the Table". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  6. ^ Grimes, William (2011-01-07). "Soul Cuisine". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  7. ^ Davis, p. 187.
  8. ^ Wallach, p. 455.
  9. ^ Bush, Vanessa (2010). "High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America.(Brief article)". Booklist. 107 (7): 10. - See article at Gale Academic Onefile

Further reading