tmalini's review

Go to review page

5.0

A great read- each recipe has a compelling mini-history attached! I’ve tried about 10 of the recipes, and the flavors are AMAZING! A must-have for anyone who loves cooking, eating, and learning about African American history.

linneakarchibald's review

Go to review page

5.0

Not only is Jubilee filled with wonderful comfort food, but Toni Tipton-Martin also weaves in beautifully written historical notes about the evolution of African American cooking. You could sit down and read the narrative sections like a novel (or at least I could). While the recipes don’t take their inspiration from New England cuisine, they often feature fresh seafood, which is wonderful for us New Englanders in the summer. As the temperatures drop, however, I turn to the heavier, more homey recipes included in this cookbook’s pages.

jreid00's review

Go to review page

5.0

Perfect blend of history and culinary (and culinary history). I’m excited to start whipping up some of these beautiful recipes.

horrendousreads's review

Go to review page

5.0

Jubilee is my all-time favorite cookbook. I learned a lot from the narratives and the recipes themselves expanded my palette. The recipes have lots of layers of flavor so when I inevitably forget some ingredient, the food is still excellent and completely consumed by my husband and I. The meat recipes tend to be a little more complex so not a great fit for a weeknight meal but an awesome choice for weekend or special occasion treats. Everyone who has had the chocolate cake requests it for their next birthday so beware of making this food for friends -- you won't be able to make anything else!

I haven't made a lot because I've made some of these recipes 5+ times:
Honey-Soy Glazed Chicken Wings (Love)
Jambalaya (Miss)
Mashed Turnips and Carrots with Rum (Like)
Beef with Onions and Wine Stew (Like-- see below note. Will be adjusting and making again because I think I would love)
Caribbean Roast Pork (Love)
Barbecued Pork Shoulder (Love)
Jamaican Jerk Ribs (Love!!!)
Oven-Baked Ribs (Love)
Devil's Food Cake (Love)

Edit: The Dutch oven recipes that have you start stove top and then put the dish into the oven have been running out of liquid well before the end of the recommended time in the book. This may be because I'm using Le Cruset/cast iron but I'm not sure.

Also agree that the publisher should change the font. The 3/5s are killingggg me.

lyssrose's review

Go to review page

informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

So many good recipes, and the historical notes and written explanations provide a wealth of information. 

corinniebee's review

Go to review page

informative slow-paced

4.0

nxg3ofb654jrfz0h7rpsmmws's review

Go to review page

4.0

This tries to hit the sweet spot between being a cookbook and a cultural thinkpiece, and I don't think it hits that spot perfectly.

I came looking for an in-depth cookbook about the changes and adaptations made to African American recipes throughout the years, and I didn't find that reflected through the recipes in this book - the author generally sets out to explain the history of a dish and then ends with one recipe.

To compare and contrast the different traditional vs. modern versions, it seems to me that the reader would have to put in the exact same effort as the author again, which is very disappointing to me.

constancemn's review

Go to review page

5.0

Fantastic history and commentary... and amazing photography and recipes. Love the historical recipes inset beside the modern versions. This and Tipton-Martin's previous volume on black culinary history are now on my must-buy list.

cdhotwing's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative medium-paced

5.0

lizziematata's review

Go to review page

5.0

Best photos in a cookbook by far! I was craving more pictures just as I was craving literally every single recipe! I haven't tried any of these recipes yet, but I had to give it 5 stars already because it's so clear that a lot of love and research went into this cookbook.