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A review by beisbol_eric
Commissary Kitchen: My Infamous Prison Cookbook by Albert Prodigy Johnson, Kathy Iandoli
3.0
I'm intrigued by issues of criminal justice and incarceration, so I read this book as part of Book Riot's 2020 Read Harder Challenge. Albert "Prodigy" Johnson was a rapper who was one half of the hip hop duo Mobb Deep. After a couple of arrests, he was sent to prison from 2007 to 2011. The book is based on the idea that Prodigy, a sickle cell patient, was trying his best to maintain his health with limited food options in prison.
Early on, Prodigy cautions readers that the book "won’t make you a better cook, but it might make you a better person." I think that's where this quick read might find its place. People in the free world are unlikely to make a Prison Surprise concoction out of ramen, flavored tortilla chips, canned mackerel, and hot sauce. However, I think we're more likely to stop and question the adequacy of a system where healthy food seems to be in short supply.
Early on, Prodigy cautions readers that the book "won’t make you a better cook, but it might make you a better person." I think that's where this quick read might find its place. People in the free world are unlikely to make a Prison Surprise concoction out of ramen, flavored tortilla chips, canned mackerel, and hot sauce. However, I think we're more likely to stop and question the adequacy of a system where healthy food seems to be in short supply.