Smithsonian Books Releases Sweet Home Café Cookbook  

Smithsonian Books is releasing Sweet Home Café Cookbook: A Celebration of African American Cooking, by Jessica B. Harris, Albert Lukas and Jerome Grant Oct. 23. Since the 2016 opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, its Sweet Home Café has become a destination in its own right. Showcasing African American contributions to American cuisine, the café offers favorite dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, adding modern flavors and serving up contemporary twists on classics.

Now both readers and home cooks can partake of the café’s bounty: drawing upon traditions of family and fellowship strengthened by shared meals, Sweet Home Café Cookbook celebrates African American cooking through recipes served by the café itself and dishes inspired by foods from African American culture.

Sweet Home Café Cookbook takes readers on a journey through more than 100 recipes. Presented here are the salads, sides, soups, snacks, sauces, main dishes, breads and sweets that emerged in America as African, Caribbean and European influences blended together. Featured recipes include Pea Tendril Salad, Fried Green Tomatoes, Hoppin’ John, Sénégalaise Peanut Soup, Maryland Crab Cakes, Jamaican Grilled Jerk Chicken, Shrimp and Grits, Fried Chicken and Waffles, Pan-Roasted Rainbow Trout, Hickory-Smoked Pork Shoulder, Chow Chow, Banana Pudding, Chocolate Chess Pie and many others.

More than a collection of inviting recipes, this book illustrates the pivotal—and often overlooked—role that African Americans have played in creating and re-creating American foodways. Sweet Home Café Cookbook offers a delectable new perspective on African American food and culinary culture.

About the Museum and Café

Among the many treasures at the National Museum of African American History and Culture is its Sweet Home Café. Developed in thoughtful collaboration with Restaurant Associates, which focuses on creating extraordinary dining experiences in cultural institutions, the café showcases the rich culture and history of the African American people with traditional, authentic offerings and up-to-date dishes.

About the Authors

Harris, an award-winning culinary historian, author and journalist, served as advisor to the museum as it developed the café. She is the author of 12 cookbooks, including High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America.

Lukas, the café’s supervising chef, crafted the innovative and highly acclaimed café menu, which ties together food history, heritage ingredient sourcing and modern tastes.

As executive chef, Grant oversees the café and develops inventive special meals for holiday and seasonal celebrations.

About the Book

Title: Sweet Home Café Cookbook: A Celebration of African American Cooking
Author: NMAAHC, with contributions by Jessica B. Harris, Albert Lukas and Jerome Grant
On-Sale Date: 10/23/18
Price: $29.95 / Pages: 224
ISBN: 978-1-58834-640-7
Smithsonian Books

# # #

SI-576-2018