What I’m Reading - 12.22.24
*Note: Some books have been linked to Amazon to provide additional information about book titles, but I hope you’ll source them from your local independent seller if you can.
My America: Recipes From A Young Black Chef - Kwame Onwuachi
As a white woman, I cannot truthfully say I know how it feels to know you’re not wanted and to be aware there are things put in place to keep you from succeeding, which is something Kwame Onwuachi has battled most of his life.
Kwame’s restaurants are so much more than just a restaurants to him—they’re expressions of his overcoming the obstacles that tried to keep him down.
And "My America" is more than just a cookbook—it's Kwame’s culinary journey through the diverse flavors that have shaped his identity as a person and as a chef. Drawing inspiration from his own heritage and experiences, Kwame shares recipes that reflect the rich tapestry of African, Asian, Caribbean, and Southern American cuisine, inviting us to explore the power of food to connect us to our roots and to each other. His flavors are deep and explosive which is what I’m always searching for.
Kalaya’s Southern Thai Kitchen - Nok Suntaranon
“You only live once,” says Nok Suntaranon, “why be mediocre?” My thoughts exactly, but I can only dream of ever having even half of Nok’s confidence (which some say borders on egotistical). She took all the painful, non-beautiful pieces of her childhood and left them in her past, choosing instead to let them influence how she would take control of her future. Her cookbook and her cooking in general, along with Kwame’s above, is an expression of self through food.
Everything Nok cooks and shares in her book comes from a reservoir of memories and relationships. My own happiest memories growing up revolve around food—dishes we had for special occasions, “steak night” at my uncle’s house, even though it meant we wouldn’t eat until around 10 p.m. Cooking and feeding people now allows me to feel those feelings all over again.
What I like most about Nok’s book as well as her feature on Season 7 of Chef’s Table, is how she is changing the American perception that Thai food should be cheap takeout. She makes tom yum soup look glamorous with wild mushrooms and giant river prawns hanging out of the sides of the bowl, “Like they’re in a hot tub on a billionaire’s yacht, and I want to go to that party!” says food writer Francis Lam.
And this, I believe, is what draws me so to ethnic-specific cuisines both in the kitchen and when dining out. I want to experience culture and art through food, and that includes paying for it appropriately.
