To say that food is important to my extended family would be an incredible understatement. Food is the undercurrent of all of our activities and a topic of conversation before, during, and after every major gathering. We have things we cook when babies are born, when milestones are reached, and when people end their days on this side of heaven. 

And for a long time, I thought that’s how it was in every family. That is, until I got married. My in-laws were my first intimate sneak-peek into a completely different family atmosphere and rhythm, and one of my biggest discoveries was that, for them, food is just food. It’s something to consume so you don’t die, and that’s pretty much it. 

Now don’t get me wrong here. My husband’s indifference to food has benefited me immensely in the midst of “crash and burn” weeks when all I can manage to push in front of him is rice from a pouch and a can of beans that he has to heat himself. But it has also brought great angst when I’ve poured myself into a fabulous meal because the response from him is the same either way: He simply smiles and says thank you.

We live 12 hours away from both my extended family and my in-laws, so we’ve had the opportunity to create our own family food philosophy, and it falls somewhere between “food is everything” and “cereal is fine for all the days of my life.” But because food really is a major part of my heritage and family identity, I’ve tried to pass along a love for favorite family recipes, cooking, and lingering over big meals. I’ve also intentionally shared something that my grandmothers made crystal clear to me from a young age – food is love.

I hope you enjoy these “soul food” books as much as my family has. And maybe when you’re in the mood for something more than rice and beans, you’ll be up for trying a few of the recipes tucked into the pages of some of these beauties.

Bon appetit!

Peany Butter Fudge by Toni Morrison – Nana makes everything awesome when she’s babysitting for the day, and the best part of all is getting to make the same yummy fudge that Mommy made when she was a girl. Includes fudge recipe.

Auntee Edna by Ethel Footman Smothers – Tokee is not happy about having the spend the day with her boring aunt until she realizes that Auntee Edna is everything but boring – especially when they get to make delicious teacakes. Includes teacakes recipe.

Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie by Robbin Gourley – This is an engaging story about Edna Lewis, a woman who became a chef when female chefs—let alone African American female chefs—were few and far between. I love how it focuses on fresh food from the land! Includes recipes for strawberry shortcake, corn pudding, apple crisp, pecan drops, adn nut-butter squares.

George Crum and the Saratoga Chip by Gaylia Taylor – This account of the life and career of George Crum, a biracial chef who is credited with the invention of the potato chip, features super fun illustrations and a great author’s note that fills in the story with the most interesting details. There is no recipe included, but we made our own homemade potato chips the first time we read it. 

Pies From Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained by Dee Romito – This book shines a light on the Civil Rights Movement through the story of  how Georgia Gilmore used her passion for baking to help the Montgomery Bus Boycott achieve its goal. Includes pound cake recipe. It’s easy to miss on the inside back cover, so be on the lookout.

Lucky Beans by Becky Birtha – Beans, beans, and more beans! This is a great historical story based on Birtha’s grandmother’s memories of life during the Depression. Young Marshall works out a system to estimate the number of beans that fill a quart jar so he can win a contest that will help his entire family. The author’s note at the end provides great additional insight into the time period.

Did you enjoy this list? You may also enjoy my Family Bonds: Multicultural Expressions of Familial Love.

And you can find me on Instagram @heritagemomblog