The Jemima Code: Two Centuries Of African American Cookbooks

"For some, just thinking about Aunt Jemima evokes uncomfortable feelings — anger, maybe even guilt or shame, over a racial stereotype of a black woman who’s happiest in the kitchen getting ready to serve her white folks. But just who were the real Aunt Jemimas — the real cooks and chefs whose skill did so much to define American cuisine? To find out, food writer Toni Tipton-Martin (no relation) dived into her collection of 300 or so African-American cookbooks, some of which date back almost 200 years. Martin shares what she learned in the lavishly-illustrated Jemima Code. It’s that rare coffee table book that serves up important history and compelling imagery in digestible, bite-size chunks that still stick to your ribs."