# Soulfood Cookbook



## marcellos (Jan 23, 2013)

Can someone recomend me a really good soulfood cookbook?


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

The Nealeys wrote a good back a while back.


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## raibeaux (Dec 21, 2012)

Take a look at books by Earnest Matthew Mickler..."White Trash Cookbooks" I and II, and "Hot Flashes, Sinkin Spells, Fits and Cravings". 

Another good one, if you can find it is big mama's "Old Black Pot" cookbook by Ethyl Dixon.  It was published in 1987 by Stoke Gabriel Enterprises, Alexandria, Louisiana.  ISBN 0-929288-00-9

I've probably got thirty of these type books, and most are pretty good.

Anything you can find along the lines of Southern Living cookbooks, and that sort of thing, but the older the better.  The newer ones don't seem to have as much "soul".  1950's or earlier gets you the best stuff.  Try to find some old Southern Junior Auxilliary or Church cookbooks from that time.

Here, I'll give you a taste of hot water cornbread:  (you other people can have it, too) 

2C Plain White Cornmeal

1 tsp. Salt

4C Boiling Water

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 egg

Some people don't add egg, because it takes too long.  They'd rather be eating than whisking that egg.  With or without, both good, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

There are more recipes for it, but they're all pretty much the same. Don't get fancy, just make the patties, fry them up 'til they're crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Mix dry ingredients in SS bowl.  Bring water to a boil.  Add water to bowl until mixed well.  Start with about half the water and add until it's a really thick mixture.  Make patties out of it about 1/2" thick.  Fry it in a skillet over med/high heat 'til browned.

Git some butter and eat.  Or some grape jelly.  Ketchup's good on it, too.  Using it to sop up turnip green likker might make you faint, but the greens have to be good.  None of the fancy stuff will work.  A tad of salt, a little sugar and a few dashes of clear pepper sauce is all you need (some like TG's pretty sweet, I want to taste some sweetness, but I can buy candy at WalMart. 

You can finely dice a little bit of salt pork and add it to the greens while they cook, but don't need to add but a smidgun--you just want to put a little shine on the leaves.   Been cooking it since Mammaw taught me how when I was eight.  If you eat a lot of it, it will keep you feeling full for most of the next day and night.  Even helps you git "regulated" if you're having trouble in that area.  At any rate, eat it AFTER you go dancing, not before.

P.S.

If there's an easier recipe for anything, I don't know what it would be.  If you get in a real hurry it will even work with just the meal and water.  If yellow cornmeal melts your butter, go ahead and use it, nobody will jump on you.

P.P.S.

If Washington had given this to his troops, he could have waterskiied across that river.


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