THE MODERN NAVAJO KITCHEN and Other BIPOC Cookbooks to Get Into

I don’t follow Food World goings-on much, but even I know of Sohla El-Waylly. And, this book was Roxane Gay’s first book club pick of the year, which I think is pretty dope. In it, chef Sohla El-Waylly invites cooks of all skill levels to become better with practical and science-backed advice. No matter what you want to cook — be it dishes savory or sweet — El-Waylly helps establish a foundational knowledge of cooking that you can always go back to.

Apparently, Maangchi is known as “YouTube’s Korean Julia Child,” which I didn’t know. What I do know is that following her recipe for kimchi has awarded me the best tasting kimchi of my life, and that I would follow her and her cute personality to the ends of the earth. Here, her bubbly charm shines through as she shares recipes and techniques for beginner Korean recipes, like seafood scallion pancake and various banchan (or side dishes).

The Gullah people are the descendants of enslaved Africans brought to America, and hail from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Their language is a West African-based creole called “Geechee,” and here, Raiford tells the tale of his family, and the Gullah people, connecting them all to the more than 100 recipes within. There are 100 photos of recipes as well as important Raiford family pictures that really serve to anchor the food to history and the Black American experience.

It’s wild to think of how little we’re taught about groups of people who were on this land way before this country ever existed, but at least with Yazzie’s new cookbook, we get to learn about Navajo culture in a really intimate and hands-on way. With beautiful pictures, we see how to make traditional Navajo dishes, as well as other recipes with a Navajo spin. Get ready for Navajo boba milk tea (!), fry bread, Navajo burgers, and more.

Food is so heavily tied to language and culture, and I always love reading about how the three are intertwined in Black American history. I think any other lover of history and food will appreciate how Wilkinson does that in this part memoir, part cookbook, as she writes out the history and fortitude of Black Appalachians through recipes passed down from the women in her family.

Actor Danny Trejo shares the recipes for his favorite soul-affirming snacks, like vegan tamales, vegetarian “fight night ” nachos, and Tijuana-style birria. There are also many unique renditions of classic cocktails and some great non-alcoholic drink recipes as well. Between sharing recipes designed to bring people together, Trejo speaks about his childhood in Los Angeles, and what eating out with his uncles all over the city meant to him.

Here, James Beard award-winning author Twitty includes around 50 recipes that reflect his Black American and Jewish identities. He explores not only how to make the food from each culture, but also how the food influences the eater, and how the migratory experiences of both Jewish people and Black Americans is reflected in their cuisine.