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Delilah's Everyday Soul is a poignant, timely, and unique book that speaks to the way in which food and life merge everyday. In the spirit of renowned works by Edna Lewis, Nathalie Dupree, Damon Lee Fowler, and others, it colorfully combines recipes and the essential components of cooking with the stories and events that have inspired Chef Delilah Winder and her passion for food.
Although this book is largely seasoned with Southern flair, the themes Chef Winder explores reach beyond the South and are accessible to readers from a variety of cultural, socio-economic, and culinary traditions. Many of these themes, of course, pertain particularly to food, including the importance of using fresh, seasonal ingredients; healthy fats; fresh herbs; fresh (not frozen) meat, poultry, and seafood; and just the right amount of salt. Rich celebratory dishes do, of course, play significant roles in Chef Winder's repertoire, but they are highlighted in moderation and are meant to remain special occasion dishes. Unfortunately, too many Americans maintain poor health and nutrition due to diets based on high-fat, high-sodium, high-sugar, and over-processed foods. Chef Winder's cooking techniques and flavorful dishes, however, remind us that preparing comforting, delicious food need not be complicated or time consuming. By combining the inherent simplicity, freshness, and elegance that define Southern cooking with her own sense of style and taste, Chef Winder encourages us to get in the kitchen and have some fun.
Because this book is as much a memoir as it is a cookbook, other themes, too, emanate from the pages of recipes and cooking methods. Repeatedly, Delilah's Everyday Soul emphasizes how food brings people together, shapes and forms us; and elicits memories of our individual pasts, as well as those of our shared histories. The title says it all. Although it gives a nod to "soul food," it hardly remains fixed to this term in a clichéd manner. Rather, the title more broadly and profoundly refers to Chef Winder's spirit, and the soulfulness she imparts to the dishes she prepares each and every day. Chef Winder expects to share her stories and memories with a wide variety of readers—food enthusiasts and busy families alike. She hopes her book will inspire them to cook with enthusiasm, and will fuel them with a desire to return to the table with a renewed sense of excitement and thoughtful responsibility. |
