From Publishers Weekly
In this follow-up to Soul Food, White turns her attention from main courses to dessert. The recipes, gathered from all over the country, conjure up the homespun style of African-American cuisine sprinkled with a healthy dose of brown sugar. The titular ingredient is a common thread throughout- in the effortless Banana Cake and in the simple, successful Rum Raisin Oatmeal Cookies, one of several easy drop cookies. Both are examples of White's unassuming style, which features step-by-step instructions for everything from a simple cookie to a showy layer cake topped with frosting. In sidebars and notes, White provides information on techniques like canning and ingredients. Also included are piecrust, puddings and custards, along with the traditional Buttermilk Biscuits, homemade candies, ice cream and some refreshing fruit desserts. The book successfully combines reminiscences and stories with tradition and culture reflected in heritage recipes. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Journalist and food writer White is the author of Soul Food, a collection of recipes contributed by members of African American churches across the country. The dessert recipes here are more personal, having been collected from her extended family and wide circle of friends, and although many of them are down-home favorites, they are generally somewhat more sophisticated than the "community cookbook" selections in her first book. Among the delectable offerings are Caramel Cake, Brown Sugar Cookies, Cocoa Cream Pie, Burnt Sugar Ice Cream, and Fresh Fig and Plum Compote. Every recipe has a story, and White also includes several brief essays on essential techniques, culinary traditions, and other topics. Highly recommended for its lively, engaging style and mouthwatering recipes. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description

Spiced with stories of family and friends, sweetened by memories of holidays and celebratory meals, Brown Sugar is a slice of life from African American communities across the country. In this collection of recipes and tales, Joyce White passes along generations of kitchen wisdom and dessert favorites, as well as fresh and creative variations on classic sweets.

From the wedding reception-ready Coconut Peach lake to the simple joy of Gingered Tropical Fruits, these are desserts for any occasion. The flavors are comforting and festive, as are the many poignant stories that White shares. A sublime Sweet Potato Cheesecake is passed along from a hardworking mother in California, while Three Sisters Coconut Pie is White's composite of three good friends' favorite pie recipes, each reflecting their unique backgrounds. The results are at once innovative and familiar.

Whether you are looking to make the perfect Lemon Meringue Pie or to preserve summer fruit, these recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth and add heirloom-quality recipes to your collection. The complex flavors of Star Anise Peach Ice Cream and West Indian Christmas Cake are within reach of any home cook, thanks to White's masterful guidance and the tips and cook's secrets that she provides. White's recipes encourage creativity, offering suggestions for variations as well as a solid foundation for your own soul-inspired sweets.

Brown Sugar is warm, memorable, and universal, and you will be eager to share its recipes and stories, to create your own sweet memories.

About the Author
Joyce White, a contributing food editor for Heart & Soul magazine, also writes regularly about food, health, lifestyles, and travel for a number of publications. Her work has appeared in the Boston Globe, the New York Times, Newsday, the Chicago Tribune, the Montreal Gazette, and Essence magazine. She has also worked as an associate food editor at Ladies' Home Journal and as a reporter and editor at the New York Daily News. In 1980 she was awarded a Knight-Ridder journalism fellowship at Stanford University. White is a founding member of the New York Wine Writers Circle and has studied at the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Spiced with stories of family and friends, sweetened by memories of holidays and celebratory meals, Brown Sugar is a slice of life from African American communities across the country. In this collection of recipes and tales, Joyce White passes along generations of kitchen wisdom and dessert favorites, as well as fresh and creative variations on classic sweets. From the wedding reception-ready Coconut Peach Cake to the simple joy of Gingered Tropical Fruits, these are desserts for any occasion. The flavors are comforting and festive, as are the many poignant stories that White shares. A sublime Sweet Potato Cheesecake is passed along from a hardworking mother in California, while Three Sisters Coconut Pie is White's composite of three good friends' favorite pie recipes, each reflecting their unique backgrounds. The results are at once innovative and familiar. Whether you are looking to make the perfect Lemon Meringue Pie or to preserve summer fruit, these recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth and add heirloom-quality recipes to your collection. The complex flavors of Star Anise Peach Ice Cream and West Indian Christmas Cake are within reach of any home cook, thanks to White's masterful guidance and the tips and cook's secrets that she provides. White's recipes encourage creativity, offering suggestions for variations as well as a solid foundation for your own soul-inspired sweets. Brown Sugar is warm, memorable, and universal, and you will be eager to share its recipes and stories, to create your own sweet memories.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In this follow-up to Soul Food, White turns her attention from main courses to dessert. The recipes, gathered from all over the country, conjure up the homespun style of African-American cuisine sprinkled with a healthy dose of brown sugar. The titular ingredient is a common thread throughout- in the effortless Banana Cake and in the simple, successful Rum Raisin Oatmeal Cookies, one of several easy drop cookies. Both are examples of White's unassuming style, which features step-by-step instructions for everything from a simple cookie to a showy layer cake topped with frosting. In sidebars and notes, White provides information on techniques like canning and ingredients. Also included are piecrust, puddings and custards, along with the traditional Buttermilk Biscuits, homemade candies, ice cream and some refreshing fruit desserts. The book successfully combines reminiscences and stories with tradition and culture reflected in heritage recipes. (Feb.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal