From Publishers Weekly
The sisters of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority include some of America’s most accomplished African-American women, but their festive volume feels more like a compilation of family recipes than it does a professional cookbook. Unafraid of building a meal around canned soups or vegetables, the sisters offer dozens of down-home ideas, several of which can be accomplished in half an hour or less. The recipes range from the extremely appealing (such as the rich, salty Fried Collard Greens) to the stomach-turning (Chicken Dip, which incorporates canned chicken, cream cheese and mayonnaise and possesses a goopy consistency). Several of the dishes qualify as sinful pleasures, like the Fried Catfish with Homemade Tartar Sauce or the rich Sour Cream Hash Browns. There’s evident Southern flair—witness the three different varieties of corn pudding and myriad casseroles, gumbos and sugary sweet desserts. Unfortunately, few photographs highlight the recipes, and the undersized photos that are present don’t always show off the dishes to their full advantage. Still, charming personal narratives are threaded throughout, along with loving profiles of Delta Sigma Thetas who have made their mark on the world (such as actress Ruby Dee and educator Carolyn Wilder, who founded three private schools). The sense of accomplishment and fun that permeates this cookbook makes it as much a joy to read as it is to cook from.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
Recipes, menus, and entertaining tips from one of the largest, most respected African-American women's organizations in the world.

Renowned for their dedication to service, the women of Delta Sigma Theta are equally admired for their chic signature style. In Occasions to Savor, the sorority shares its entertaining savvy with everyone-Deltas and non-Deltas alike.

Lavishly illustrated, this book features more than 250 recipes compiled from members of the sorority, plus entertaining tips and suggested menus for specific occasions, including bridal and baby showers, book club meetings, an after-theater dinner, a backyard barbecue, and Christmas dinner. Featuring a full range of recipes from appetizers, beverages, salads, soups, and entrées to breads, breakfast foods, and desserts, Occasions to Savor is much more than an entertaining guide and cookbook; it's a celebration of African-American women who have made significant contributions to society.

Engaging profiles of such influential Deltas as former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan; Mary McCleod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman College and founder and first president of the National Council of Negro Women; renowned choreographer Judith Jamison; and Dorothy Height, civil rights activist and chair and president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women, reveal why the women of this esteemed organization are held up both as role models and mentors and as icons of style and substance.


About the Author
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is one of the largest African-American women's organizations in the world. The private, nonprofit organization's mission is to provide services and programs to promote human welfare.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The sophisticated women of Delta Sigma Theta sorority are renowned for their chic Crimson and Cream Balls and fabulous Founder's Day Luncheons, and even for beautiful bridal showers and delightful birthday parties executed with distinctive flair. Deltas embody class, grace, and elan, and these characteristics are all to evident in their entertaining style. In Occasions to Savor, the Deltas at last share their recipes and secrets to entertaining with panache. Deltas across the country offer more than 200 recipes and twenty special-occasion menus, with tips for planning, preparing, and putting your own signature style on an event. From a formal luncheon to an elegant dinner to a backyard barbecue, recipes like Sunday-Afternoon Roasted Chicken, Blackberry Dumplings, Mama Ruth's Crab Cakes, Wilma's Jambalaya, and Peach Cream Trifle will help you host an event with style and flair. Occasions to Savor isn't only a cookbook and entertaining guide. It's also a celebration of African-American sisterhood, and it features stories of influential African-American women from all walks of life, including such high-profile Deltas as Dr. Camille Cosby, Dr. Johnetta Cole, Dr. Dorothy Height, and Ruby Dee.

FROM THE CRITICS

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