Book Review of In Bibi’s Kitchen

in bibi’s kitchen:

The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers From the Eight African Countries That Touch the Indian Ocean

REVIEWED BY NAIMA KARP

Who are the queens of every food culture in the world? Grandmothers. With each new culinary innovation we experience, the origins remain unchanged. Nourishment and enjoyment of food are available to us thanks to our ancestors, the original food explorers and pioneers.

In this iconic food book, Somali chef Hawa Hassan joins forces with food writer Julia Turshen to showcase 75 recipes from Black grandmothers all around the world. The word “Bibi” isn’t actually a name—it’s a term for “grandmother.” This recipe book takes us around Kenya, Somalia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania, South Africa, Eritrea, and Comoros.

This tapestry of collective experiences over eight lands shares not only mouthwatering meals, but also a history of the spice trade in these nations, including exports such as vanilla and pepper. The women featured in the book are overflowing with wise and loving energy that’ll make you wish you had grown up around them as well.

The reader gains insight on Ma Shara’s perception of the real Zanzibar, while Ma Vicky provides a delicious tutorial on how to make delicacies like stewed plantains with Tanzanian beans and beef, otherwise known as matoke. Today, Ma Vicky lives in New York’s suburbs. It’s safe to say that her plantains have traversed many lands, and their legacy will continue through her family in New York.

This book guides us through the personal stories of Hassan and each of the women interviewed. Although food is a leading theme in In Bibi’s Kitchen, it’s equally a travelogue shedding light on horrific wars, losses, and migration, along with valuable moments of refuge and family bonds.

Purchasing In Bibi’s Kitchen is an excellent way to support Black authors while filling your kitchen with sumptuous smells and food. I recommend this book to self-educate on an unspoken history that shaped the lives of many. Although we experience moments of relating to the interviewees, their stories also show readers our own privilege and acknowledge the struggles of those who fought for freedom and justice (and are still fighting today).

In Canada and the United States, Africa is often reduced to simplified stereotypes. This book challenges every one of those assumptions with its richly diverse background and courageous, admirable tales. Through the years, the kitchen is where these women have found empowerment and avoided being stifled by uneducated white biases.

Cooking is as much about tradition as it is about ingredients. That tradition has always started with women in the kitchen, cooking and passing down stories through generations. Beyond this cookbook, Hawa Hassan is the CEO of Basbaas Sauce, a company that sells condiments inspired by her home country, Somalia. Hassan’s co-author Julia Turshen is a best-selling writer and the founder of Equity at the Table (EATT), an inclusive digital directory made up of non-binary people and women in the food industry. This book is an homage to inspiring women written by two ladies who have accomplished some memorable feats in their careers. Uplift them by cooking your way through this book, hopefully spurring some inspiration, at some point, from within your own soul.