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In imaginative, lively prose, Mayukh Sen—a queer, brown child of immigrants—reconstructs the lives of these women in vivid and empathetic detail, daring to ask why some were famous in their own time, but not in ours, and why others shine brightly even today. Weaving together histories of food, immigration, and gender, Taste Makers will challenge the way readers look at what’s on their plate—and the women whose labor, overlooked for so long, makes those meals possible.

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Yasmin Khan unlocks the flavors and fragrances of modern Palestine, from the olive groves of Nazareth, the spice markets of Jerusalem, and the fishing ports of Gaza.

Her journey takes her from the pomegranate juice stalls of Akka, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, to the home kitchens of refugees, surrounded by the Wall in Bethlehem, via the knafeh sweet shops of bustling downtown Nablus. On her travels, she learns how to hand-roll maftool, the plump Palestinian giant couscous, harvests black olives from the groves of Burquin in the West Bank, and even finds time to down a pint with workers at the Taybeh brewery who are producing the first Palestinian craft beer. As she feasts and cooks with Palestinians of all ages and backgrounds, she learns about the realities of their everyday lives, witnessed through the act of breaking bread.

One of the Best Cookbooks of the Year as chosen by The Guardian, BookRiot, The Kitchn, KCRW, and Literary Hub

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In his debut cookbook, Laz offers up more than 100 recipe hits with new takes on classic dishes like Brown Butter Candy Yam Mash with Goat Cheese Brülée, Shrimp and Crazy Creamy Cheddar Grits, and Dulce de Leche Banana Pudding. Packed with splashy color photography that pops off the page, this cookbook blends fashion, food, and storytelling to get readers into the kitchen. It’s a Southern cookbook like you’ve never seen before.

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The leaves are changing, we’re swapping out summer clothes for layers upon layers, and you can get pumpkin-spiced everything (from dog food to lattes, capitalism’s got you covered, whether you want it or not). Thanksgiving, or Thankstaking, is a painful reminder to many of what was stolen from them. It is also an opportunity for non-Natives to decolonize holiday traditions and stand in solidarity.

“No matter where you are in North America, you are on indigenous land. And so on this holiday, and any day really, I urge people to explore a deeper connection to what are called “American” foods by understanding true Native-American histories, and begin using what grows naturally around us, and to support Native-American growers. There is no need to make Thanksgiving about a false past. It is so much better when it celebrates the beauty of the present.” – Sean Sherman, founder of The Sioux Chef 

Here are some resources to get you started, from the stories we tell to the foods we eat:

• The Real Thanksgiving Story by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and our November Real Food Reads author Dina Gilio-Whitaker (Bill Moyers)
• The Thanksgiving Tale We Tell Is a Harmful Lie. As a Native American, I’ve Found a Better Way to Celebrate the Holiday by Sean Sherman, author of The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen (Time)
• Decolonizing Thanksgiving: A Toolkit for Combatting Racism in Schools (Medium)
• Don’t Trash Thanksgiving. Decolonize It (Yes! Magazine)
• Eight Ways to Decolonize and Honor Native Peoples on Thanksgiving (Cultural Survival)
• Sean Sherman’s 10 Essential Native American Recipes (New York Times)

Psst…Want more on Indigenous foodways, knowledge, and movements? Make sure to check out these Real Food Reads books!

Header image by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

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Last week, I attended Chuseok, a Korean Harvest celebration. The event was hosted by former Real Food Reads guest Korean-American farmer and seed saver Kristyn Leach at her farm. Chuseok is a big deal in Korea. Often likened to US Thanksgiving (without the history of genocide and colonization), it is a celebration rooted in agrarian tradition. Kristyn’s Chuseok celebration brought together allies and friends for an epic potluck and a chance to experience this important piece of Korean culture. As I felt the rhythms of pungmul—a Korean folk music tradition rooted in farm culture—and witnessed the offerings at the altar, I was beyond moved.

My identity as both Black and Korean comes with a unique set of complications, which have left me feeling estranged from Korean culture. However, the way Kristyn and the folks at Namu celebrated Chuseok felt different. It was centered on celebrating the land and community for their gifts—food, friendship, connection, and what it means to build and thrive in a mad world. All of that resonated so deeply with me. It struck me that this was the first time I’ve ever felt connected to my Korean roots through love and inclusion rather than rejection and pain. It was a reminder that through sharing food and stories, we can heal what needs healing. So much gratitude to Kristyn and everyone at Namu Farm.

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In Food Fight! author Paloma Martinez-Cruz takes us on a Chicanx gastronomic journey that is powerful and humorous. Martinez-Cruz tackles head on the real-world politics of food production from the exploitation of farmworkers to the appropriation of Latinx bodies and culture, and takes us right into transformative eateries that offer a homegrown, mestiza consciousness.

The hard-hitting essays in Food Fight! bring a mestiza critique to today’s pressing discussions of labeling, identity, and imaging in marketing and dining. Not just about food, restaurants, and coffee, this volume employs a decolonial approach and engaging voice to interrogate ways that mestizo, Indigenous, and Latinx peoples are objectified in mainstream ideology and imaginary.

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