This is one of those cookbooks you can read from cover to cover. It's like Carla Hall is talking you right through it.

The recipes look outstanding. There are beautiful photos with each of them. Also, Carla tells stories about why they are included and gives tips about the preparation. I love that there are a number of meat free options in here.

This book does something that often bothers me in cookbooks. It will have part of a recipe in one place and then tell you to go to another page to find the other part of the recipe. For instance, find the barbecue sauce at the back of the book. But I have to admit it doesn't bother me in this book because the sauces and pickles in the back of the book have so many other possible uses!

In addition to the amazing recipes she talks about the history and culture of soul food. There was so much that I didn't know!

I’ve tried several recipes since my review.

The banana pudding was exceptional. Steeping the milk with the bananas gave it such a deep, rich banana flavor.

I could eat the mustard seed marinated white and pinto beans every day! They are so fast and easy to make and so very flavorful.

The flaky buttermilk biscuits took a bit more time, but my family loved them.

I’ve not tried anything from this cookbook that hasn’t been delicious!