# Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day - Hardcover

by **Alexander Smalls** (Author), **Jj Johnson** (Author), **Veronica Chambers** (Author)

**Winner of the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook**

"_Between Harlem and Heaven_ presents a captivatingly original cuisine. Afro-Asian-American cooking is packed with unique and delicious layers of flavor. These stories and recipes lay praise to the immense influence the African Diaspora has had on global cuisine."-- Sean Brock

In two of the most renowned and historic venues in Harlem, Alexander Smalls and JJ Johnson created a unique take on the Afro-Asian-American flavor profile. Their foundation was a collective three decades of traveling the African diaspora, meeting and eating with chefs of color, and researching the wide reach of a truly global cuisine; their inspiration was how African, Asian, and African-American influences criss-crossed cuisines all around the world. They present here for the first time over 100 recipes that go beyond just one place, taking you, as noted by _The New Yorker_, "somewhere between Harlem and heaven."

This book branches far beyond soul food to explore the melding of Asian, African, and American flavors. The Afro Asian flavor profile is a window into the intersection of the Asian diaspora and the African diaspora. An homage to this cultural culinary path and the grievances and triumphs along the way, _Between Harlem and Heaven_ isn't fusion, but a glimpse into a cuisine that made its way into the thick of Harlem's cultural renaissance.

JJ Johnson and Alexander Smalls bring these flavors and rich cultural history into your home kitchen with recipes for...  
\- Grilled Watermelon Salad with Lime Mango Dressing and Cornbread Croutons,  
\- Feijoada with Black Beans and Spicy Lamb Sausage,  
\- Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Casserole with Rosemary and Caramelized Shallots,  
\- Festive punches and flavorful easy sides, sauces, and marinades to incorporate into your everyday cooking life.

Complete with essays on the history of Minton's Jazz Club, the melting pot that is Harlem, and the Afro-Asian flavor profile by bestselling coauthor Veronica Chambers, who just published the wildly successful _Yes, Chef_ by Marcus Samuelsson, this cookbook brings the rich history of the Harlem food scene back to the home cook.

**"This is more than just a cookbook. Alexander and JJ take us on a culinary journey through space and time that started more than 400 years ago, on the shores of West Africa. Through inspiring recipes that have survived the Middle Passage to seamlessly embrace Asian influences, this book is a testimony to the fact that food transcends borders. -- Chef Pierre Thiam**

### Author Biography

**Alexander Smalls** is a restaurateur and co-owner of the celebrated Harlem jazz club Minton's. As the former chef/owner of Café Beulah, Sweet Ophelia's, Shoebox Cafe, and The Cecil, Smalls has received great acclaim in the restaurant scene--including cooking at the James Beard House and being named one of Zagat's 19 NYC Restaurant Power Players. His memoir and cookbook, _Grace the Table,_ features recipes from his upbringing of Southern Revival cuisine. Smalls is also a world-renowned opera singer and the winner of both a Grammy and a Tony Award. He lives in Harlem, New York.

**Joseph "JJ" Johnson** is a James Beard-nominated chef. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson went on to hone his skills in some of New York's most esteemed kitchens, including Centro Vinoteca, Jane, Tribeca Grill, The Cecil, and Minton's--and to cook in Ghana at the country's leading boutique hotel, Villa Monticello. He was named one of _Rolling Stone_'s ten breakthrough rock star chefs in 2016, one of Zagat's and Forbes's 30 Under 30, as well as Chef of the Year by New York African Restaurant Week. He lives in Harlem, New York.

Together, co-owner Alexander Smalls and Executive Chef J.J. Johnson won _Esquire_'s Best New Restaurant in America for the acclaimed Harlem restaurant The Cecil, which is now part of Minton's.

**Veronica Chambers** is the bestselling coauthor of _32 Yolks_ with Eric Ripert and _Yes, Chef_ by Marcus Samuelsson and the critically acclaimed author of _Mama's Girl_ and _The Meaning of Michelle_.

**Number of Pages:** 272

**Dimensions:** 0.9 x 10.6 x 7.7 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** February 06, 2018

## Details

- **Price:** 39.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 39.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day - Hardcover
- Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day - Hardcover

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