Book Recommendation: Lerato Umah-Shaylor's 'Africana'

Today I’m very excited to share a couple of recipes Lerato Umah-Shaylor's new book, Africana: Treasured recipes and stories from across the continent. I first met Lerato at a Zoom talk I gave to last year’s group of Substack fellows on food writing on Substack (where I also met a pile of other foody Substack friends). Lerato helms the newsletter Cook with Lerato, where she shares recipes and writing inspired by her West African heritage, her life in the United Kingdom, and beyond.

Africana was released in the UK in 2022, and in the US earlier this year. It contains more than 100 recipes from all parts of Africa, both traditional ones and others inspired by African dishes and flavors, both savory and sweet.

Africana is a gorgeous book (in part thanks to Tara Fisher’s vibrant photography), filled with recipes I want to make.

Lerato has shared two recipes from the book: Medfouna, or Berber Buns, which are lamb (or mushroom) stuffed breads inspired by Berber “pizza,” a Moroccan stuffed flatbread often baked in a sand fire pit or mud oven, along with a Smoky Tomato & Date Jam meant to be served alongside the buns.

I have one copy of Africana to give away to one Wordloaf paid subscriber, chosen at random a week from today. If you’d like to be in on the drawing, just leave a comment below describing your favorite African dish or cuisine, and why.

You can find Lerato and her work in the following places:

Website: www.leratofoods.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leratofoods/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leratofoods/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leratofoods

Cook with Lerato Newsletter:

COOK WITH LERATOSunshine on your plate with a good dose of African Magic. Travel with me for treasured recipes & stories from Africa and beyond.By Lerato Umah-Shaylor

—Andrew