Between Harlem and Heaven

"The Asian diaspora has crisscrossed the African diaspora, throughout history and, most powerfully, on the plate. I've traveled the world eating and studying, cooking and exploring. The cookbook you are holding in your hands is about digging deep into our American heritage and setting the table with simple ingredients and bold flavours, presented in an entirely new way. Whether you're serving something as simple as our mac and cheese with rosemary and a side of our okra fries for a Meatless Monday supper or if you're feeding a crowd with our Afro-Asian- American gumbo, we know that these are meals that are steeped with the flavors of Harlem, that one-of-a-kind uptown hospitality and grace." - ALEXANDER SMALLS "Don't feel like you have to read this book cover to cover. Feel free to sample and scat through these recipes. We encourage you to improvise, like Charlie Parker once did. Everything in this book tastes good with everything. Every sauce in this book will be equally delicious whether you throw it on chicken or beef, a bowl of rice or a platter of grilled vegetables. We like leftovers in Harlem, so even if there's just a little bit of, say, pork suya in the pot after dinner, don't be afraid to serve it up the next morning along-sidea batch of freshly scrambled eggs. However you choose to use this book, we hope you'll dive in with an open heart and a hungry belly." - J.J. JOHNSON

WINNER OF THE JAMES BEARD AWARD: 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 "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. Alexander Smalls and JJ Johnson have elevated the cuisines of West Africa and its diaspora without losing any of its essence. Afro-Asian cuisine is a new concept and it works beautifully!"-- Chef Pierre Thiam Between Harlem and Heaven is a celebration of food, culture, and the historic legacy of proud people unsung. This is the story of resilience and reverence, of people farming and cooking from one continent to the other, making delicious flavors in every pot. Alexander's culinary vision captures the essence, contribution, and influence of the African Diaspora, and is the result of his passionate, life-long adventure. There's no better place than the cradle of African American culture itself, between heaven and Harlem. This book is one good time of great dishes and interesting stories. -- Cicely Tyson

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.