Our Harlem

Our Harlem: Seven Days of Cooking, Music and Soul at the Red Rooster by Marcus Samuelsson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Several years ago, my daughter and I vacationed in New York City. On a Sunday, we visited Harlem. We ate at Amy Ruth’s, a delightful local diner that featured chicken and waffles. We realized we were the only white people in the restaurant. We were surrounded by women in their bright Sunday outfits with matching hats (yes, all of the women wore beautiful hats!) and men dressed to the nines, all there for a bite of lunch after church. It was a delicious and cultural experience. I felt I was transported to another time and place. Since then, I have been fascinated with Harlem.
I thoroughly enjoyed this audible immersion into Harlem’s culture, history, music and food. The writer/ guide is Marcus Samuelson, owner of the Red Rooster in Harlem. You may know him as a judge on “Chopped.” In this audible book, he visits with other Harlemites and interviews them about Harlem’s history, culture, music, food, etc. It is just delightful. He also cooks a dish with each one, and recipes are available on the audible website.



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