Cookbook Review: Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook

   Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook From Hemingway, South Carolina, to Harlem  Sylvia Woods and Family  1999 Hard back ISBN: 0688165193       

 This book has a few color photos of food and many black and white family photos included.  Also included in this book of Sylvia Woods family and friends recipes is her rags to riches story.  Sylvia is known as the "Queen of Soul Food". She is the owner of the world famous restaurant  "Sylvia's Restaurant" in Harlem, NY. This is one of those books that is as much fun to read as cook  from. If you enjoy southern or soul cooking then this is a book you'll want to add to your shelves.

 Chapters included are:  Introduction  Warming Soups and Relishes  Chicken and Turkey Beef  Pork  Game  Fish and Seafood  Side Dishes and Salads  Biscuits and Breadstuffs  Puddings, Pies and a Poon  Sweet Cakes, Sugar Cookies and Lemonade       

 I enjoyed reading this one from cover to cover as soon as it arrived after accepting it when it  was offered to me via my wish list on Paper Back Swap. I hadn't cooked from it yet but had  marked a few recipes to try. I decided since I had a package of chicken gizzards in my freezer  that it was a good time to try Tender Stewed Chicken Gizzards from this book. They were pretty  good but seemed to be missing something. I think they would have been better with a bit more  hot sauce. Sarita and I are the only ones her who'll eat gizzards. I know they're not for everyone  and many people turn up their noses at them. We both though they were fair but like the ones I  make in the slow cooker with BBQ sauce a bit better.        

 Tender Stewed Chicken Gizzards  Mattie McFadden        makes 4 servings       

 1 1/2 pounds chicken gizzards  1 teaspoon salt  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  2 cups water  3/4 cup chopped onion  1 tablespoon ketchup  1 teaspoon hot sauce  Cooked rice       

 1. Sprinkle the gizzards with the salt and pepper, let stand for 10 minutes or even better, overnight  in the refrigerator.       

 2. In a 3 quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil, add the gizzards, reduce the heat and simmer,  covered, for 30 minutes. Add the onion, ketchup and hot sauce and simmer for 1 hour longer,  uncovered.       

 3. Serve over rice.