Watermelon and Red Birds - by Nicole A Taylor (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The first cookbook to celebrate and investigate Juneteenth, from critically acclaimed food writer Nicole Taylor who draws on her decade of experiences observing the holiday.

Nearly two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Union troops spread the world of liberation to African Americans. And so, on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, festivities sprung up with song, dance, and most importantly, food. Having been officially recognized and a national holiday, eaters are eager to raise glasses and break bread to honor America's forgotten backbone.

Watermelon and Red Birds contains 75 delicious dishes that are simple, victory garden-driven, and approachable. Nicole Taylor provides a new technique to dining at home with all the basics for hosting a bounteous dinner party, all-day brunch, brawny BBQ, clever picnic, and parade-themed kickback, along with thoughtful, moving essays about the meaning of Juneteenth.

Recipes include:
-Sweet Potato Yogurt Pops
-New Age Wedge Salad
-Smoked Paprika and Cocoa Popcorn
-Blueberry and Beef Puff Pies
-Squash Blossom Cornbread
-Nectarine Milkshake
-And more!

Taylor is a gifted storyteller, an expert researcher, and a talented home cook who brings all those gifts and more to Watermelon and Red Birds. These recipes and essays will inspire gatherings and salute one of the most important American holidays all year round.

Review Quotes

"My friend Nicole Taylor has a curiosity that is infectious and tenacious, and matched only by her love for her people. For Us. This particular combination has been to the great benefit of the U.S. food writing canon, to the professional food writing community, and to YOU....These recipes are illustrative of her gifts, moving us seamlessly from the historic to the contemporary, with ingredients and rhetoric together reinforcing a clear thesis - 'I put on for my people.'" --Stephen Satterfield, from the "Foreword"

"With Watermelon and Red Birds, Nicole Taylor liberates us from the limitations and labels that have narrowly defined African American cooks and their cooking for generations. Her recipes and stories encourage us to celebrate freedom on our own terms, with eyes fixed on the future and cooking with joy." --Toni Tipton-Martin, Editor in Chief, Cook's Country, magazine and PBS television show, and award-winning author of Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking, and The Jemima Code Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks

"Nicole Taylor chronicles Black foodways with expertise and warmth, crafting recipes you'll find yourself immediately adding to your weekly repertoire. Watermelon and Red Birds is an astounding text, both definitive and generous, abundant and joyful." --Bryan Washington, author of Lot and Memorial

"The prolific Nicole Taylor has taken us on a brilliant exploration of African American culture in Delicious Bites. It's full of amazing stories but most of all it stays true to the culture. This is a must-read for all." --JJ Johnson, chef and founder of FIELDRTIP

"Juneteenth is a newly minted holiday but an old celebration. In Watermelon and Red Birds, Nicole Taylor provides an impressive array of new recipes for a new generation to tip a glass of red drink and savor the flavors of this new jubilee. Along each step of the way, she reminds us of the history and evolution of this most delectable and needful American holiday." --Lolis Eric Elie, co-author Rodney Scott's World of Barbecue

About the Author

Nicole A. Taylor is a producer based in New York City and Georgia. In 2020, she was nominated for two James Beard Awards for Personal Essay Short Form and Innovative Storytelling. She has written for The New York Times, Departures, Atlas Obscura, and Food & Wine. Nicole founded NAT Media, an original content company focused on producing and amplifying Black food creatives. She is the author of The Up South Cookbook and The Last O.G. Cookbook and was the executive food editor at Thrillist. She also serves on the advisory committee for the MOFAD's upcoming exhibit, African/American.