The smells in the kitchen,the unforgettable flavors-these powerful memories of food, family, and tradition are intertwined and have traveled down from generations past to help make us the people we are today. Now, Tavis Smiley#x19;s America I AM exhibit has joined forces with Chef Jeff Henderson and Ramin Ganeshram to create the America I AM Pass It Down Cookbook. This special keepsake preserves African Americans#x19; collective food history through touching essays, celebratory menus, and over 130 soul-filled and soul-inspired recipes. There#x19;s something for everyone-from traditional southern cooking like Apryle#x19;s Seafood Gumbo, Craig Robinson#x19;s Mom#x19;s Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and Russel Honor#xE9;#x19;s Barbecued Boston Pork Butt, to healthy new millennium twists, including the Duo Dishes#x19; Honey Dijon Spiced Pecan Coleslaw, Ron Johnson#x19;s Crunchy Collards, and Scott Alves Barton#x19;s Fragrant Jerk Chicken. Irresistible desserts like Mama Mabel#x19;s Apple Dumplings and Saporous Strawberry Cheesecake, and beverages like Very Exciting Fruit Punch and Tom Bullock#x19;s classic Lemonade Apollinaris are sure to delight. As you read this book, you#x19;ll discover the voices of real cooks and their triumphs in the kitchen, and the ways in which African Americans have impacted the way the whole nation eats. You#x19;ll learn healthy cooking variations filled with heart and soul, and how to make cooking with kids fun. There#x19;s even a section for you to add your own family recipes and #x1C;pass it down#x1D; to the next generation.

It#x19;s time to turn the pages and join us at the table. After all, our shared experience is the greatest feast of all.