FEAST OR FAMINE

From Soil to Soul: African Vegan Recipes  by Stephane Kotto and the Pan-African Plant-Based Alliance (2024) is unique and more than a recipe book.    The book’s biggest strength is its deep and diverse dive into African plant-based cuisine covering dishes from the five regions of the African continent: South, East, Central, West, and North. It does more than provide recipes as it weaves in history, Pan-Africanism, Ubuntu philosophy, and Maat principles linking plant-based eating to cultural identity and ethical values.   It is educational with information on health, history, and environmental sustainability. It takes a strong stance against neocolonial food systems, promoting self-sustainability. The incorporation of indigenous knowledge pushes back on the myth that veganism is a Western concept.   Another strength is that it reinvents classic dishes using plant-based alternatives instead of simply removing animal products – such as plant-based mince in South Af...