Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts

Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks by Crystal Wilkinson is a lyrical cookbook-memoir that intertwines family stories, ancestral memory, and recipes to honor the overlooked culinary traditions of Black Appalachia. Drawing from five generations of women in her family, Wilkinson uses the idea of “kitchen ghosts” to represent the enduring presence of ancestors whose lessons, rituals, and love continue to shape the kitchen long after they are gone. Featuring comforting dishes like Corn Pudding, Chicken and Dumplings, Jam Cake, and Praisesong Biscuits, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts is both a celebration of heritage and a moving exploration of how food preserves memory, place, and identity across generations.