Sylvia's Soul Food

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Summary: No secret recipes shared here
Review: As a soul food cook and a person who has eaten at Sylvia's, I can assure anyone that Sylvia shares none of her secrets in this book. This book lacks creativity and instructs to season with salt and pepper only. Any good soul food cook knows that seasoning is the key to great taste and one must season with much more than just salt and pepper. Better book choices with soul food recipes include the "Essence Great Cooking" cookbook as well as the tried and true "Ebony Cookbook." Also see juanthom11's listmania list "Burnin' Soulfood Cookbooks."

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Summary: THIS FOOD ISN'T WHAT SHE SERVES IN HER RESTAURANTS!
Review: HAVING BEEN A CUSTOMER AT SYLVIA'S, I CAN ASSURE THE READER, THE FOOD IN THIS BOOK CAN'T COMPARE TO THE FOOD IN HER RESTAURANT. THE FOOD AT SYLVIA'S IS HIGHLY SEASONED AND DELICIOUS. TOO MANY OF HER RECIPES CONTAIN YELLOW FOOD COLORING. DOES YOUR MAC'N'CHEESE CONTAIN YELLOW FOOD COLORING? I DIDN'T THINK SO. I FIND THIS BOOK IS A RIP-OFF. IF YOU HAVE EVER TASTED THE SYLVIA'S I KNOW, THAN YOU WOULD SEE THAT THIS BOOK SHOULDN'T EVEN BE CONSIDERED SOUL FOOD! JUST ANOTHER MARKETING PLOY.

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Summary: Sylvia! Why risk your reputation?
Review: Having eaten several times at Sylvia's in Harlem I immediately bought this book excited that I now would be able to prepare the same delicious, explode-in-your-mouth flavorful foods for my own family. Sylvia did not share her recipes at all. They are basic and without flavor. For the beginner it's a good starter foundation but soon enough even the novice will need to tweak and add spice/flavor to the dishes. The macaroni & cheese was not creamy or tasty and Sylvia even had the option of adding food coloring, the biscuits were not sweet and flaky, the famous BBQ sauce was runny and did not add any flavor to meats. The banana pudding was flavorless and almost "rubbery". I could have used pudding or cake mixes out of box that were better tasting. I'm really saddened that Sylvia blatently profited off of her reputation. She did not take into consideration that most people who bought her book were loyal customers who were expecting the same high quality soul food served in her restaurant. I'm sure most were extremely disappointed.

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Summary: Best ribs recipe I've seen yet.
Review: I bought this for the ribs recipes and I was not at all disappointed. It's a very new approach for me, but one that turned out beautifully. I've used other recipes in this book, and all have come out as promised (especially the fried chicken recipe), but the ribs are the ones I come back to again and again. I'm very glad I got this book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anybody interested in Southern comfort cooking.

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Summary: Her peach cobbler is superb!
Review: I checked out her cookbook from the library four years ago, I love the recipes so much, especially the peach cobbler, I wanted to purchased the book but my funds are limited. So I checked it out again and tried some more of her recipes, they are so great! My family loves it! I do have one of her books that I got through a book club which wasn't bad (meaning the price only 2 bucks, but worth a lot more!) But Sylvia's Soul food book they did not have. I would really like a chance to purchase all her books. Sylvia, you have simply stolen my heart as well as well as my appetite. I look forward to trying more of your recipes! One of your number one fans!

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Summary: Her peach cobbler is superb!
Review: I checked out her cookbook from the library four years ago, I love the recipes so much, especially the peach cobbler, I wanted to purchased the book but my funds are limited. So I checked it out again and tried some more of her recipes, they are so great! My family loves it! I do have one of her books that I got through a book club which wasn't bad (meaning the price only 2 bucks, but worth a lot more!) But Sylvia's Soul food book they did not have. I would really like a chance to purchase all her books. Sylvia, you have simply stolen my heart as well as well as my appetite. I look forward to trying more of your recipes! One of your number one fans!

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Summary: The collards are worth it!!!
Review: I could see that most of the recipes in this book were garbage (esp after the biscuits came out terrible) but I cooked both of the collard greens recipes and they were OUTSTANDING. I even cooked them for die-hard southerners and the response was overwhelming. Thank you Sylvia! I bought this book knowing that more than just Amazon reviewers complained about the recipes. I think the biscuits came out horrible because she uses lard in hers but didn't want to let it out. I still made her peach cobbler filling though, and used the Yellow Farmhouse cookbook for the dumplings over it, and it was excellent, served with home-whipped cream. I don't dare try most of the other recipes, as just looking at them isn't even appetizing. But those collards ... WOW!

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Summary: Rave Reviews for Smothered Pork Chops
Review: I have had Sylvia's book for several years and just happened to think of writing a review after I wrote a couple for some sewing books that I own. I read through the reviews of others and was surprised to read some of the negative ones. I have used quite a few of the recipes in this book. In fact, I am preparing the meatloaf recipe tonight. However, of all the recipes in the book, my absolute, hands-down favorite is the Smothered Pork Chops. I have served it several times to friends and they rave about it every time. With regard to the negative reviews, one has to understand that this is "down home" type cooking. That is what "soul food" is all about and every ethnic group has some kind of "soul food". Furthermore, everyone's mother or grandmother is going to cook the family's dishes a little bit differently from everybody else's mother or grandmother. Can you imagine how many different recipes there are for meatloaf? While I do not put yellow food coloring in my macaroni and cheese, I do prefer to use yellow cheese over white, and I do know that there are people who serve mac and cheese that is quite yellow throughout. I suspect that they are using the food coloring. After you have come to understand how a dish is supposed to taste, you are going to adjust it further for your taste and that of your family members. Sylvia's mac and cheese is wonderful, but so is Patti LaBelle's, and her dish is made differently. Sylvia's Chicken and Dumplings are also delicious, but some times, I use Paul Prudhomme's version. Readers, the bottom line is to use what suits you regardless of who wrote the book or the review, and enjoy. I am quite pleased with the book and enjoyed reading Mrs. Woods' introduction.

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Summary: Rave Reviews for Smothered Pork Chops
Review: I have had Sylvia's book for several years and just happened to think of writing a review after I wrote a couple for some sewing books that I own. I read through the reviews of others and was surprised to read some of the negative ones. I have used quite a few of the recipes in this book. In fact, I am preparing the meatloaf recipe tonight. However, of all the recipes in the book, my absolute, hands-down favorite is the Smothered Pork Chops. I have served it several times to friends and they rave about it every time. With regard to the negative reviews, one has to understand that this is "down home" type cooking. That is what "soul food" is all about and every ethnic group has some kind of "soul food". Furthermore, everyone's mother or grandmother is going to cook the family's dishes a little bit differently from everybody else's mother or grandmother. Can you imagine how many different recipes there are for meatloaf? While I do not put yellow food coloring in my macaroni and cheese, I do prefer to use yellow cheese over white, and I do know that there are people who serve mac and cheese that is quite yellow throughout. I suspect that they are using the food coloring. After you have come to understand how a dish is supposed to taste, you are going to adjust it further for your taste and that of your family members. Sylvia's mac and cheese is wonderful, but so is Patti LaBelle's, and her dish is made differently. Sylvia's Chicken and Dumplings are also delicious, but some times, I use Paul Prudhomme's version. Readers, the bottom line is to use what suits you regardless of who wrote the book or the review, and enjoy. I am quite pleased with the book and enjoyed reading Mrs. Woods' introduction.

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Summary: please do not waste your money !!!!
Review: I have had the pleasure of eating at Sylvia's in Harlem and the food is wonderful I love it,but this cookbook is horrible. The recipes in here are not the one's she uses in the restaurant if they were she would not be in biz. I realize that she does not want to give her secrets away but please do not give people the impression that these are the original recipes because you no they are not. I wasted my money not only on this book but on the food I bought trying to make the recipes. Sorry Slyvia but this one is not cutting it.