Rating: 
Summary: I hope my food comes out okay...
Review: I have never eaten at Sylvia's... but I've heard of her place, so when I saw this book, I figured I was about to get some serious recipes added to my repertoire. After reading the other customer reviews, I'm a little afraid. I guess Sylvia CAN'T sell the EXACT recipes or there would be no need to visit her restaurant anymore. But personally, I was just excited to finally have the recipes for Chicken and Dumplings and Hush Puppies...I haven't made anything just yet, but when I do, I'll be back to share the results!!
Rating:
Summary: Greens to go
Review: I loved greens ever since I was a kid traveling on vacation through Arkansas, and mistook them for my beloved spinach ("That's not spinach, honey," said the gal behind the cafeteria counter in Little Rock, "that's turnip greens!" ) Well, I've been hooked on greens ever since, and Sylvia's version of greens are so good here. She uses smoked turkey wings to replace the fatty ham hocks that make the rich cooking broth (pot likker) and this is just one of her innovations. Corn bread, biscuits, greens, chicken are all here, reproduced from Sylvia's restaurant's prize-winning recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Basic Recipes, but never fail!
Review: I use this cookbook frequently - although the recipes are basic, found in quite a few "soul food" cookbooks they are never fail for me - I have not found a bad one yet out of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Test recipes before serving to guests
Review: Mrs. Woods' book offers some real gems - those biscuits and that pound cake, for example. It is risky business, though, to prepare the recipes as directed - they usually require much tweaking and additional flavor. I hope that is not really the barbecue sauce for the world-famous ribs - when I made it here at home, it was thin and flat. The pound cake is delicious - but DO NOT try to bake that huge cake in a 9" loaf pan - a 10" tube pan bakes it nicely. I really wanted to trust this book, but Mrs. Woods obviously shares her secrets as grudgingly and as vaguely as most good cooks.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting and folksy insight into the "cooks."
Review: Sylvia provides a wide range of food categories that somehow meet the needs of those who often ask what can be served with what and when.It is suggested that pots and pans, in your house, be measured before preparing the bread and dessert recipes.Using minimum seasonings allows for personalization of some recipes.The photographs allows for a visit to the past. I would recommend this cookbook as a standard part of any personal collection.
Rating:
Summary: A great guide for those interested in cooking real soul food
Review: This cookbook is a must for anyone desiring to cook old-fashioned, southern favorites such as biscuits, pork barbeque, fried catfish, and corn pudding. "Sylvia's Soul Food" gives the author's most popular recipes, and you're guaranteed to find a couple of favorite recipes inside if you're a lover of good soul food. I bought the book because I like to collect soul food cookbooks, especially those with great dessert recipes. I have received nothing but rave reviews from "Sylvia's" banana pudding and coconut cake recipes. This makes me confident that her other recipes, esp. those for main dish meals, will be equally good. Good luck!
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