When it comes to soul food, there is an elite pantheon of grand dame authors: Patti Labelle, Sylvia Woods, and Edna Lewis. For their fans, who crave authentic African-American recipes, this publication marks a major rediscovery: the original soul diva, Princess Pamela, who paved the way for all the others with this 1969 cult classic.

This lost classic cookbook was treasured by past generations as a bible of soul cooking and is now back in print after more than a quarter century. As the national trend for Southern cuisine continues, this book offers a sure line to authenticity. It represents the cookbook of the Great Migration, the recipes that black people who had left the South held on to as a way to preserve their heritage and memories.