The big feed

In the end, two days (on and off) of cooking. Twenty minutes of eating, not counting dessert. Three hours of cleaning.

At the White House, incidentally, Pres. Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host dinner for friends, family and staff members. The menu includes roast turkey, honey-baked ham and (this is the best part) six kinds of pie:

Turkey
Honey-Baked Ham

Cornbread Stuffing
Oyster Stuffing

Greens
Macaroni and Cheese
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole

Banana Cream Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Huckleberry Pie
Cherry Pie

Worth savoring

In "The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa," New York City chef Marcus Samuelsson delivers a tempting version of Yellow Rice.

Dutch traders brought the dish, he says, to South Africa from Indonesia: "In its most traditional form, it is white rice cooked with raisins and turmeric, which gives it a bright golden hue." He jazzes things up with corn, mango and yellow bell peppers.

Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden by adoptive parents, Samuelsson traveled across Africa over the years to learn more of his personal history and cultural heritage. As he went from one end of the continent to the other, sampling foods and absorbing techniques, he realized the importance of simple preparations.

"Most of the cooking," he writes, "is what we think of as 'poor man's food': simple stews, grilled meats and fish, steamed vegetables, filling side dishes, and a range of breads. Yet these simple foods are anything but dull."

From Libya and Morocco in the north to Cape Town in the south, from Mali and Senegal in the west to his native Ethiopia, Samuelsson watched and worked.

In time, he devised recipes for Mango Couscous, influenced by the flavors of North Africa, and Chicken-Peanut Stew, eaten throughout West Africa. He developed recipes for Plantain-Coconut Stew, a nice vegetarian option, and Bobotie, a one-dish casserole popular in South Africa.

He provides us the impetus to step out of our comfort zone, to experiment with different flavors in the kitchen. Our taste buds won't know what hit them.

(A version of this article appeared originally on www.culinate.com.)