New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian

by Freddie Bitsoie, James O. Fraioli, Gabriella Trujillo (Illustrator)

Modern Indigenous cuisine from the renowned Native foods educator and former chef of Mitsitam Native Foods Café at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian

From Freddie Bitsoie, the former executive chef at Mitsitam Native Foods Café at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and James Beard Award–winning author James O. Fraioli, New Native Kitchen is a celebration of Indigenous cuisine. Accompanied by original artwork by Gabriella Trujillo and offering delicious dishes like Cherrystone Clam Soup from the Northeastern Wampanoag and Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin from the Pueblo peoples, Bitsoie showcases the variety of flavor and culinary history on offer from coast to coast, providing modern interpretations of 100 recipes that have long fed this country.

Recipes like Chocolate Bison Chili, Prickly Pear Sweet Pork Chops, and Sumac Seared Trout with Onion and Bacon Sauce combine the old with the new, holding fast to traditions while also experimenting with modern methods. In this essential cookbook, Bitsoie shares his expertise and culinary insights into Native American cooking and suggests new approaches for every home cook. With recipes as varied as the peoples that inspired them, New Native Kitchen celebrates the Indigenous heritage of American cuisine.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Indigenous, Nonfiction, Native American, History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published November 16, 2021

Reviews

[Denver Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the past however many centuries, the techniques and tastes of Indigenous North American foodways have been left out of mainstream media. But with a degree in cultural anthropology, a Diné (Navajo) heritage, and a lifelong love for cooking, Chef Freddie Bitsoie has devoted his career to pushing Indigenous foods to the forefront. Rather than stick strictly to tradition, the recipes are inspired by original Indigenous formulas, include ancient ingredients and ancestral traditions, and are adapted with a modern cook in mind. Most call for basic ingredients that can be found anywhere. But the Native American Pantry section outlines a few dozen traditional ingredients, from acorn meal and banana leaves to sumac and walleye, and offers guidance on where to find and how to use them. A few recipe highlights include Aztec Bean and Roasted Green Chili, Swamp Cabbage Salas (with a hearts of palm substitution), and Three Sisters Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed an e-book copy from the library and will definitely be buying a physical copy. So many wonderful recipes and a much needed overview of various indigenous tribes.

[Alexandria Hamm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is beautiful from start to end via the photography, design, stories, and education. Not only did this cookbook have photos for almost every single recipe (color-printed cookbooks without photos of the recipes are such a disappointment!), the recipes and ingredients overall feel very accessible.

[Vina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book of recipes inspired by Indigenous Foodways system.

[Pattie Tierney · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who is both interested in Native American culture as well as having made my own acorn meal, the book, New Native Kitchen, Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian by Freddie Bitsoie really spoke to me. Considering that we are coming up on the Thanksgiving celebration remembering when the Native Americans and pilgrims sat down to dine together in an effort of peace, the timing of this publication couldn’t be better.

Whether you are interested in Native American culture or not, this book will still appeal because of its unique and wide variety of recipes. What I found fascinating was that the various recipes mention the tribe with which they are associated. The regional differentiations between them are fascinating.

A bit of history is featured atop each recipe explaining the origin, preparation, planting, spiritual connection, and historical content. I was captivated as much by that text as I was by the recipes.

The recipes themselves are easy to prepare, and, for the most part, contain ingredients that most of us have in our pantries. I was introduced to a new bean, the tepary bean, a white bean described as being “… a little sweeter than the earthier brown ones…” Interesting, no? A good substitute would be the navy bean, but as these are said to be available, I intend to begin the search so that I can make dishes that are truly authentic.

Lest you think these recipes simple and commonplace! the grilled beef tenderloin with juniper sauce appears to be restaurant quality. Paging through this book I found one recipe after another that appealed. In Native American culture the three sisters refers to a planting method that allowed squash, corn, and greens to grow symbiotically and support each other like sisters. This combination is found in a variety of soups and stews.

I was particularly pleased to see a recipe for Sweet Summer Corn Broth, employing the use of corncobs to make its stock. I have been making my own corn stock for ages for use in corn chowder and vegetable soups. One of the traditions of the author's childhood was to have a bowl or two to celebrate what had passed or what was to come every New Year’s Eve. What a lovely family tradition.

The older recipes, the author assures us, have been given modern updates, only too aware that menus, tastes, and pallets evolve. For example, the Wampanoag Cherry Stone clam is no longer solely available for Northeasterners to enjoy, so with this recipe you can make it on your own. It provided the inspiration for what is now known as New England clam chowder, but without the heavy cream.

Each turn of the page will bring you a host of information, intriguing recipes, new techniques, as well as beautiful photos. With Thanksgiving coming up on the 25th, and Native American Heritage Day on the 26, there is no better time to give this book a try. It would make an excellent hostess gift.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Abrams books as a member of their 20 21–22 Abrams dinner party.

[Kamryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Same disclaimer I have for a lot of cookbooks: I haven’t made any recipes from it (yet)

Having read this one right after Sherman’s The Sioux Chef cookbook, these are the things to note:
- Bitsoie adds many more modern ingredients to his recipes, although he’s very clear on what is and is not considered to be traditional/native ingredients and techniques.
-He also isn’t focused on any particular region of the US, although he seems to favor southwestern dishes slightly more (he’s Navajo, so I get it).

Because of these two major differences, this cookbook comes across as a LOT more accessible than Sherman’s take on native food. The flip side of the coin is that it almost doesn’t feel like it specializes in anything, given the hugely geographically diverse number of culinary traditions it covers. Neither of these is strictly positive or negative, and it’s worth noting that I do plan to try some of these recipes out!

[Dorthe Svendsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

En fantastisk bok med mange plan. Veldig godt kjøp. Gleder meg til å lese den mange ganger, er sikker på at jeg får med meg noe nytt hver gang, og til å lage alle oppskriftene ved de 31 eselørene boken har fått, når jeg kommer hjem. Mulig jeg må kjøpe meg meg noen råvarer herfra gitt. Boken inneholder oppslag om alle ulike grupper av urfolk herfra gjerne med henvisning til noe som vokser og gror. Alle oppskrifter har også en tekst som forklarer hvorfor de er valgt med i boken, hva de har med urfolk å gjøre og henvisning til hvilke urfolk og geografisk tilknytning. Nesten litt for vakre tekster til å være i en kokebok.

[Abby Stopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviews have not been many lately, as I have been going through a lot of issues. So I've just mostly been reading and reading. However this is a phenomenal book. There's good recipes, and good information about the different native American

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply gorgeous and everything that I've attempted so far was delicious!!!
I got to from the library but I will be buying this to add to my home collection of cookbooks.

[Mary Franquemont · Rating 5 out of 5]

The historical information in this cookbook added a depth of understanding about the recipes. Unfortunately, some of the ingredients are difficult to find, but the recipes are wonderful.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indigenous foods cooked in modern ways. although the author is navajo and lives in the south west the recipes and information try to touch on foods from all over turtle island. I think this would have been stronger if just focused on the navajo nation. A lot of ingredients that are difficult for me to get in the area I live but I did like the information and the look at traditional foods.

[Rosalie Lochner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited for this book because it promised me that I could work with “Native” American ingredients but not be confined by them and that these Native American inspired recipes would use ingredients that I can (mostly) find at my local grocery store. But, as a whole, the number of errors in the recipes made this book a bit of a disappointment. The proportions were off in the bison chocolate chili, the Sumac Navajo Lamb, and the onion sauce. My advice is to check this book out at the library. If you’re looking to take your cooking in new directions. You can explore with seasonings, learn a bit about how to cook with game and still have most of the ingredients will already be in your pantry. But proceed with caution, and follow your kitchen instincts when working with Bitsoie’s recipes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the most best cookbook I’ve ever read. Prickly pear and cheese mousse tarts, juneberry pudding, chicken with sage and chokecherry. And each recipe comes with a history and culture lesson on the native traditions that inspired it as well as background on the plants and animals used in the recipe. The recipes were super approachable and do-able. I think my favorite part was the pages dedicated to different tribes with background on their traditions, history and foods. Completely gorgeous and such a gift. I love this book.

[Kipahni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not rating this based on recipes as I have not tried one yet. But I love the look and how the recipes are written. The chapters also contain cultural and historical tidbits about various tribes in the Americas. A very thoughtful and meaningful way to engage in the food that originated from America. Some of the ingredients may be hard to come by but the author gives recommendations for substations. I also appreciate the beautiful photos of the finished meal as I often have a hard time imagining how a recipe is suppose to look like.

[Jewlsbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cookbook is a fun mix of old and new recipes with a variety of cooking levels to explore as well. There’s a list of where to find ingredients, whether it’s online or in-store, as well as explanations for significance for specific items. Even if you don’t want to cook anything, this cookbook is worth reading for a glimpse in to multiple tribes. So far I’ve only tried the Chocolate Bison Chili and the Acorn Squash and Tepary Bean recipes-this was a favorite!, but have a list of others to try soon.

[Matt]

Solid cookbook.

I enjoyed the photos and short passages about various native tribes that appear throughout.

The recipes themselves are quite approachable although you might have to order some of the ingredients online if you do not live in the South West.

The recipe instructions are at best simple and at worst a bit vague, but are usually contained on a single page, which I did appreciate.

I tried the pinto bean and onion soup as well as the chocolate and piñon nutcake. The soup was good but pretty basic and the nutcake was delicious.

[Cierra B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed learning about native American culture through food. While many of the recipes are modern takes, they still include traditional elements. A nice touch was that the author also made it very clear that you can modify these recipes as need be for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free etc., but not only that you can easily swap out the meat products for others that may be more accessible or to your taste preference.

[Xanath Baudin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es verdaderamente una obra de arte. Alguna vez, alguien me dijo que los libros de cocina, no solo son para aprender sus recetas, si no también para aprender del contexto, su historia y la belleza de comunicarse a través de los sabores y su procedencia.

Este libro habla de la cultura misma de cada receta, de sus orígenes y la belleza del trasfondo de cada ingrediente, su significado y el resultado en cuanto llega al plato del comensal.

Verdaderamente, una obra de arte 👏👏👏

[Vicky (vickyscoffeecorner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly put together; lots of resources, stories, recipes, beautiful photos too. I bought it after hearing Jordan & Silvan (Home Grown & Hand Gathered on YouTube) talk about it. It is very informative and more like a resource book than a recipe book that you can just pick recipes from. It's made so you have an understanding of the stories and the connection they have with the land that feeds us.

[S Vanorse · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s easy to see a lot of time, thought, knowledge, and culinary imagination went into producing this, a true labor of love. Maybe some day I’ll be lucky enough to come and enjoy one of your meals prepared with some of the things hard to find in my area that I can’t make myself. A beautifully photographed cookbook, full of the heritage of his ancestors and truly enjoyed by me.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not just recipes, fantastic as they are, but history and knowledge. This is more than a simple cookbook for which I am glad. In addition, there are great resources for ingredients that you won't find in your grocery store as well. It's just wonderful all around and an easy addition to my shelf.

[Jes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this from the library but I'll probably have to buy it. It's a broad view, as any cookbook covering the entirety of North America would have to be, but it's still a very nice broad highlights of different major tribes and lots of accessible but solid recipes ranging from very traditional to more modern.

[Kiera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a cool book. All the dishes are beautifully photographed, and all the recipes are straightforward. Finding some of the less familiar ingredients is going to be a fun challenge, but I was excited to learn about them. The dishes themselves all seem very accessible regardless of skill level.
Bitsoie shares personal stories ahead of every recipe (as cookbook authors do) but also adds in cultural and historical context to the methods and ingredients he introduces. There is plenty of room left to dive deep into histories/cultures/foodways, but this book felt like a great comprehensive introduction to how complex human-food relationships are.

[Matthew Lachkovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, with interesting stories and information about various groups of American Indians. The book describes their connection to ingredients and the land well. The recipes themselves are simple and easy to make. It is an interesting book to check out from the library, but I'm not sure that I would purchase a copy.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great! I loved that the recipes were very accessible but didn't seem to sacrifice authenticity, almost every ingredient felt like something I could get from small local grocery stores. I will definitely be trying some of these out especially as crops and other forageable veg comes in as seasons change.

[Steve Kreidler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful and meaningful “recipe” book I bought in Santa Fe. Chef Bitsoie illustrates each recipe with a nod to the specific First People’s nation, and their history with one or more of the main ingredients. Part history, part deliciousness, I maker over 25 recipes ti introduce my family to this clean, heritage based food. Lovely!

[KathleenB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting for both info and cooking ideas. Two issues for me: I don’t like how instructions are all in a single paragraph, and quite a few of the fresh ingredients are either nearly impossible or hugely impractical for me where I live.

[Nicole Sperry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful celebration of Native American cuisine and culture. I appreciate the time and effort put taken to weave history and culture into what could have been a stellar cookbook all on it's own. I want to try every recipe in here! Highly recommend this one.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rather have learned more about true Native American dishes than have had a book of often generic recipes that use a mash up of some native ingredients… there’s quite a bit of classic French, Mexican, and African-American influence in here.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delivers exactly what it promises: information on traditional Native dishes and a recipe created to both honor those traditions and reflect modern tastes and techniques. Includes information on each tribe's food culture before exploring related recipes.