While the phrase “go back to the kitchen” has a negative connotation, one can’t deny that women have been the heart of the hearth and home, feeding generations and bringing communities together. It’s invisible compared to the manly man world of professional cooking, and the three sections- Innovators who popularized or introduced dishes to continents making an intercultural exchange, Instigators, women who used food to help their communities through aid or through political fundraising, and Inventors, self-explanatory -Ahluwalia and Ferrari seek to bring recognition to women’s accomplishments in all sectors of the food industry.

Some notable entries include:

Leah Richard, an African-American woman who released her own cooking book, and catering company during a time of intense discrimination, she was the first woman to host a cooking show. A decade before the famous Julia Child.

Nitza Villapol-Possibly the Cuban counterpart to Richard, Villapol possibly propagandized communism living through her cooking show, highlighting how to make great meals through limited resoruces.

Esther Eng-an openly lesbian Chinese-American filmmaker, Eng sought to provide a bit of home and a haven for her fellow Chinese-American actors and ended up creating the hottest, priciest Chine restaurant in NY.

Eva Ekeblad-introduced the versatality of the potato to Sweden. Not only introducing a culinary staple but helping a starved population during famine.

Betty Crocker is fictional, but Marjorie Husted is the woman behind the popular brand, introducing her cookbooks, recipes, and even her voice on her radio show.

Ellen H. Richards was a chemist and home economist that researched schoolchildren can’t study while hungry and helped start free noontime meals in Boston, a model that would soon be adopted nationally.

Leah Chase aka the inspiration behind Princess Tiana, is better known as the Queen of Creole Cooking through her award-winning Dooky Chase Restaurant serving all the prominent civil rights leaders and two presidents.

Sarah Joseph Hale-Lincoln may have made Thanksgiving a national holiday, but Hale was the one who wrote articles, petitions, and sought audience with legislators arguing for the importance of a day of thanks and unity. She also wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

Avantika Jalan-Fourth generation tea producer she’s the founder and managerial director of the organic tea line, Mana Organics.

Nancy Johnson-Created the hand-cranked churn machine so anyone could make ice cream.

Melitta Bentz-Created the coffee filter, and a household empire.

Julia Davis Chandler-Her cookbook is the first recorded instance of PB&J sandwich recipe.

Teressa Bellissimo-Created buffalo wings and the blue cheese dressing plus celery sticks that are an American staple.

Emeline Jones-Separating fact from fiction, there’s evidence that former slave turn chef, Jones, created the potato chip. Even if she didn’t, she was a favorite of the DC elite with her terrapin stew.

Elizabeth Gregory-She created doughnuts for her sailor son. Very sweet, and we can’t thank her enough for the delicious treat. Her son was the one who added the hole.

Josephine Cochrane-Created the dishwasher.

As you can see, women created a lot of the dishes and some lifesaving inventions. They also included recipes that are put so simply, I feel confident enough to try my hand at making herb-roasted chicken and sage buttermilk biscuits or my own girl scout cookie.

The one flaw in the book is that in trying to include many women, they only get a page or two at most. The ones with women grouped together (Women of Tea, Women of Beer, Rumrunners, etc) only get a paragraph which makes me want to know more. Or worse, I don’t understand why they included because it is summed up as female rumrunner. Like did she do anything more notable compared to other female rumrunners? Did she struggle? Did she expand her husband’s business etc.?

Nonetheless, this is an informative, enlightening book that will whet your appetite and encourage readers to thank those (most likely the moms, let’s be honest) who nourish them.