Exira's Kitchen

This is a cookbook with a delectable compilation of recipes that were passed along three generations of Cruzans--from the author's maternal grandmother, Christiana Henry Sackey, to her mother, Exira Marie Sackey Milligan.

This cultural cookbook looks through the food lens my ancestral past. Through this ancestral research, I found that the journey into the recipes began to take shape during the days of slavery in St. Croix under seven flags and when Africans from Ghana arrived on the shores of St. Croix around the early 1800's. The dishes as presented are an extension of the foods these people ate in Africa with some modifications because some specific ingredients were not available.

There are many unusual terms used throughout this cookbook. They reflect terms of endearment that make meals total enjoyment and add the cultural depth of the people of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. People familiar with the Cruzan culture near and far will find in the cookbook memorable, and those unfamiliar are in for a special treat!

Thus, each recipe is filled with traditional African blends and artful traditional preparation. As you try each recipe, you'll have both a grand time preparing and a grand time eating. For Cruzan's, we love our way of life, but first and foremost starts with a belly full. Experience each recipe and enjoy the results!