Boundless flavor! Exciting and eclectic combinations of textures and colors! Memories of times gone by enjoying the company of family and the dishes of our youth. These are the powerful and emotional invocations of the African American heritage involving the most basic of human actions, eating. If you love food as I do, you undoubtedly appreciate the distinct and enduring classic recipes as well as the tantalizing nouvelle culinary creations born in kitchens across the country. America has a brilliant history of food brought together through the many influences of cultures reaching it’s shores. And one of the most impressive influences is that of the African American experience. Sit with me for a spell and reminisce, ponder, learn.
When I was young, I spent many hours helping in the kitchen. My earliest memory of food preparation was sitting on the back porch at my grandparent’s house helping my grandma snap green beans and place them into a shiny metal colander. My cousin Jana and I would snap and talk, snap and talk until grandma called us into the kitchen with our bounty. Grandpa would provide slices of sharp cheddar cheese for us to snack on while we waited for our next assignment. Little did I know how these early experiences would shape my future. Many of you, I’m sure, can recall the prompting of the kitchen from your childhood. The fascination with the plethora of herbs, spices, and mixtures drew you to your love of cuisine. Like me, you have always had a calling to create art with ingredients. Whether you attended culinary school or the classroom of grandma’s kitchen, you have a profound feeling of comfort doing what humans have done since the beginning, cooking food. So, let’s talk about food!
African-American cuisine features the best ingredient/technique combinations observable in the nation. And, possibly in the entire Western hemisphere. Consider the rich complexities of New Orleans gumbo. With it’s smoked sausage, chicken, crab, okra and tomatoes flavored with the aromatic trilogy of onion, celery, and bell peppers, this hearty stew has influences spanning the Americas and regions of the African continent. Imagine fresh oysters, catfish, prawns, crawfish and scallops. These staples figure greatly in African-American coastal recipes. Sauteed, grilled, steamed, or roasted and served with dozens of variations of the mother sauces, seafood has been prepared in incredibly healthy dishes by cooks for over a century. Without question, every part of a pig has had a place on an ingredient list in the African-American food culture. Braised, cold smoked, broiled and pickled, our recipes pair intricate spice blends with these cooking techniques to transform chops, ribs, hocks, and loins into works of culinary art.
My purpose in this post was to pique your interest in the amazing range of recipes derived from the African-American experience. In coming posts I will be presenting not only recipes but history lessons, stories, video tutorials, and my personal experiences as a professional and home cook. I am looking forward to sharing with you my culinary world-view and bringing additional perspectives on the influences of African-American cuisine around the world.