African-American Cooking Traditions
To give you an idea about the kinds of African-American cooking traditions we found during our study, we have compiled some ingredients and cooking techniques that tend to appear in African American Cooking. Some other terms or kinds of cooking that people use to categorize these culinary elements include "Soul Food," in most of the South and "Gullah Cooking," and "Low Country Food" in South Carolina in particular. These terms are nebulous, and it is difficult to put one heading on a kind of cooking that changes with the influence of so many cultures. It may be helpful, however, to look at traditions that at least establish a messy but recognizable border between African-American Cooking and other kinds of cuisine.
But first, here is a little history. When Africans came to America during the slave trade, despite what some scholars used to believe, they did not abandon or forget what they already knew about music, agriculture, food, and other aspects of their lives in Africa. It was more difficult for them, under the pressures of slavery, to live as they did, but they found ways to cook and eat what they knew. And a great deal of what they retained still shows up in cooking today.
Some ingredients that appear in African-American Cooking and that are indigenous to African culture include: okra, meat jerky, greens, yams (although sweet potatoes are used in America), peanuts, rice, onions, sesame seeds, coffee, black-eyed peas, shea butter, watermelon, hot peppers, bananas, coconut, and cornmeal. Some cooking methods that stem from African cooking involve making stews that require long simmering periods, many different kinds of meats and vegetables, and large iron pots; communal cooking; combining fruit and meat in main dishes; deep-frying meat and vegetables; matriarchal dominance in the kitchen; and adding music and entertainment to eating during large family or community gatherings.
In order to adjust to a completely different culture and make the best of very few resources, the foodways of Africans during slavery in America had to evolve. The results that we see today in African-American Cooking include: finding innovative ways to make every part of an animal appealing like the feet, brains, snout, and intestines (chitterlings); eating foods that are high in calories in order to acquire enough energy to work all day in the fields; eating wildlife of the region like possum, catfish, seafood, rabbit, and frog; using spices in creative ways to make anything taste good; using vegetables and fruit from gardens instead of grocery stores (it is cheaper); and sharing recipes through oral tradition instead of writing them down.
The migration following Emancipation where many African-Americans moved West and then North to look for better economic conditions also changed their foodways. Our comparison between communities in South Carolina and Mississippi showed how African-American food incorporated the different cultures it encountered as it moved West. These included Native American, Mexican, and other European influences. In addition, the result of railroads allowing people to ship food to other places and establish grocery stores also affected foodways in Mississippi. Because African-Americans moved into the area at about the same time railroads arrived, they used grocery stores more than communities in South Carolina who moved to the Low Country without the presence of public transportation. As a result, people in the Low Country tend to eat food that is more specific to the Sea Islands while those in Mississippi eat more food from the grocery store. At the same time, the tradition of African-American Cooking that calls for fresh fruits and vegetables still appears in Mississippi cooking.
African-American Cooking has gone through many changes, but many elements still exist that distinguish its traditions from other kinds of cooking. Keep an eye out for them as you explore Food Way. They are a testimony to the innovation, improvisation, and determination of the African American community to celebrate and maintain their culture.
