"Soul food didn't even exist before the 1960s," said an in-the-know friend over lunch one day. It was set in motion by an offhand remark. And I presumed that this cuisine was responsible, in some vague and sinister way, for the rash of obesity-related health problems that have beset African-Americans.įortunately, my journey to enlightenment was neither arduous nor greasy, though it did require frequent stops to sample-er, research-the subject. I believed that its essential ingredient was pork-especially the less savory cuts: trotters, snouts, tails, and entrails-and that deep-fat frying was its definitive technique. I assumed, for instance, that it originated roughly 200 years ago, give or take a few decades. Here's a confession: I thought I knew a thing or two about soul food, but I didn't. African-Americans have been doing it for 200 years, and their vibrant, veggie-centric traditions are worth reviving. Eating organically, sustainably, and locally is just the latest eco-foodie trend-right? Hardly.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |