Black History Month: A Celebration of Food

I recently posted a picture of chitterlings on social media and got a lot of questions about what exactly they are. When I responded that they were the intestines of a pig, someone, asked: “Why in the world would someone eat that?!” It was at that moment that I realized how little people know how much black history contributes to the food we eat today.

You see, during slavery, slaves were given minimal parts and options to eat as food. One of the things they were given was parts of the pig that were not suitable for their master and his family. Plenty of times they ate the same thing every single day and were fed only enough to keep them working. Believe it or not, they were often fed worse things than what the livestock was fed.

What do I love most about my people? Black people? The ability to make something out of nothing. Those pig intestines were turned into a delicacy. The scraps they were given were turned into delicious dishes that the entire family could dine on. This is all in addition to the meals they were cooking for the families that owned them. They would spend all day in the kitchen preparing feasts for the families who owned them, and during that time they were combining flavors that they could try to take back to their own families (limited resources considered).

From low and slow cooking to indescribable flavor, black people are masters in the kitchen. A lot of the dishes and recipes that we love now are recipes that were created by slaves, passed on to their owner’s family, then claimed as their own. A combination of African and European flavors. We are resilient and we are resourceful.

Even after slavery, black people did not have the same resources as others. Our resourcefulness carried through to feeding our families with minimal money due to the incredibly low wages we were paid. Salmon patties are an excellent example of that. I have loved salmon patties since I was little and always only had them from canned salmon. Canned salmon was cheap and could be stretched. Now that I am a Chef, I love taking recipes I grew up on and elevating them. That’s exactly what I did with my salmon patty recipe. Not only do I prepare it with fresh salmon, but I also add fresh veggies and herbs to keep them moist, tender, and flaky. I feel like these salmon patties would make my grandmother proud.

Resourcefulness also creates deliciousness in the form of veggies. Corn and Okra Succotash is a southern staple. Created with veggies that are on the cheaper end of the spectrum. Traditionally w/ lima beans (I hate lima beans), I have created a bright and flavorful recipe that pairs incredibly well with salmon patties. I got to spend some time with my friend Ruchi who taught me how important okra is within her culture.

Check out our blog post to find out what okra means to me and to her!

If you’ve been following me on social media or read my latest blog post, you already know that I am making every effort to celebrate Black History not just in February, but all the time. I have an obligation to uphold a legacy for my ancestors that worked so incredibly hard so that I could write things just like this. One of the ways I am doing this is by partnering with a friend of mine that radiates #blackgirlmagic.

Candace of Food Love Tog is my sister in food and we are teaming up to bring you something that we are excited and honored to share. Black Girls Eating will be an extension of both of our blogs as a way to celebrate the contributions black people make to food. With a focus primarily on the food scene in Indianapolis, we are hoping to stretch this far and wide. Would you follow us, please? You can find us on Instagram.

Candace and I are kindred souls, focusing our cooking efforts on where we came from, who taught us, and the love it evokes among others. Not only has she shared an amazing Black Eye Pea Hummus for black history month, but she’s also shared her Grandmother’s Banana Bread recipe from her very own grandmother. This is a gift, y’all.

Happy Black History Month, y’all! It has been my honor to celebrate with you all. I hope I have encouraged you to do a little work and reflect on yourself and while in the kitchen.