Hey, guys! Let’s talk a little history today, how did the African American Cuisine revolutionize the American dinner table? That’s right, it’s the story of High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. Don’t let the title scare you, this is no boring history lesson, but an adventure of fried chicken, stew, cornbread, and a myriad of delicious flavors!
What does High on the Hog mean?
Let’s start by explaining this fun phrase. It literally means to sit high on the hog. The most expensive meat on the hog (e.g., ribs, ham) is on the top half, so to eat high on the hog is to eat well and be nourished. The black food culture is an example of eating well out of a difficult history.
From the Slave Table to the White House: The Black Food Rebellion
Imagine: black people who were forced to leave Africa with culinary memories of their homeland (e.g. okra, black-eyed peas) but were forced to use ingredients discarded by their slave owners in the Americas (pig’s trotters, pork intestines, cornmeal). The result? They created Soul Food, a miracle of turning trimmings into flavor!
Why has fried chicken become an American symbol?
Yes, black chefs are behind the popularity of fried chicken. During the slave era, chicken was one of the few meats that black people could raise themselves. Later, black women such as Nancy Green (the first pancake auntie figure) even made fried chicken a national delicacy.
The story of the stew:
Gumbo (okra gumbo) and jambalaya (jambalaya), famous Southern dishes, are actually a mix of African, European and Indian flavors. A pot of stew is a reconciliation of different cultures.
How did the black diet take over America?
In the 20th century, black immigrants brought Southern food to New York and Chicago.
The advent of fast-food restaurants
McDonald’s and KFC, with their fried chicken and burger recipes, first came from the wisdom of black chefs. Even the takeout culture was first popularized by the black community, as many restaurants used to not allow them to dine-in.
The Rise of Celebrity Chefs
For example, Edna Lewis (known as the Queen of Southern Cooking), who took Black home cooking and made it haute cuisine that even Julia Child praised.
Black Food Today: From Street to High End
By now, black food has long since ceased to be poor people’s food
The originator of Netflix
Combinations like fried chicken with waffles, which were actually invented by black restaurants in Harlem, are now Instagram breakouts.
The Politically Correct Table
When Barack Obama was president, the White House menu regularly featured black heritage dishes, and a bite of oxtail stew was tantamount to a bite of American history.
Can we taste it ourselves?
Of course! Even if you don’t go to America, you can still try it:
Cornbread: cornmeal + eggs + milk, 20 minutes in the oven.
Kale and ham stew: sautéed onions in bacon grease, slow-cooked with leafy greens, so fresh you’ll lose your eyebrows.
Documentary Recommendations
The documentary of the same name, High on the Hog, is a feast for the eyes and will make you so hungry you’ll turn over the refrigerator.
Food is Living History
The story of the black diet teaches us that even the toughest past can be cooked into warm, proud flavors. The next time you eat fried chicken, remember to say thank you to it, after all, it is the revolutionaries who changed America!