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bossymarmalade) wrote2014-09-03 06:50 am
bossymarmalade) wrote2014-09-03 06:50 am
the pigs de resistance
I've started reading Jessica Harris' book High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America, and so far it's good. I haven't made it in far enough to see if a review I read that expresses slight disappointment with the incongruous lack of actual exploration of foodways in the writing is accurate, so we'll see. At the point I've reached, that reviewer's critique that it seemed more a general history of the Middle Passage and black people in America with some food mentioned here and there seems kinda true.
This is fine, of course, since as a West Indian I have a vested interest in learning about the Middle Passage and diasporan life, but I do hope there's more foodish discussion later on! For two books about African-American foodways that deliver more of that sumptuousness, I would recommend The Black Family Reunion Cookbook (there's a story in there about Hot Jalapeno Cornbread that tickles me every time, it's such an Aunty kind of recollection) and Maya Angelou's toothsome Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes, which I reread constantly and with great relish. The Harris book is much more scholarly, so they really aren't in the same style even if it's the same general topic.
Rather foolishly, I assumed when I was younger that since I understood black Caribbean food, I also understood black American soul food. It's been a pleasure learning how wrong I was, heh.
In other news there's a tuxedo cat that belongs to the neckbeard dude who lives in the basement next door and it's been meowing outside for Meera, who seems only vaguely interested. We shall see how long this meowing keeps up.
This is fine, of course, since as a West Indian I have a vested interest in learning about the Middle Passage and diasporan life, but I do hope there's more foodish discussion later on! For two books about African-American foodways that deliver more of that sumptuousness, I would recommend The Black Family Reunion Cookbook (there's a story in there about Hot Jalapeno Cornbread that tickles me every time, it's such an Aunty kind of recollection) and Maya Angelou's toothsome Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes, which I reread constantly and with great relish. The Harris book is much more scholarly, so they really aren't in the same style even if it's the same general topic.
Rather foolishly, I assumed when I was younger that since I understood black Caribbean food, I also understood black American soul food. It's been a pleasure learning how wrong I was, heh.
In other news there's a tuxedo cat that belongs to the neckbeard dude who lives in the basement next door and it's been meowing outside for Meera, who seems only vaguely interested. We shall see how long this meowing keeps up.
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While it's a university press, it was available at my US suburban library, so hopefully you can track it down!
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Also a blog you might be interested in, Afroculinaria which is run by Michael W. Twitty. He writes about the diaspora and how food plays a part in it. I came across him when he wrote a piece about Paula Deen.
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