America I AM Pass It Down Cookbook
TAVIS SMILEY PRESENTS THE
America
I AM
Exhibit
America I AM:
The African American Imprint
is a touring museum exhibition that celebrates four hundred years of African American contributions to the nation through artifacts, documents, multimedia, photographs, and music. The exhibition presents a historical continuum of pivotal moments in courage, conviction, and creativity that solidifies the undeniable imprint of African Americans across the nation and around the world.
Praise for the
America
I AM
The African American Imprint
“This exhibit is beyond words . . . There were times during the tour that I felt myself swelling with so much pride it felt like fire inside . . .”
“. . . One of the best cultural experiences of my life . . .I am proud. I am inspired. I am changed.”
“. . . It tells our history from the start to now with dignity and truth . . .”
“. . . An exhibit that should not be missed by any American.”
America
I AM
Pass It Down
Cookbook
Also by
Jeff Henderson
Cooked: My Journey from the Streets to the Stove
Chef Jeff Cooks: In the Kitchen with America’s Inspirational Culinary Star
Also by
Ramin Ganeshram
Sweet Hands: Island Cooking from Trinidad and Tobago
Stir It Up!
America
I AM
Pass It Down
Cookbook
Jeff Henderson
WITH
Ramin Ganeshram
Distributed by
HAY HOUSE, INC.
C a r l s b a d , C a l i f o r n i a • N e w Yo r k C i t y L o n d o n • S y d n e y • J o h a n n e s b u r g Va n c o u v e r • Ho n g K o n g • N e w D e l h i
© 2011 by Tavis Smiley
Published in the United States by:
SmileyBooks, 250 Park Avenue South, Suite 201, New York, NY 10003 •
www.SmileyBooks.com
Distributed in the United States by:
Hay House, Inc.:
www.hayhouse.com
•
Published and distributed in Australia by:
Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.:
www.hayhouse.com.au
•
Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by:
Hay House UK, Ltd.:
www. hayhouse.co.uk
•
Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by:
Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.:
www.hayhouse.co.za
•
Distributed in Canada by:
Raincoast:
www.raincoast.com
•
Published and Distributed in India by:
Hay House Publishers India:
www.hayhouse.co.in
Design:
Charles McStravick •
Indexer:
Therese Shere
Interior photos and illustrations:
Credits in text
Grateful acknowledgment is made to all of our America I AM
Pass It Down Cookbook
contributors who generously shared their recipes, essays, photos, and love.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private use—other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews—without prior written permission of the publisher.
The opinions set forth are those of the contributors and the editors, and do not necessarily express the views of the publisher or Hay House, Inc., or any of its affiliates.
Library of Congress Control Number:
2010940269
Tradepaper ISBN:
978-1-4019-3135-3
Digital ISBN:
978-1-4019-3136-0
14 13 12 11 4 3 2 1
1st edition, February 2011
Printed in the United States of America
“African Americans planted it, grew it,
harvested it, cooked it,
served it . . .”
— Jessica B. Harris
Iron Pots & Wooden Spoons:
Africa’s Gifts to New World Cooking
Contents
Chapter 1:
Starters, Soups & Salads
Chapter 6:
Pasta, Grains & Beans
Chapter 9:
Extras—Pickles, Condiments, Spices & Sauces
Chapter 11:
Generation Next: Cooking with Kids and Young Chefs
Chapter 12:
Your Pass It Down Recipes
M
aya Angelou once shared a childhood memory with me
that highlighted the significant role food has played in the lives of African Americans since the beginning of slavery through today. I still can’t believe that I had the privilege of sharing such a special moment with the great poet, civil rights activist, American icon, and celebrated cook.
It was a spring morning in 2009 when I was preparing myself for what I imagined would be one of the most spiritually enriching interviews of my life. The venue: “Grandmother’s Kitchen.” The topic: What food means to black folks. Not being a scholar or historian, I knew what food meant to my family and me, but I wasn’t certain I was well informed enough about the history of soul food to discuss it in a meaningful way with the woman that the famous food writer M.F.K. Fisher called “one of the ten best cooks she ever met.”
Although we were conducting the interview by phone, I was still nervous as I waited for her on the line. I had been on TV countless times and worked with numerous celebrities, but there was something intimidating and incredibly special about being interviewed by Maya. Finally, the phone rang. Hello, Chef Jeff,” I replied, hoping she couldn’t sense how nervous I was. Then I heard her incredibly distinct, melodious, and powerful voice— commanding and humble at the same time—and somehow I felt at ease.
Maya started the conversation by telling me about her grandmother and how much she loved and admired her. More than anyone else in her life, Maya felt indebted to her grandmother because she was the person that helped form her deep connection with food. Her intimate descriptions of her grandmother in the kitchen and her food philosophy felt magical to me. She explained how her grandmother always kept a pot of rice on the stove when she was a little girl and what that pot meant to her.
Maya’s memories transported me back in time. My mind raced back to the late 60s and early 70s when my sister and I would visit our grandparents’ home (on 77th Street in Los Angeles) nearly every weekend and on every holiday.
My grandparents’ cooking had its roots in New Orleans, with a bit of Alabama thrown in—where my grandfather, Charles Henderson, was born and raised. Even though we all lived in Los Angeles when I was growing up, what was cooked in my grandparents’ kitchen never really strayed far from their true roots. When we were over for dinner they’d set large platters of crispy fried chicken, chicken ’n’ dumplings, smothered pork chops, stuffed bell peppers, and hot link sandwiches on the table, along with traditional side dishes like slow-cooked collard greens seasoned with ham hocks, lima beans, cabbage cooked with rendered bacon, string beans with salt pork, candied yams, red beans and rice, black-eyed peas, and macaroni and cheese. This type of cooking has been called
“soul food,”
first by African Americans in the United States and finally by others around the world.
Over the decades, soul food has changed in many ways—with even the very name of the cuisine becoming a subject of debate. While few would likely argue that soul food is exclusive to African Americans, the fact that our traditional dishes are now being featured as “Southern cuisine” strikes many as an ironic twist. While many of these foods are commonly prepared in the Southern states, this type of cooking has never been limited to a single region—not during slavery and certainly not today. There are, however, some very unique local versions of the cuisine that do represent African American foodways specific to certain regions, like Low Country cooking that spans the Carolinas, Caribbean soul in Florida, Creole in Louisiana, and so on.
My dining experiences around the country have brought me to the conclusion that every region in America has its own take on soul food. I’ve reached deep into my Louisiana roots for the inspiration that defines my own approach to soul food, which I call Posh Urban Cuisine. It’s a California-French style combined with African American flavors and ingredients. I’m a classically trained chef but my love of Southern cuisine is still an important part of who I am, and that’s why you’ll find a soulful signature on any plate of food that I serve you.