[12] Lizzie McDuffie, a former maid and cook to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, assisted her boss during the 1936 election simply by making the president more relatable to black voters. As soul food, its international history and prominence has made the dish a popular connection for members of the African diaspora, especially those in the US. The bountiful vegetables that were found in Africa, were substituted in dishes down south with new leafy greens consisting of dandelion, turnip, and beet greens. Rice Africans living in America at the time (and since) more than made do with the food choices we had to work with. [11], Introduction of soul food to northern cities such as Washington D.C. also came from private chefs in the White House. Although we don’t know when phrase was first used, Alex Haley used the phrase in his 1965 novel The Autobiography of Malcom X. In 1962, Sylvia Woods opened her eponymous restaurant. Soul food originated in the southern region of the US and is consumed by African-Americans across the nation. With public awareness of black Americans preparing food in the presidential kitchen, this in turn helped to sway minority votes for hopeful presidential candidates such as John F. [6], The origins of recipes considered soul food can be traced back to before slavery, as West African and European foodways were adapted to the environment of the region. The fat of the animals, particularly hogs, was rendered and used for cooking and frying. The 1960s were a time of strong expressions of black cultural identity, and economic and political power. [24], Soul food is frequently found at religious rituals and social events such as funerals, fellowship, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in the Black community. Food has always been a part of culture, it is what brings friends and family together. Its focus on spontaneity in the kitchen—cooking by "vibration" rather than precisely measuring ingredients, as well as "making do" with ingredients on hand—captured the essence of traditional African-American cooking techniques. [12] Many American Presidents have desired French cooking, and have sought after black chefs given their Creole background. Fried chicken has long been a popular staple among African-Americans. Because many cooks could not afford to buy new shortening to replace what they used, they would pour the liquefied cooking grease into a container. This led to time-honored soul food traditions like frying foods, breading meats and fishes with cornmeal, and mixing meats with vegetables (e.g. Soul food is a style of cuisine that is associated with African Americans in the Southern United States It uses a variety of ingredients and cooking styles, some of which are indigenous to Africa and were brought over by enslaved Africans, and others that came from Europe. From their cultures came one of the main staples of the Southern diet: corn (maize), either ground into meal or limed with an alkaline salt to make hominy, in a Native American process known as nixtamalization. Miller compares and contrasts soul food … Whoever loves food should consider soul food because it has a rich history, a diverse selection of dishes, and it has influenced other areas of the culinary world. [18] What meats people ate depended on seasonal availability and geographical region. Some cooks have even adapted recipes to include vegetarian alternatives to traditional ingredients, including tofu and soy-based analogues. The term “Soul Food” was first used in a recorded history of Malcolm X written by Alex Haley in the 1960’s, to which Malcolm X said that soul food “represents southerness and commensality”. “Soul food comes from the soul, so it hits the soul differently.” Today, soul food is much more than food eaten and prepared by Black people. Chicken fried steak (beef deep fried in flour or batter, usually served with gravy).Cracklins: (commonly known as pork rinds and sometimes added to cornbread batter).Fatback (fatty, cured, salted pork used to season meats and vegetables).Fried fish: (any of several varieties of fish whiting, catfish, porgies, bluegills dredged in seasoned cornmeal and deep fried).Fried ice cream: (Ice cream deep frozen and coated with cookies and fried).Grits, often served with fish.Ham hocks (smoked, used to flavor vegetables and legumes).Hog maws (or hog jowls, sliced and usually cooked with chitterlings).Hoghead cheese.Hot sauce (a condiment of cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt, garlic and other spices often used on chitterlings, fried chicken and fish not the same as "Tabasco sauce", which has heat, but little flavor).Lima beans (see butter beans).Macaroni and cheese.Mashed potatoes (usually with butter and condensed milk). 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