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reasoningdaily · 2 months

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16 Black Innovators Who Changed Food Forever

Macaroni and cheese. Ice cream. French fries. Jack Daniel's whisky. Frozen foods in general.

We wouldn't have any of the above foods, plus many others, were it not for Black food innovators and figureheads that have made significant contributions and altered the way we eat and make food today.

Below are just some of the stories of these incredibly talented and inspiring individuals. Some of these names came from research via the New York Times and Food and Wine, but we've also included historical sourcing and context for each person as well. You can click on their names to view those original pieces.

Nathan "Nearest" Green

Known as "Uncle Nearest," Nathan Green was a skilled distiller who mastered the "Lincoln County" process. This method of distilling is thought by food historians and whiskey experts alike to have been brought in by slaves, and uses charcoal to filter and purify foods. The "Lincoln County" process, in particular, uses sugar maple charcoal to filter bourbon.

Green trained hired hand Jasper Newton Daniel (known to the world as "Jack Daniel") while working on a priest's distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Daniel eventually made him the first master distiller of Jack Daniel's, the famous Tennessee whisky many people drink today.

While Jack Daniel's shares the story of Green on their website, an all minority-led whisky brand named "Uncle Nearest" continues to build upon his legacy with spirits that use the same distilling technique, but feature Green's name on the bottle.

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While Thomas Jefferson is sometimes credited with bringing foods like mac & cheese and ice cream to the United States, Hemings was the one who actually learned to make them. A slave in the ownership of Jefferson prior to his presidency, Hemings traveled with him to France in 1784 specifically to learn the art of French cuisine.

Hemings became the first American trained as a French chef in history as a result, bringing back several dishes to the United States. French fries, ice cream, macaroni and cheese, creme brulee, French meringues, and French whipped cream are just a few examples. These dishes and others would be incorporated in Hemings' signature half-French, half-Virginian style of cooking he became renowned for.

Hemings would later also cook one of the most famous dinners in American history: the one between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton that settled who would pay for the Revolutionary War and established Washington, D.C. as the United States' capital. He eventually was freed by Jefferson in 1796.

Zephyr Wright

Zephyr Wright was the personal chef for President Lyndon B. Johnson and his family for over twenty years. It was her cooking that made the Johnson household a popular one for D.C. dinner parties.

Wright would follow Johnson to the White House during his tenure, and was in charge of the home cooking in the White House kitchen. She would also temporarily cook all meals, including VIP ones, in between the tenures of two White House Executive Chefs.

Wright is thought to have heavily influenced Johnson's support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964,. Wright was known to have spoken up to the President during his time in Congress about the injustices she faced road tripping between Texas and D.C. during congressional recesses, saying that she was not allowed to use the bathroom in areas she was driving through, and couldn't stop off and eat at restaurants. President Johnson reportedly used some of her stories to convince Congress to sign the bill. He would also give her a White House pen when the act was signed into law.

Leah Chase

The Queen of Creole Cuisine, Leah Chase was the heart and soul of Dooky Chase's restaurant in New Orleans across seven decades. Known for her fried chicken, red beans and rice, gumbo, and other classics, Chase started out in the 1940s when she got a job as a server at a restaurant. She eventually took over the helm and made it a safe haven for anyone to come and eat at.

Dooky Chase's was known as one of the few places that it was publicly okay for races to mix at, since the cops wouldn't bother activists inside the restaurant. Thus, leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, including local leaders and national ones like Martin Luther King Jr., would often strategize while eating there.

Chase would go on to serve presidents like Barack Obama and George W. Bush, along with Associate Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and other influential figures. Disney has even made a movie with a character inspired by her: Princess Tiana of Princess and the Frog.

Abby Fisher

Around the early 1880s, Abby Fisher was known for her award-winning pickles and the Mrs. Abby Fisher Pickle Company in San Francisco. She had at least 35 years of cooking experience, some estimates had it, and the awards she won for her food reflected that.

However, Fisher is probably best known for publishing one of the first cookbooks ever authored by an African-American woman. The book, called What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking, contains over 160 recipes and uses the dictated words of Fisher herself.

The cookbook surged in popularity in the late 20th century when a publisher began reprinting it in 1995. Today, it offers a window into these early recipes that places like museums try to recreate for guests to sample.

Edna Lewis

Edna Lewis became a legend while she cooked at Cafe Nicholson in Midtown Manhattan starting in 1949. Her fame and Southern recipes led to guests like Marlon Brando, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Salvador Dali showing up for dinner. After stepping away from the chef's role (as an active partner) in 1952, she would lecture at the American Museum of Natural History while working as a chef and private caterer.

Lewis would later become inspired to write her first cookbook as demand for them grew in 1972. She was one of the first African-American women from the South that would publish a cookbook that did not hide her name, gender, or race. She would go on to publish more in the future, eventually becoming known as the Grand Dame and Grand Doyenne of Southern cooking.

Larry James and Jereline Bethune

The Bethune family, to this day, runs Brenda's Bar-Be-Que Pit in Montgomery, Alabama. Open since 1942, the restaurant would become an important hub for those in the Civil Rights Movement.

After Rosa Parks infamously refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, Larry James and Jereline Bethune were instrumental in using their restaurant to organize bus boycott efforts around the city. As the movement continued and literacy test laws (meant to curtail the Black vote) were introduced, Jereline would also quietly hold lessons teaching other African-Americans how to read. They were then able to pass these literacy tests and go out and vote.

Alfred L. Cralle

Ice cream today would not be the same without the work of Alfred Cralle. Born just after the Civil War, he had an affinity for mechanics as a young age, and would go study at Wayland Seminary, a school set up after the Civil War to educate newly freed African-Americans.

Cralle would go on to work as a porter at a drugstore and a hotel in Philadelphia, and developed the idea of the ice cream scoop while watching people struggle using two different spoons to get the ice cream into cones. Cralle's mechanical inventional, which is the basis of how ice cream scoops work to this day, was invented in 1897.

Cralle would also become a successful promoter of businesses in Philly, and was the assistant manager of the Afro-American Financial, Accumulating, Merchandise, and Business Association in Pittsburgh.

Ever heard the story of how potato chips were invented to spite a customer at a restaurant? George Crum was the chef at said restaurant, the Moon Lake Lodge resort in Saratoga Springs. A customer came in around the summer of 1853 wanting extra-thin French Fries, frustrating Crum to the point he sliced them as thin as possible, fried them in grease, and sent them out.

The chips became a big hit, eventually becoming known as "Saratoga Chips." While Crum never patented the dish, he did open his own restaurant, "Crumbs House," that served a basket of them at every table.

Chips wouldn't become a grocery product until 1895, and the concept of bagged chips didn't show up until 1926.

Joseph Lee was one of the most influential people when it came to industrializing the way we make bread.

Having worked in a bakery from a young age, Lee eventually became the owner of two restaurants in Boston, as well as a hotel and a catering company. Looking to find a way to minimize bread waste, he eventually invented a machine that would convert day-old bread into breadcrumbs. Patented in 1895, he later sold the rights and the breadcrumb maker would spread across the world.

That wasn't Lee's only invention, however. He would later patent the idea for an automatic bread maker that mixed and kneaded the dough, the basis to the same devices (think, stand mixers) that we still use in our kitchens today.

Lloyd Hall is considered to be one of the pioneers in the world of food chemistry. A pharmaceutical chemist for Griffith Laboratories in Chicago who completed graduate school, Hall would be awarded over 100 patents and received multiple honorary doctorate degrees for his work.

Hall's main area of work came around the development of techniques to preserve food. Some of his most revolutionary patents included using "flash-dried" salt crystals that revolutionized meatpacking. He also introduced the use of antioxidants to prevent the spoilage of fats and oils in baked goods, and developed a process known as "Ethylene Oxide Vacugas," which could control the growth of bacteria and molds in food.

John Standard was an inventor instrumental in modernizing two pieces of kitchen equipment that virtually every household has today: stoves and refrigerators.

Refrigeration was a concept that was being researched as early as the 1830s, but mainly focused on using some sort of power. Standard's improvement to the fridge, patented in 1891, was an unpowered design that used a manually filled ice chamber as the central cooling unit.

Standard also made significant upgrades to the oil-powered stove, patenting one with a space-saving design in 1889 that could be used in applications like buffet-style meals on trains.

If you've worked in the food industry or any commercial transportation that required keeping stuff cold, you've likely seen the Thermo King brand somewhere in your lifetime. Frederick McKinley Jones was the founder of that company, and inventor of the first automated refrigerated system for trucks.

A skilled and gifted electrician and mechanic, Jones had patents for sixty different inventions across a wide variety of fields, including the portable X-ray machine, motion picture devices, and even medical storage units.

He's most known for the Thermo King, the refrigerated system he invented, because it allowed for fresh goods from around the world to be transported and sold in stores. Jones is essentially responsible for not just all refrigerated transport globally, but also the entire frozen food industry.

Known as the "Oyster King of New York," Downing was most known for his 19th-century restaurant, Thomas Downing's Oyster House. His oyster hall was legendary, with prominent figures like Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens having dined there.

Downing was born a free man, as his parents were freed by plantation owner John Downing. He grew up and was educated on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, and eventually made his way up to New York following the war of 1812. Like many other African-Americans in New York, Downing eventually went into the oyster business, opening his own oyster cellar in the 1820s.

Oyster cellars were the universal food of New York at the time (similar to hot dogs today), but many establishments weren't as trusted as Downing's. That's because he specifically catering it towards the fine dining clientele, with a large dining area, carpet, and chandeliers gracing the hall. Elaborate dishes like oyster-stuffed turkeys and a pan roast made with wine and chili graced the menu.

This, at the time, meant that African-Americans couldn't eat Downing's restaurant, but few were aware of the double life he led. Downing's basement was a key stop in the Underground Railroad, and as an abolitionist, he helped many that were escaping the South in search of freedom. He also led political efforts, funding schools for African-American children and leading the fight in desegregating New York's trolley system.

Downing was so regarded in New York that when he passed away in 1866, the New York City Chamber of Commerce closed so that its members could attend his funeral.

The sugar industry in the United States has Norbert Rillieux to thank for allowing them to become so powerful. Were it not for his inventions, making sugar would still be a time-consuming and dangerous process.

Originally, the sugar refinement process, known as "The Jamaica Train," was dangerous and expensive. Laborers (usually slaves) would transfer ladles of scalding hot sugar case juice between open boiling kettles, often resulting in scalding and terrible burns (anyone who's worked with sugar knows how painful it can be). The result was a dark syrup that was molded into cones and dried before being sold.

From 1834-1843, Rillieux developed a system for refining and crystallizing sugar using a much safer and controlled method, allowing the United States to eventually dominate the sugar market. His process is still used today for freeze-drying food, pigments, and other food products.

Many people know George Washington Carver for the myriad of products he invented that utilized peanuts or sweet potatoes. As an agricultural scientist working in the South, he was also a man responsible for helping revitalize much of the economy in that region.

Working out of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, Carver was a teacher and a researcher from the late 1890s until his passing in 1943. An early pioneer of crop rotation, he encouraged farmers to plant peanuts in the soil after harvest to replenish lost nutrients, helping farmers improve not just their livelihoods, but their diets as well.

Carver's research and work focused on revitalizing soil and maximizing plant production while keeping costs to a minimum. Outside of agriculture, he was a massive promoter of racial equality, and massive advocate of peanut oil as a potential treatment for polio. While never proven, the claim was widely circulated in media, and eventually turned into a "Peanuts for Polio" fundraising effort that helped raise money for medical care and benefits for children affected with the disease.

Following Carver's passing, then-Senator Harry S. Truman sponsored legislation that would lead to the construction of the George Washington Carver National Monument. It was the first-ever national memorial to an African-American.

#16 Black Innovators Who Changed Food Forever #Black Food #Black Food Innovaters #Food #Black Food Science #Black History #Black LIves Matter #Youtube

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beardedmrbean · 4 months

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“The dangers of capitalism!” MOST OF THESE STORIES ARE ABOUT UNCHECK CORPORATISM, CONSUMERISM, AND MANKIND HURBIS YOU FUCKING IDIOTS

Sorry the angry black youth, I don’t want to be like it. But the capitalism complaints

Hmm let me check my own history

Oh chattel slavery, where my ancestors (my dad side of the family did the research) were forced to breed starting around 13

And some cases younger?

Yeah I’m saying with Amazon warehouse

Also I support working rights and all, but when u check a lot of ceos and executives working at these big companies pasts

These mfs were never hugged as kids and I can see they are embodiment of the daycare kid

Because I totally trust communism…wait modern commies online treats me like a fictional character

Also this idea

Commies: Non whites can never succeed in American capitalism!

Me: So what about this black woman who restaurant became a safe house for civil rights activists and her story inspired the creation of Disney black princess Tiana? https://travelnoire.com/dooky-chases-the-black-owned-restaurant-that-inspired-disneys-princess-and-the-frog

Commies: Um that don’t count

Benevolent racism combined with 'the soft bigotry of lowered expectations'

Be nice if instead of just riding the waves laid out taking the easy path handed to them folks would go and excel, but the motivation has been killed for a lot of people that see everything in life as a bummer and don't think that it will get any better.

(people not paying their student loans are in there, nah I'm not going to need good credit anyhow not like I'll ever buy a house. Dummies)

Robert Frederick Smith

I remember when this guy paid off the student loans for that graduating class, was a great big of charity.

His grandparents helped make it possible for his parents to keep pushing and bam the Richest Black Man in the US shows up with a pretty humble lineage. _______________________

Maybe folks should challenge people instead of coddling them, meritocracy is alive and well and waiting for anyone that wants to take advantage of it.

which might be why certain groups are so dead set on killing it off, look what's happened with professional sports after all, maybe they're afraid of being replaced in the office the way they were on the basketball court.

I say let the best person for the job do the job

#anonymous

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appro880 · 1 year

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World Famous!

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adventuressclubamericas · 5 months

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New Orleans Dish of the Month for November - Oyster Dressing No Big Easy Thanksgiving table would be complete with dressing. While there are several types to choose from, you can’t go wrong with a classic New Orleans oyster dressing, like this one from the late Chef Leah Chase of Dooky Chase’s restaurant.

#miss fisher's murder mysteries #mfmm #miss fisher con #missfishercon #miss fisher and the crypt of tears #the adventuresses’ club of the americas #phryne fisher #ms fisher's modern murder mysteries #peregrine fisher #new orleans #nola #big easy #thanksgiving #oysters #oyster dressing #new orleans food #new orleans cuisine

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femmchantress · 2 years

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Do u have any good recs for places to eat and/or do gay shit in New Orleans? My partner and I are taking a trip there soon and wanted to make the most of it

Ooh! Yes!!

So some great places to eat:

Cafe Abyssinia (little family run Ethiopian restaurant on Magazine St)

Ba Chi Canteen (trendy Vietnamese place, I recommend getting a couple "bacos")

Dat Dog (a fun place with a couple locations that focuses on variations of hotdogs and sausages, but like, scaled up?? They have gator meat - it's really good)

Dooky Chase (if you have the time and don't mind the crowd, it's the most classic and institutional New Orleans restaurant there is; just wonderfully made, authentic New Orleans Creole food)

Bacchanal (it's a small-plates wine bar down in the Bywater, my roommate works here and all things considered it's really great)

As for things to do, I'm not the best authority on that, but some ideas I have are:

Go to one of the town's bookstores (Blue Cypress on Oak St; Octavia Books on... Octavia; Arcadian Books on Orleans in the French Quarter)

If you don't mind being forever branded a tourist, the ghost tours are actually quite fun

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) and city park (right next to it) are both beautiful and great places to spend time. City park has a little lake that you can rent swan boats to go paddle on.

We've got a handful of pretty well-known gay bars, Oz (very touristy, but undeniably gay), the Page (it's alright), Corner Pocket (has twinks dancing in thongs), Golden Lantern (comparatively chill, has good drag shows, crowd's usually pretty alright), Cafe Lafitte in Exile (one of if not the oldest gay bar in the country, but not particularly that fun), QiQi (cozy and small, not located in the quarter lol), there's more that I can't remember lol

If you like local bands/shows, Gasa Gasa on Freret St is a fun place for that crunchy vibe

Idk hon I'm really boring

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foodtellsastory · 1 year

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#video #al roker #black history #black chefs #restaurants

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samsdisneydiary · 6 days

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Leah Chase inspired Princess Tiana, Her Family Received a Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Surprise

Our friends at Disney Parks Blog just shared details behind Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and an inspiration family. What do Princess Tiana and Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans have in common? Well, a lot more than you might think — and not just because both stories start down in New Orleans. Legendary chef Leah Chase, former owner and operator of Dooky Chase’s, had a vision to give back to her…

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gourmetgoober · 2 months

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Celebrating Women of Color in Food Culture for International Women's Day.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, it's essential to reflect on the incredible contributions women have made to culinary history. In particular, we honor the trailblazing women of color who have shaped food culture and left a lasting impact on the world of cuisine. From chefs and entrepreneurs to activists and writers, these women have broken barriers, challenged stereotypes, and inspired generations. Let's take a moment to celebrate their stories.

One such pioneer is Edna Lewis, often called the "Grand Dame" of Southern cooking. Born in Freetown, Virginia, in 1916, Lewis grew up deeply appreciating fresh, seasonal ingredients and traditional Southern cooking techniques. She became a renowned chef, cookbook author, and culinary educator, preserving and sharing the rich culinary heritage of the American South. Her book, "The Taste of Country Cooking," is considered a classic and has inspired countless chefs and home cooks alike.

Another iconic figure is Leah Chase, the "Queen of Creole Cuisine." Chase was the chef and co-owner of Dooky Chase's Restaurant in New Orleans, a gathering place for artists, activists, and politicians during the Civil Rights Movement. Through her cooking, Chase celebrated the flavors of Creole cuisine while using her restaurant as a platform for social change, making it a safe space for African Americans to dine together during segregation.

In the realm of food activism, we find the inspiring story of LaDonna Redmond. Redmond is a food justice activist and advocate for urban agriculture and community-led food systems. She has worked tirelessly to address food insecurity and inequity, particularly in historically marginalized communities. Her work demonstrates the power of food as a tool for social change.

Turning our attention to the world of food media, we must recognize the contributions of Pati Jinich. Jinich is a Mexican-American chef, cookbook author, and host of the PBS series "Pati's Mexican Table." Throughout her work, Jinich celebrates Mexico's vibrant flavors and culinary traditions, introducing audiences worldwide to the richness of Mexican cuisine. She has received numerous accolades for her work, including a James Beard Award for Best Television Program, and continues to inspire home cooks with her accessible recipes and warm personality.

These are just a few examples of the remarkable women of color who have impacted fine dining. Their stories remind us of the importance of representation in the food world and inspire us to continue celebrating and honoring the contributions of women everywhere. Cheers to their legacy, and may their stories continue to inspire future generations of chefs, food activists, and culinary enthusiasts alike.

#chicago #nwindiana #foodie #dope black podcasts #foodie podcasts #Leah Chase #Pati Jinich #Food activism #foodindustry #Food culture

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imarketer4udma-blog · 9 months

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NETWORKING TRIP THROUGH THE USA: PARTNERSHIPS IN NEW ORLEANS

Our CEO, Oleksandr Yaremenko, recently visited New Orleans as part of a business trip across the United States. During our time in this amazing city, we had one main goal: to find new partnerships and build relationships with local businesses. New Orleans is known for its lively culture and strong entrepreneurial atmosphere, making it a perfect place for our agency to grow and work together with others.

FIRST STOP: MEETING WITH OUR KEY CLIENT

Alex quickly got down to business, fully aware of the importance of the vital meeting we had scheduled with one of our valued clients in the medical field. During the discussion, we focused on our business progress, carefully examining our previous marketing approaches and their results. Together, we mapped out a clear plan for future expansion. Sharing thoughts and knowledge played a crucial role in reinforcing our partnership and setting the stage for a fruitful collaboration in the months ahead.

BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE: VISITING A RESTAURANT AND EXPANDING THE NETWORK OF PARTNERSHIPS

Something incredible happened during our time in New Orleans. Our client introduced Alex, our CEO, to a well-known individual who owned a famous chain of restaurants in the city, “Dooky Chase Restaurant”. This unexpected meeting presented us with exciting possibilities for expanding our business. Alex took the opportunity to explore potential partnerships and openings within the flourishing culinary landscape of New Orleans. Combining business with pleasure not only strengthened our professional relationships but also demonstrated the remarkable impact of networking.

FOR DESSERT – EXPLORING THE CULTURAL GEMS

After accomplishing some remarkable goals, our team decided it was time to reward ourselves with a delightful treat. During the exploration, Alexander stumbled upon a charming bookstore with a cozy café, the perfect place to indulge in their love for literature while savoring a cup of coffee. Alongside this literary adventure, Alex also took the opportunity to visit famous landmarks that showcased the city’s rich history. It was a chance to soak up the vibrant atmosphere and truly understand the spirit of New Orleans. To complete the journey, he paid a visit to a local church, allowing for a moment of reflection and a deep appreciation of the city’s spiritual heritage.

ANTICIPATING THE FUTURE: IM4U’S UPCOMING BUSINESS TRIP

As our CEO, Oleksandr Yaremenko can’t help but feel excited about the adventures that lie ahead. The productive meetings with clients and the partnership opportunities in the city have set the stage for a successful journey across the United States. IM4U digital marketing agency team is prepared to form new alliances, excel in digital marketing, and make a lasting impact on the dynamic markets they encounter.

The future holds great promise as Alex continues his trip, armed with inspiration and a commitment to transforming businesses through innovative digital strategies. Our next city is San Diego, and our team feels excited about our plans there. We are going to meet with two of our clients, create a marketing plan and conduct a presentation on how to start your own business.

You can contact IM4U Digital Agency today and let’s explore the possibilities of a productive partnership. Reach out to us now to discuss how our expertise in digital marketing can drive your success and help you achieve your goals.

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rjredfield · 2 years

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#DaddyRJRedfield #DaddyRJRedfieldVault69 #NewOrleans #Louisiana #DookyChase #Lunch (at Dooky Chase's Restaurant) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChsFkHkuQgq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#daddyrjredfield #daddyrjredfieldvault69 #neworleans #louisiana #dookychase #lunch

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reasoningdaily · 2 months

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Jessica B. Harris's Guide to Black Culinary History | Bon Appétit

Jessica B. Harris, Dawn Davis

Bahia, Brooklyn, New Orleans, Martha’s Vineyard, and Paris are the places she’s called home. Erudite, wickedly funny, and droll describe her personality. Who are we talking about?

None other than the culinary historian Jessica B. Harris, Ph.D.—founding member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a professional society championing women in culinary fields, an award-winning journalist, podcaster, and author of over a dozen deeply researched books and too many articles to count. (If you’re looking for something that goes down like butter, check out her memoir, My Soul Looks Back, filled with tales about her adventures in New York’s Greenwich Village with friends James Baldwin and Maya Angelou.)

As the foremost expert on the foodways of the African diaspora, there’s no better (or wittier) guide to Black culinary traditions. Here, she shares with us a few of the dishes, books, and ingredients she finds essential to unpacking this long, rich, and ever-evolving history. —Dawn Davis, editor in chief

Photo by Suzi Pratt

Try the Homestyle Favorites

Chef Edouardo Jordan’s JuneBaby restaurant in Seattle is an edible praise song to the genius of African American cooks. The menu offers classic dishes like fried chicken and greens along with specials—like chitlins and Momma Jordan’s oxtails—not usually tasted outside of home kitchens.

Tour the Archives

Toni Tipton-Martin’s The Jemima Code reclaims and celebrates the heritage of Black America’s controversial “aunt” by documenting 200 years of African American cookbooks from her personal collection. Familiar figures such as Edna Lewis show up alongside unexpected personalities such as activist Bobby Seale and singer Mahalia Jackson in this must-own compendium.

Photo by Emma Fishman

Eat Like an Icon

The late New Orleans chef Leah Chase served Gumbo z’Herbes once a year on Holy Thursday. The dense green meaty gumbo is essential to the rich culinary history of the area’s Creoles de couleur. It’s still served annually at Dooky Chase’s, her iconic family restaurant.

Photo Courtesy Cuisine Noir/Ilaria Sponda

Required Reading

Two invaluable resources for those who want to deepen their knowledge: Black Culinary History and Cuisine Noir. Both websites preserve and promote the past and present contributions of chefs of color throughout the African diaspora.

For The Bucket List

The food of São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos in northeastern Brazil is a linchpin between the food of western Africa and that of the Western Hemisphere. To taste a fish stew called a moqueca or nibble on an acarajé, a street food bean fritter, is to understand the connections.

Photo by Mike Lorrig

More Okra, Please

Okra, which originated on the African continent, is a love/hate vegetable. Its detractors hate the “slime” and the lovers delight in the way it thickens a soup or stew and its crunch when blanched. Get recipes, history, and gardening tips, in The Whole Okra by Chris Smith.

Photo from Vintage Postcards From the African World: In the Dignity of Their Work and the Joy of Their Play by Jessica B Harris,, University Press of Mississippi

Share Knowledge

You can find incredible images of African Americans and food on vintage postcards in my latest book, Vintage Postcards from the African World. They not only present the faces of ancestors but also tell amazing, often harrowing, stories of survival and triumph over adversity.

#Jessica B. Harris's Guide to Black Culinary History #Black Culinarians #Black Cooking #Black Foodies #soul food

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