In THRONES, I suggested that Africans had an enormous influence on all aspects of Southern society, music, language, and humor but nowhere more than the transformation of the plantation table. What we today call “Southern cuisine” and “Soul Food” have much in common. Both are the result of African ingredients and African cooks.
The oldest known published cookbook The Virginia Housewife written by a highly regarded cook from Richmond, Mrs. Mary Randolph (1842), was followed 7 years later by The Carolina House-wife by Sarah Rutledge (1849). A very rare book that gives insight into African cooking is The House Servant's Directory (1827) by Roberts. Two other guides of that era are Hotel Keepers, Head Waiters, and Housekeeper's Guide (1848) by Campbell and much later, What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking (1881).
Much of the South followed the English tradition of late large breakfast, an extravagant dinner from 2:30 to 4 consisting of multiple roasts, vegetables, seafood, cheeses and sweets. Supper was served at 9 of an assortment of lighter foods such as battered eggs, oysters and fruit.
Yams were a primary source of food in Africa, and brought to the eastern seaboard by blacks along with melon, sorghum, limes, peanuts, sesame seed, okra, and millet. Corn, pork, beans, and rice were staples of both whites and blacks, though in different proportions.
Planters distributed staples to the quarters but also encouraged Africans to plant gardens. If Africans were fortunate enough to work by the job; those who completed the task early had additional time to, fish, and hunt, or forage for wild greens and berries. Sunday was devoted gardening, socializing, and working on their own projects and probably more elaborate meals.
In the big house, oysters were such a constant source of food that all along the seaboard, walkways were composed of crushed oyster shells. It is reported that Landon Carter of Sabine Hall harvested 20 bushels at a time, some reserved for “sauces of all kinds.” A planter’s family also had an abundance of prime cuts of pork, breads, preserves, bacon, and coffee or tea sweetened with sugar or molasses, and custards. In tradition with British culinary taste, nearly every dish was served with a sauce. Mary Randolph wrote of butter sauce, “Nothing is more simple than this process, and nothing so generally done badly.”
Archaeological digs give evidence of a variety of grains, seeds and pits that indicate transplanted Africans ate much of the same food they had always eaten: yams, okra, corn, rice, beans and leafy greens, roots, squash and fruit.
Ironically, Frederick Law Olmsted’s view was that the slaves might be eating a healthier diet than those they served. A planter told him, “those fed on three-quarters of a pound of bread and bacon are more prone to disease than if with less meat but with vegetables.” Seaboard Slave States
The quantities and ingredients varied, African women cooked for themselves in the quarters and for whites in the big house, using the same general staples and techniques for both. In doing so, they permanently recreated the plantation table, that resulted not only the famous “Southern Cuisine,” but the most satisfying succulent combinations that became known as “Soul Food.”
Though modern recipes for Soul Food can be found in abundance, few “recipes” for the earliest African American cooking are known to exist and even those are vague with unusual measurements. Below, I have gathered outlines for some of the earliest known preparations from antique journals, letters, Southern literature and those early cookbooks.
Cracklin’ Bread
(Cracklin’s are pieces of fried out hog fat
Soak cracklin’s in warm water until soft. Mash with cornmeal and salt. Bake in crockery or iron pan until brown.
Coffee
Boil rye without bursting it. Parch in sun. Use like coffee beans.
Coffee II
Toast cornmeal, add water. Boil well.
Coffee was also made of roast ground peanuts, acorns, potato and ground dandelion root.
Tea
Dried leaves of blackberry, huckleberry or holly, or scorched red root. Hot water added.
Vinegar
Vinegar was most frequently made from molasses.
Place molasses in jug or crock with four times the amount in water. Let stand for 2 or 3 months. It was also made with figs, persimmons, beets, or sorghum.
Greens
Wash greens then soak with salt to rid them of insects. Drain and replace water and salt. Boil. Drain. Return to fire with salt and pepper or vinegar. Drop in chunk of butter, until melted.
Peas and Rice
Soak black-eyed peas overnight. Boil. Season with salt and pepper, Pour on rice.
A Famous Variation - Hoppin’ John
Still made by 21st Century Southern Cooks
Soak and boil black-eyed peas or Carolina red cow peas with a hog joint. Fry out bacon fat with onion and garlic; add water and rice, slow boil until done. Add beans and any meat from joint.
Leavening
Burn corn cobs (preferably red cobs). Gather the ashes and place in a jug with water added according to the quantity of ashes. Use a spoonful or two with flour or meal to make bread.
Gumbo
Gumbo may be the most original food handed down from earliest African Americans.
Gumbo is the African word for a popular staple, okra. Recipes with precise ingredients can be found in many modern cookbooks but all require meat, seafood or poultry and common ingredients in varying quantities.
Boil okra. Set aside.
Melt butter with similar amount of flour, stirring until light brown. Set aside.
Fry celery, green pepper and garlic in lard, oil or butter until tender. Add tomatoes, and stock or water to make broth and boil about half an hour. Stir butter flour mixture into broth.
Add meat or seafood, pre-cooked okra with its broth, bay leaves and any other herbs. Add hot peppers if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Sassafras is a customary Louisiana addition, called file today. If using, remove small amount of liquid and stir in file, until well blended. Return to gumbo. Serve as soup or pour over cooked rice.
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