The Cooking Gene : A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

A renowned culinary historian offers a fresh perspective on our most divisive cultural issue, race, in this illuminating memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture that traces his ancestry — both black and white — through food, from Africa to America and slavery to freedom. Southern food is integral to the American culinary tradition, yet the question of who "owns" it is one of the most provocative touch points in our ongoing struggles over race. In this unique memoir, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty takes readers to the white-hot centre of this fight, tracing the roots of his own family and the charged politics surrounding the origins of soul food, barbecue, and all Southern cuisine. From the tobacco and rice farms of colonial times to plantation kitchens and backbreaking cotton fields, Twitty tells his family story through the foods that enabled his ancestors’ survival across three centuries. "This book isn't an archive dump – it's a vibrant, emotionally charged work that crackles with vitality and contemporary stories ... The threads are numerous and long, but when woven together into the book, they tell a story of a diaspora with a remarkably deep cultural memory that is enhanced by (and often comprised of) food..." - James Norton, Christian Science MonitorAlong the way, he reveals a truth that is more than skin deep — the power that food has to bring the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders to the table, where they can discover the real America together."Twitty leans hard on the past, yet much of his personality - which shines through these pages — is rooted in his homosexuality and in his conversion to Judaism. Things get extra fascinating when he marches out a brilliant idea for an African-American equivalent of both Passover and Yom Kippur, where we atone for our sins and remember our history by eating gross food from each cuisine." - Max Watman, The New Y Culinary Historian Michael W. Twitty Brings A Fresh Perspective To Our Most Divisive Cultural Issue, Race, In This Illuminating Memoir Of Southern Cuisine And Food Culture That Traces His Ancestry--both Black And White--through Food, From Africa To America And From Slavery To Freedom. Southern Food Is Integral To The American Culinary Tradition, Yet The Question Of Who Owns It Is One Of The Most Provocative Touchpoints In Our Ongoing Struggles Over Race. In This Unique Memoir, Twitty Takes Readers To The White-hot Center Of This Fight, Tracing The Roots Of His Own Family And The Charged Politics Surrounding The Origins Of Soul Food, Barbecue, And All Southern Cuisine. Twitty Travels From The Tobacco And Rice Farms Of Colonial Times To Plantation Kitchens And Backbreaking Cotton Fields To Tell Of The Struggles His Family Faced And How Food Enabled His Ancestors' Survival Across Three Centuries. He Sifts Through Stories, Recipes, Genetic Tests, And Historical Documents, And Visits Civil War Battlefields In Virginia, Synagogues In Alabama, And Black-owned Organic Farms In Georgia. As He Takes Us Through His Ancestral Culinary History, Twitty Suggests That Healing May Come From Embracing The Discomfort Of The South's Past. Along The Way, He Reveals A Truth That Is More Than Skin Deep--the Power Of Food To Bring The Kin Of The Enslaved And Their Former Slaveholders To The Table, Where They Can Discover The Real America Together.--jacket. Preface: The Old South -- No More Whistling Walk For Me -- Hating My Soul -- Mise En Place -- Mishpocheh -- Missing Pieces -- No Nigger Blood -- White Man In The Woodpile -- 0.01 Percent -- Sweet Tooth -- Mothers Of Slaves -- Alma Mater -- Chesapeake Gold -- The Queen -- Adam In The Garden -- Shake Dem 'simmons Down -- All Creatures Of Our G-d And King -- The Devil's Half Acre -- The King's Cuisine -- Crossroads -- The Old Country -- Sankofa. Michael W. Twitty. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 423-437). 2018 James Beard Foundation Book of the Year | 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award Winner inWriting | Nominee for the 2018 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in Nonfiction | #75 on The Root100 2018 A renowned culinary historian offers a fresh perspective on our most divisive cultural issue, race, in this illuminating memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture that traces his ancestry—both black and white—through food, from Africa to America and slavery to freedom. Southern food is integral to the American culinary tradition, yet the question of who "owns" it is one of the most provocative touch points in our ongoing struggles over race. In this unique memoir, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty takes readers to the white-hot center of this fight, tracing the roots of his own family and the charged politics surrounding the origins of soul food, barbecue, and all Southern cuisine. From the tobacco and rice farms of colonial times to plantation kitchens and backbreaking cotton fields, Twitty tells his family story through the foods that enabled his ancestors’ survival across three centuries. He sifts through stories, recipes, genetic tests, and historical documents, and travels from Civil War battlefields in Virginia to synagogues in Alabama to Black-owned organic farms in Georgia. As he takes us through his ancestral culinary history, Twitty suggests that healing may come from embracing the discomfort of the Southern past. Along the way, he reveals a truth that is more than skin deep—the power that food has to bring the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders to the table, where they can discover the real America together. Illustrations by Stephen Crotts A renowned culinary historian offers a fresh perspective on our most divisive cultural issue, race, in this illuminating memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture that traces his ancestry both black and white through food, from Africa to America and slavery to freedom. Southern food is integral to the American culinary tradition, yet the question of who owns it is one of the most provocative touch points in our ongoing struggles over race. In this unique memoir, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty takes readers to the white-hot center of this fight, tracing the roots of his own family and the charged politics surrounding the origins of soul food, barbecue, and all Southern cuisine. From the tobacco and rice farms of colonial times to plantation kitchens and backbreaking cotton fields, Twitty tells his family story through the foods that enabled his ancestors survival across three centuries. He sifts through stories, recipes, genetic tests, and historical documents, and travels from Civil War battlefields in Virginia to synagogues in Alabama to Black-owned organic farms in Georgia. As he takes us through his ancestral culinary history, Twitty suggests that healing may come from embracing the discomfort of the Southern past. Along the way, he reveals a truth that is more than skin deep the power that food has to bring the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders to the table, where they can discover the real America together Southern food is integral to the American culinary tradition, yet the question of who "owns" it is one of the most provocative touchpoints in our ongoing struggles over race. In this unique memoir, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty takes listeners to the white-hot center of this fight, tracing the roots of his own family and the charged politics surrounding the origins of soul food, barbecue, and all Southern cuisine. Twitty travels from the tobacco and rice farms of colonial times to plantation kitchens and backbreaking cotton fields to tell of the struggles his family faced and how food enabled his ancestors' survival across three centuries. He sifts through stories, recipes, genetic tests, and historical documents, and visits Civil War battlefields in Virginia, synagogues in Alabama, and black-owned organic farms in Georgia. As he takes us through his ancestral culinary history, Twitty suggests that healing may come from embracing the discomfort of the South's past. Along the way, he reveals a truth that is more than skin deep-the power of food to bring the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders to the table, where they can discover the real America together. Preface: The Old South No More Whistling Walk for Me Hating My Soul Mise en Place Mishpocheh Missing Pieces No Nigger Blood "White Man in the Woodpile" 0.01 Percent Sweet Tooth Mothers of Slaves Alma Mater Chesapeake Gold The Queen Adam in the Garden Shake Dem 'Simmons Down All Creatures of Our G-d and King The Devil's Half Acre "The King's Cuisine" Crossroads The Old Country Sankofa Author's Note Selected Bibliography. "A memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture that traces the paths of the author's ancestors (black and white) through the crucible of slavery to show its effects on our food today"-- Provided by publisher "First Amistad hardcover published 2017" -- Provided by publisher