Tuesday, August 15, 2006

"Say It Loud!"
















Something has been disturbing me for awhile, about the sometimes lowly image "soul food" connotates in some people's mind whenever they think of the term or the cuisine. Everything from, isn't that only what you people eat? or, what's the big deal about chicken and watermelon? and what makes your soul food so special? has been asked me by patrons in my restaurant and on the street among some folks in my own African American community.
Even some of the images that I place on the walls of my restaurant have been at issue - one in particular which shows the layout of slaves on a slave ship. One person once asked me if I thought it put people off while eating. Look, it is part of my heritage and shows how far we've come as a people - we are survivors. I have never gone into a French or Italian restaurant and thought that about French or Italian scenes on their walls. I have never once thought while placing the order for my fried rice that "it looks entirely too Chinese in here, I can't possibly eat here!"
Soulfood has a rich history, steeped in tradition and quilted in the fabric of America. It is the food that my ancestors (African slaves) developed out of throw away scraps, wilted field greens and left over grain (after most of the livestock had been fed first) Yet from these lowly beginnings, our grandmother's formed a cuisine that was not only delectable and gastronomic genius, but able to sustain generations on very little means, feeding not only your body but your very soul.
I spoke to a young (African American) man in my community one day who said that he was disturbed that in one of the advertisements he saw me in, I was holding a plate of fried chicken in one hand and a watermelon in the other. "Doesn't that give (white) people the wrong image of us?" he asked. "Do you eat fried chicken?" I asked him. "Yes!" he replied. "Do you only sit around and eat it in the dark and in closets?" "What? No man, that's crazy!" he replied. "Of course you don't, and neither do I. And I'll let you in on a not so secret thing, neither does anyone else who comes to my restaurant and eat it - black white or other" I wonder if he would have been taken back by the image of a person of Italian descent eating spaghetti or Mexican eating a burrito. Anyway, he seemed to get it and walked away satisfied of the answer he'd recieved.


We (the African American culture) wouldn't be here without it, and I am thankful to all of those ancestoral master chef's before me. Everytime I step into my kitchen, I think of how far I can push the envelope of what defines Soul Food. Where it has come from and how far I can take it. This passion is about the food, it's a beautiful thing!. If you've ever visted my restaurant and tasted the Watermelon Chardonnay Ice and some Honey Teriyaki, Carribean Jerk or Buttermilk soul wings, you'd wonder why everyone wasn't eating fried chicken and watermelon. So continue to cook well, eat well and be well folks.
If you have some information out there for the hungry minded that read this blog and want to know more about Heritage Cooking or Soul Food Cooking in America, share your favorite books and references with them (and with me too - tell me what you know) It's not a family secret anymore folks - SAY IT LOUD!

3 Comments:

Blogger dirteens said...

Hey there. I've read some very favorable reviews of your cooking online and am hoping to visit your restaurant next time I'm at home in Mpls. Are your new digs open yet? Thanks!

11:16 PM, August 17, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How do you feel about Sylvia's Soul Food? I was in New York recently and ate there. It was alright, but she gets alot of publicity. Is she the best out there, because I really don't have that much experience with eating soulfood. My friend goes to Brooklyn College and kept raving about it.Your restaurant is all over the internet, how does it compare to Sylvia's?

6:56 AM, August 18, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My girlfriends and I have eaten at your establishment several times and we were surpised to see pictures of Aunt Jermima on the walls. But we also saw slave documents on the wall and the paintings of African American singers were great! (My favorite was Eryka Badu) I wish you only had positive pictures on the wall, but your food is good though.

12:24 PM, August 29, 2006  

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