A Culinary Cookbook Celebration of Black History
Yay! It’s Black History Month! I am thrilled to contribute to this celebratory time by honoring those who have placed their mark in history in the arena of the culinary arts! Many of us have had the joy and privilege to have elders and peers who are masters in their kitchens to cook for us and bring sheer delight to our palates. They have inspired us and given us the tools of the trade to be the best in our own kitchens and beyond. For that, I am eternally grateful!
February is a special month for Black History. I hear people say all the time, in a joking and serious tone, that we got the shortest month in the year to celebrate. The issue with this statement is that we don’t know our own history! So let me share with you a couple of facts below... ;)
Carter G. Woodson, who is the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, created Negro History Week in 1926, which was the precursor to Black History Month! Negro History Week was held the second week of February in order to celebrate the birthdays of two key figures celebrated by the Black community in the 1800s. They were Abraham Lincoln on February 12th and Frederick Douglass on February 20th. Fast forward to 1970, where Black educators and students at Kent State University held the inaugural celebration of Black History Month! After a few years, the celebrations took off like wildfire across the country. In 1976, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month during the important celebration of the United States Bicentennial. There he stated with a call to the American public to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." Black history is American history and I’m so thankful for this beautiful month of February!
This year I’m going to share with you some of my favorite Black cookbooks that have significant meaning to my life and the culture as a whole. First up is The Ebony Cookbook, which was a gift from my Great Grandma who saw me dabbling in the kitchen as a teenager. This book is by Ebony Magazine’s renowned food editor Freda DeKnight and its origins are from her monthly feature called “A Date with a Dish.” Next up is Creole Feast, which is a gem of a cookbook due to it being an anthology of 15 master chefs from New Orleans. I found this book in a cute vintage shop in Durham, North Carolina and I didn’t realize the gold I had in my hands until years later. Lastly, The Taste of Country Cooking by the illustrious Edna Lewis. This cookbook is beloved by many and it was a birthday gift given to me by my dear sisters Rushyannah and Lacy. It is special because it is written in a unique format that tells her family’s stories of food through seasonal menus while living in Freetown, Virginia. This community received its name due to its residents being freed from chattel slavery and they wanted to live in a place that reflected their new life.
What you’re going to experience is a taste of historical background from each book. Next, I will select a foundational recipe that I will, in turn, use to create a new dish! This is my way of honoring and extending the legacy of these amazing pillars and their recipes in the culinary arts. I look forward to you all joining me on this journey of black culinary history. Take care of yourselves, love each other and I’ll see you soon with the first post from The Ebony Cookbook!
-Shari :)
P.S. Be sure to tune into my Instagram Stories where I’ll be reading a few excerpts as well as sharing behind the scenes moments of cooking and more during this celebratory time!
