Controlling the Food Journey
Volume 1, No. 31
I am in my hometown, Detroit, this weekend. Yay!!! I hope to have enough time to stop by the Eastern Market. It is one of the things I miss most about home. It is one of the best farmers markets in the country. It is great to be able to talk to farmers and know more about where your food comes from and how it is grown. There is nothing like being an informed consumer.
I have been thinking about the saying. "Control the controllables." I realized that the only thing we control are our decisions both proactively and reactions. We don't control the people in our lives even children because they have to decide to love us and/or submit to our authority/leadership. Money is not controllable because its value is based on the value the collective gives it. Lately when I find myself trying to control something or someone, I flip the perspective and ask myself on what decision/s do I need to make to add value .
“What value are you adding to yourself and those in your circle of influence?”
HEALTH HAVEN - JOURNEY OF FOOD (PART 5 OF 5)
Black cooking in the U.S. varies significantly across regions, shaped by migration, local ingredients, and cultural blending. In the South, the heart of African American cuisine, soul food—rooted in West African, Native American, and European traditions—includes staples like fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread, and gumbo. The Northeast, influenced by urbanization, adapted Southern dishes with local ingredients and processed foods, while integrating flavors from immigrant communities. In the Midwest, Black cooking reflects the region’s agricultural richness, featuring barbecue, dairy, and grains, with a reliance on canned goods in food deserts.
The Southwest combines African American dishes with Mexican and Indigenous influences, using chili peppers, beans, and tortillas alongside Southern staples like barbecue and fried chicken. On the West Coast, fresh produce and health-conscious culture lead to innovative takes on soul food, with lighter, plant-based variations and fusion dishes incorporating Asian and Mexican flavors. Across regions, Black cooking reflects the resilience and creativity of African American communities, adapting traditional dishes to new environments while maintaining cultural heritage.
HERSTORIES: DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS (1948 – )
Jessica B. Harris is a renowned culinary historian, professor emerita, and award-winning author who has greatly contributed to the understanding of African diaspora foodways. Born in Queens, New York, in 1948, Harris developed a passion for culture and history early on. She earned degrees in French and later a Ph.D. from New York University, with studies in Paris and West Africa that helped shape her career.
Harris taught for 50 years at Queens College, City University of New York, while also working as a journalist and food writer. Her expertise in African American culinary traditions led her to write 15 books, including High on the Hog, which was adapted into a popular Netflix series in 2021. Harris has twice won James Beard Foundation Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, and was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2021.
In addition to her writing, Harris has been a guest on numerous television programs and continues to share her expertise through her monthly radio show, My Welcome Table. Her work highlights the deep connections between food, culture, and history, making her a pivotal figure in documenting and celebrating African American culinary traditions.Jessica B. Harris is a renowned culinary historian, professor emerita, and award-winning author who has greatly contributed to the understanding of African diaspora foodways. Born in Queens, New York, in 1948, Harris developed a passion for culture and history early on. She earned degrees in French and later a Ph.D. from New York University, with studies in Paris and West Africa that helped shape her career.
Harris taught for 50 years at Queens College, City University of New York, while also working as a journalist and food writer. Her expertise in African American culinary traditions led her to write 15 books, including High on the Hog, which was adapted into a popular Netflix series in 2021. Harris has twice won James Beard Foundation Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, and was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2021.
In addition to her writing, Harris has been a guest on numerous television programs and continues to share her expertise through her monthly radio show, My Welcome Table. Her work highlights the deep connections between food, culture, and history, making her a pivotal figure in documenting and celebrating African American culinary traditions.
THE ORIGIN OF SAYINGS
“He/she is no spring chicken” — Unknown
The phrase originated in the 1700s. Meat was prominent and eaten only on the weekends and special occasions, . Originally fried chicken was only eaten once a year in the springtime. Chickens born in the spring were more profitable than older chickens that had survived the winter. When farmers tried to sell the older chickens as “new spring born,” buyers would complain that they were “no spring chicken". Those chickens were many times given to slaves and poorer whites because they could not be sold. The slaves considered the birds old yet the meat was still tender enough to eat.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I wouldn’t romanticize slavery at all, but there is joy in resilience, in building generational skill, in having ownership of the food, cooking, cultivating, and acumen of the land.”
Until next time.....remember use your voice and document your stories because they matter!
