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Soul Food: A Black American Cuisine

Baked macaroni and cheese, candied yams, collard greens, smothered chicken, fried chicken, fried fish, oxtails, ham hocks, okra, jambalaya, dirty rice, gumbo, cornbread, shrimp and grits etc... the possibilities are endless when it comes to down this ethnic cuisine.

Originating in the American South amongst enslaved Africans this cuisine combines West African, Central African, Western European, and Indigenous cuisine of the Americas. Having to survive off of inadequate provisions and trying to preserve their traditional recipes, enslaved peoples laid the groundwork for soul food. "Soul" is used to describe African-American culture and its' people as a whole, the term gained popularity in the 1960s. Initially soul food was looked down upon and wasn't respected in the North amongst other Black communities it garnered attention due to the Great Migration and has since become a staple in most households. From Sunday church gatherings to backyard barbecues (cookouts) to dinner tables to restaurant menus, this cuisine has become a symbol of cultural pride and perseverance.

Truly food from the soul.

Cornbread, greens, mac and cheese, yams and fried chicken.

Soul food is closely associated with the Southern cuisine of the United States. There are a few different versions of soul food, you can have it Creole, Cajun or Gullah style; just like most dishes it depends on the region.

Jambalaya and Louisiana seafood gumbo

Spaghetti and catfish

"Soul food historian Adrian Miller said the difference between soul food and Southern food is that soul food is intensely seasoned and uses a variety of meats to add flavor to food and adds a variety of spicy and savory sauces. These spicy and savory sauces add robust flavor. This method of preparation was influenced by West African cuisine where West Africans create sauces to add flavor and spice to their food. Black Americans also add sugar to make cornbread, while "white southerners say when you put sugar in corn bread, it becomes cake"[9]. European immigrants seasoned and flavored their food using salt, pepper, and spices. African Americans add more spices, and hot and sweet sauces to increase the spiciness, or heat of their food.[10] Bob Jeffries, the author of Soul Food Cookbook, said the difference between soul food and Southern food is: "While all soul food is Southern food, not all Southern food is soul. Soul food cooking is an example of how really good Southern [African-American] cooks cooked with what they had available to them."[11] - Sourced from Wikipedia

June is National Soul Food Month.

Red Drink aka Liquid Soul

Red drink is derived from West Africa's hibiscus tea called bissap. The plant's flower petals are brewed resulting in a cranberry-red to magenta-purple color, depending upon dried or fresh petals being used. Kola is another one that's brewed using kola nuts. Bissap and red kola nut brew are hospitality drinks that can still be found in West Africa to this day. Jamaicans also have a similar drink called sorrel.

Like with soul food African-Americans created an adaption from their homeland's drink. Red lemonade was popular in the 1870s-1880s, coloring the beverage with fruits like cherries and strawberries; then red soda in the 1890s and finally powdered drinks such as Poly Pop and Kool-Aid in the 1920s. Just like bissap or red kola nut brew, liquid soul is our hospitality drink. Whenever there's a gathering you can almost bet this beverage will be there. It doesn't matter the flavors or drink type just as long as it's red.

"What exactly do I mean by “red drink?” Well, in soul-food culture, red is not just a color, it’s also a flavor. We soul-food aficionados don’t get caught up in describing a drink as “cherry,” “strawberry,” or “tropical punch,” and we don’t say it has “hints of cranberry.” It’s just “red.” Red drinks have such a special cultural resonance that whenever African Americans gather together, there’s usually a red drink in the mix. In short, it’s liquid soul." -Soul Food Scholar, Adrian Miller

Writing this piece has been enlightening and entertaining; my goal is to showcase our ethnic cuisine and give some history behind it for a better understanding for Black History Month. There is so much more to soul food history that I would be here all day if I wrote it out. I also love to find similarities among the diaspora. Our jambalaya rice is similar to West Africa's jollof rice, our gumbo is similar to West Africa's okra soup. Red drink is also referred to as "red drank" in some areas, here in Detroit we prefer Faygo red sodas (pop), but in the South they prefer Big Red. "Red, in many West African cultures, is a symbol of strength, spirituality, and life and death, according to historians."

I would like everyone to list their favorite cultural meal in the comments below and their favorite drink along with it. Thanks for reading!

Source 1. Source 2. Source 3. Source 4. Source 5.

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🖤❤️💚 Happy Juneteenth!

To all my Black African Americans — we ARE the mfn blueprint. From rhythm to resilience, from style to soul, from struggle to supreme strength — our legacy is unmatched and undeniable.

Today we honor the freedom they tried to delay but could never deny.

Celebrate. Rest. Dance. Reflect. Shine.

Because we been that. Still that. Always that.

#Juneteenth #BlackExcellence #WeTheBlueprint

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African American Southern 🤎

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Locked In 🔐

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We smiled while the house screamed.

Brick by brick, the past burned.

What they built on our backs, we turned to ash—

and danced in the glow of our becoming

One down more to go ‼️🔥🤎

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African American Easter Tings

Happy Easter 🐰

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Hello everyone I am taking a much needed break from all my socials 🤎

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Summa Wya

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Happy Birthday to me 🫶🏽🤎

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Welcome Aries Season 🔥

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THIS

Also make sure that he has a heart of gold

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A Raisin in the Sun

First Play by a Black Woman to be produced on Boardway - Lorraine Hansberry 1930-1965

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Happy International Women's Day

Happy Black History 🖤✊🏿

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Happy Women's Day🤎

Happy Black History ✊🏿 🖤

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Black R&B Singers Part2

Isley Brothers -Living

Aretha Franklin 1942-2018

Barry White 1944-2003

Whitney Houston 1963-2012

Bobby Womack 1944-2014

Minnie Riperton 1947-1979

Earth, Wind, and Fire -Living

Lisa Fisher -Living

Rest in peace

Maurice White (earth wind and fire )1941-2016

Fred White (Earth Wind and Fire) 1955-2023

Roland Bautista (Earth Wind and Fire) 1951-2012

Chris Jasper (Isley Brothers ) 1951-2025

Rudolph Isley (Isley Brothers) 1939-2023

Marvin Isley (Isley Brothers) 1953-2010

O'Kelly Isley (Isley Brothers) 1937-1986

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Roy Ayers 1940-2025

Rest peacefully Sunshine

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Black R&B Singers Part1

Music that speaks to the soul

Al Green-Living

Patti Labelle -Living

Ojays -living

Rose Royce -living

Latimore -living

The Emotions -living

Maze & Frankie Beverly living

Jean Knight 1943-2023

Rest in peace

Pamela Hutchinson 1958-2020 (The Emotions )

Frankie Beverly 1976-2024 (Maze & Frankie Beverly )