Food Inspiration

Highlighting the deep heritage of southern cooking

It wasn't until recently that I took the time to dig into the history of Southern cuisine--which stemmed from a trip to the Bahamas where a little pea called Pigeon Peas showed up on a rice dish and I yelled--"Those are the peas my Grandma would cook!" How did this humble pea from the southern U.S. make it to the Bahamas and why was it a staple in this tropical paradise? My curiosity sent me on a journey of researching and learning more about the slave trade and the seeds that Africans brought with them on their tumultuous journey to the US mainland. Benne seeds, field peas, okra, and countless additional foods that so many believe are indigenous to the southern U.S. were truly born in Africa.

To capture this important story, I wanted to include one of Edna Lewis’ cookbooks in this box. Her legacy and way of life, her cooking style of simplicity & soulfulness, combined with the multi-functional use of ingredients is why I enjoy reading her cookbooks. This book in particular highlights so many of the foods I grew up eating in North Carolina, and I often read the recipes, which serve as a peek into the past – taking me back in time to a place where people still connected by sharing food, ingredients, and even recipes. Her foundation recipes allow you to add your own spin, element or ingredient that is regional to your "neck of the woods". And if you aren’t into cooking or food I promise it’s a great read if you just want to hear the voice and stories of someone who loved to make people happy by cooking good food.