Chow-Chow & Soul™

This year 2020, is one that is literally rewriting the history books. Juneteenth, considered our country’s second Independence Day has long been celebrated by African Americans. However it has largely been unknown to the general population and folks outside of Texas. Juneteenth recognizes the day, post-Civil War that more than 250,000 enslaved African Americans in […]

It’s National Soul Food Month and folks must look toward eating and being healthier. There is greater awareness of the many health challenges faced by African Americans—diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.  We need to increase consumption of many traditional soul foods. The foods are not unhealthy, it’s how we adorn the food […]

When asked about flavor profiles it’s rare to hear folks respond enthusiastically that they “love bitter.” Bitter is one of the four basic tastes that our taste buds identify along with sweet, salty, and sour. Your affinity for bitter is influenced by taste experiences, culture, and environment. Bitter plays several roles—it can signal toxins and something that […]

Leading up to National Soul food Month, I’ve noticed a boom in interest in the food, people, restaurants and foodways of this American cuisine. Shunned years ago, one can now “Google It.” This search produces more than 600,000 entries in seconds; need more info—Google Trends can help you too. I realized soul food was a […]

In wrapping up National Soul Food Month, I hope you’ve eaten your fill and enjoyed it all. I kicked off the month with collard greens, and continued to savor an assortment of savory soul items at the dinner hosted by Big Jones celebrating Chef Todd Richards’s new book Soul. The menu included fresh takes on traditional […]

June is National Soul food Month, celebrating the heritage and history of the foods and foodways of African Americans and peoples from the African diaspora. The culinary contributions of this group had an indelible impact on the American menu. Folks cook and relish so many of the dishes we know as soul food throughout the year, […]

In wrapping up National Soul Food Month, I hope you’ve eaten your fill and enjoyed it all. I kicked off the month with collard greens, and continued to savor an assortment of savory soul items at Sweet Home Café at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Of course I had help […]

It’s National Soul Food Month and folks must look toward eating and being healthier. There is greater awareness of the many health challenges faced by African Americans—diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.  We need to increase consumption of many traditional soul foods. The foods are not unhealthy, it’s how we adorn the food […]

I’ve heard a lot of chatter about soul food and health. Some folks have even banished it from their diets. As a soul food enthusiast and one who celebrates the heritage and history of these foods and their contribution to the American menu, I reached out to a health pro for the 411 to set […]

June is National Soul Food Month. This is the 15th annual celebration of the heritage and foodways of African Americans and peoples from the African diaspora. The yearly recognition grew out of the 2001 Chicago area conference hosted by the Culinary Historians of Chicago. In working on the conference, I realized we needed to celebrate […]