Chow-Chow & Soul™

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

I’ve written a few posts about my grandmothers and some of the wonderful dishes they would make. From weekday dinners to holiday meals with all the fixins’ they were talented cooks. As far as we were concerned my maternal grandmother Gonga, was the maven of candied sweets. This was one of the dishes she made […]

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. When Big Mama whipped up a family favorite back in the day, she stirred in plenty […]

The foods that form the basis of soul food go back more than 400 years, but the term soul food is a 20th century creation. This food has a rich and highly flavored history—today’s National Soul Food Month post shares a few thoughts from James Beard Award winner Adrian Miller, whose book “Soul Food” dishes […]

As Black History Month wraps up I want to raise a shot glass of pot likker to greens. Greens are the edible leaves of plants that have provided nourishment for African Americans throughout the ages. Last year I shared that greens were on the hot list, as one of the vegetables getting lots of buzz. […]

As June and National Soul Food Month celebrating the heritage and foodways of African Americans and peoples from the African diaspora wraps up, I’ve cooked, enjoyed and reflected on many of the dishes we’ve come to love as soul food. Greens, cornbread, macaroni and cheese are just a few of the signature foods that I […]

Celebrate Soul Food by Charla L. Draper The month’s celebration is a recent addition to the food calendar and we almost missed it.  It’s officially  in June, but we can enjoy slimming versions of traditional dishes all summer. When Big Mama whipped up a family favorite back in the day, she stirred in plenty of love, […]