As anticipated, Black Food provided me with a lot this month. I learned about new ingredients (baobab powder), learned the history of certain meals (shoebox lunches), and of course, tried some really great recipes.
You Should Buy This Book If…
You’re wondering what “Black Food” means.
You’re interested in food history.
and because it’s Black History Month.
February Cookbook: Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora by Bryant Terry
For my final recipe of the month, I had to try the buttermilk fried chicken (pg. 108). In the book, this recipe is part of the “shoebox lunch” category, complete with the hot kale chips (pg. 110) and the cinnamon roll pound cake (pg. 111). A shoebox lunch was typically carried by Black travelers and featured food that was less likely to spoil or require utensils so they could remain safe on the road. These lunches often included fried chicken, boiled eggs, fruit and vegetables, and pound cake.
“Twentieth-century African American travel culture was profoundly shaped by the historical oppression of Black communities’ rights to free movement. From the 1890s until 1965, Jim Crow segregation laws legitimized the isolation of public spaces, schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants exclusively for white people. For Black travelers, accessing food along journeys was nearly impossible. In response, Black women would arm them with ‘shoebox lunches.’ At times faceless and unsung, these women would find ways to cook delicious meals with limited resources, making a way out of no way.”
I’ve fried chicken once before, but I much preferred this recipe for sure. The 12-hour marinade really made these flavorful with the perfect amount of spice. I won’t be frying up chicken as a regular meal, but it’s a fun weekend treat.
I did feel a little weird closing the month out with a fried chicken recipe given the stereotype. (You know the one.) But it did get me thinking… Where does that stereotype even come from?! I found this NPR article that explains it pretty well.
Thanks for reading, sweeties! 🍎