Hog and Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America

Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History

by Frederick Douglass Opie

Frederick Douglass Opie deconstructs and compares the foodways of people of African descent throughout the Americas, interprets the health legacies of black culinary traditions, and explains the concept of soul itself, revealing soul food to be an amalgamation of West and Central African social and cultural influences as well as the adaptations blacks made to the conditions of slavery and freedom in the Americas.

Sampling from travel accounts, periodicals, government reports on food and diet, and interviews with more than thirty people born before 1945, Opie reconstructs an interrelated history of Moorish influence on the Iberian Peninsula, the African slave trade, slavery in the Americas, the emergence of Jim Crow, the Great Migration, the Great Depression, and the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. His grassroots approach reveals the global origins of soul food, the forces that shaped its development, and the distinctive cultural collaborations that occurred among Africans, Asians, Europeans, and Americans throughout history. Opie shows how food can be an indicator of social position, a site of community building and cultural identity, and a juncture at which different cultural traditions can develop and impact the collective health of a community.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, History, Food History, African American, Cookbooks, Food Writing

238 pages, Hardcover

First published October 27, 2008

Reviews

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opie examines the history of Soul Food and establishes the heart of African American foodways as more than just southern food but the essence of a people that have overcome adversity and hardships in a sometimes unforgiving nation. Opie follows a culinary chronology of African food and its preparation brought to America and embraced by the enslaved. These dishes and meals made their way into white society in the South as enslaved house cooks began to add an African influence to the dishes they served. Soul food eventually made its way to the North during the Great Migration, and its influence spread throughout the nation during the Depression as Americans sought for inexpensive ways to feed their family. It contributed to the African Diaspora in the age of Jim Crow and civil rights.

Today, soul food is identified as a type of southern African American cuisine and is often considered unhealthy. Opie examines how African American foodways have harmed the health of Black Americans. Modern culinary trends have chefs seeking to reinvent old soul food recipes into new, healthful dishes and spotlight the flavors, essence, and soul of the now not-so-regional cuisine.

Each chapter of this book focuses on a specific era of Black history in the United States, from the transatlantic slave trade to the Jim Crow era and beyond. At times, the chapters would veer away from a discussion on soul food cuisine into historical politics, and cultural discourse but would always circle back to the influence that society and current affairs had on soul food or that the food would have on current events. Opie opines that food, particularly soul food, is a great part of our lives, beyond just nourishment for the body. It is the focal point of traditions, celebrations, and political, social, and familial events.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hog & Hominy was entertaining, but then, I'm inclined to be interested in African History, American History, and food.

It's not particularly well written, but it is informative for its subject matter.

Since I live in Chicago, I wish it had a bit more coverage of Chicago and the states from which Chicago's African-American population migrated, but it's pretty focused on the Atlantic coast.

[Mike Pollio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite having good information and showing a connection between African food and food developed through slavery, the narrative is hard to read and information is jumbled between various individual anecdotes.

The second half of this seems to be about how soul food is bad for you. If this is a main point, I wish he had just made this the thesis of this book.

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spelling errors, poor documentation, and poorly defended thesis.

[Qua-niesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I love the way Opie disproves the narrative that soul food is not just "Black slaves taking on the scraps of white slavemasters," I dislike that it feels like the author subtlety agrees with the idea that that Soul Food causes "obesity" (and cause of that should be modified [going to ignore how the origins of that term is shoddy and lean closer to eugenics]). The book goes into detail regarding historical events like Jim Crow and the Great Depression, where, before being laid off, Black people worked disproportionately in jobs related to construction, meatpacking, metalworking, and the underclass of the garment industry, and how afterwards Black people were still disproportionately in poverty and hit the hardest during national tragedies, and yet there's no connection between that high level of stress and trauma and what impact that had on the body? It's only the food and not the stressful environment and intragenerational trauma? I know the author went into detail about how the food can cause health problems re: high cholesterol. I just wish it was said in conjunction with what Black people, particularly the poorest, endured. All in all, I love this book.

[Danielle T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh, end notes, scratching the citation itch my previous nonfiction read left me. Hog and Hominy leans more on the drier, academic side but builds the case that African American soul food had multiple influences both broad (cheap meals provided to or made from less desirable victuals) and local (the influence of available foodstuffs). This is also partly a personal history for the author, as Opie cites several interviews including some of his relatives.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

West African foods, southern Black culinary traditions and the influence of the world. Calls often on his own family traditions.

[Elizabeth]

The author is an acquaintance of my mother's. I met him a few years ago near the library where she works. He is on the faculty at Marist College and actually grew up in my hometown. Looking forward to reading this one.

[Stephen]

Interesting look at the history of soul food. I've read better books on food history in the past -- the history of curry comes to mind. Even still, it's an interesting read on a topic that's seldom given much attention.

[tmll · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's the history of soul food from africa to the americas. it's a little dry at times, as it was written originally as a thesis. it feels as if it was edited just a wee bits to make it accessible. informative, though!

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, academic level study of a colorful topic. Author wisely takes the inclusive approach and delivers thoroughgoing, complete conclusions without lapsing into hagiography. However, this book will make you hungry, and not for tofu. Have healthy snacks available.

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the content in this book! My only real issue was that it was a tad repetitive, and that the amount of content seems more suited to a long-form article. That, and this book made me so hungry.

[Jennifer]

So far this reads like a dissertation. A little dry, but packed with info. Dunno if I'll finish it, but I'm enjoying it so far...

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like soul food or are from the south, read this book!