Soul Food
The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time
Published on 28. February 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-1-4696-3242-1 (ISBN)
Description
In this insightful and eclectic history, Adrian Miller delves into the influences, ingredients, and innovations that make up the soul food tradition. Focusing each chapter on the culinary and social history of one dish--such as fried chicken, chitlins, yams, greens, and ""red drinks--Miller uncovers how it got on the soul food plate and what it means for African American culture and identity.
Miller argues that the story is more complex and surprising than commonly thought. Four centuries in the making, and fusing European, Native American, and West African cuisines, soul food--in all its fried, pork-infused, and sugary glory--is but one aspect of African American culinary heritage. Miller discusses how soul food has become incorporated into American culture and explores its connections to identity politics, bad health raps, and healthier alternatives. This refreshing look at one of America's most celebrated, mythologized, and maligned cuisines is enriched by spirited sidebars, photographs, and twenty-two recipes.
Miller argues that the story is more complex and surprising than commonly thought. Four centuries in the making, and fusing European, Native American, and West African cuisines, soul food--in all its fried, pork-infused, and sugary glory--is but one aspect of African American culinary heritage. Miller discusses how soul food has become incorporated into American culture and explores its connections to identity politics, bad health raps, and healthier alternatives. This refreshing look at one of America's most celebrated, mythologized, and maligned cuisines is enriched by spirited sidebars, photographs, and twenty-two recipes.
Reviews / Votes
[A] fascinating look at the cuisine known as soul food and its close cousin, southern cuisine. . . . Photographs and recipes add to the allure of this well-researched look at the past and future of soul food.-Booklist Starred ReviewA wonderful combination of sociological examination of African-American culture and identity, travelogue and cookbook. . . . It's exactly this combination of earnest curiosity and an unwillingness to take his topic too seriously that makes Soul Food such a great read. . . . I highly recommend this book!-Nashville Scene
I recommend this book to 'foodies' and to those interested in American history, African American history and preserving good down home soul food cooking.-Tennessee Libraries
Miller's book is a mouth-watering tome that not only titillates the palate, but feeds the brain with science, geography and history.-Denver Westword
Insightful, thoughtful and meticulously researched, Soul Food sets a place for soul food in the American culinary canon. There's no way you won't be craving something sweet and fried and soulful for dinner.-Virginian-Pilot
Crafts a dynamic and engaging biography of an American cuisine.-Southern Historian
Miller knows all about soul food's allure, both as a way of eating and as cultural totem. . . . [His] book is a labor of love.-Denver Post
Deliciously entertaining and rich in its history.-Journal of American Culture
Most people don't know soul food the way Miller does. . . . Miller's book studies soul food mainly in terms of its quintessential ingredients or dishes. . . [and] along the way, he dishes up a few surprises.-Winston-Salem Journal
This highly-informative opus . . . is filled with fascinating factoids.-Kam Williams
2014 James Beard Foundation Book Award, Reference and Scholarship
Miller took up the challenge of tracing soul food's history and launching its spirited defense after realizing the story had never really been told in a comprehensive way.-Villager Newspaper
Focusing each chapter on the culinary and social history of one dish-such as fried chicken, chitlins, yams, greens and 'red drinks'-Miller uncovers how it got on the soul food plate and what it means for African-American culture and identity.-The Philadelphia Tribune
Just the book to move readers from one end of the line to the other without getting bogged down. . . . Soul Food is ingenious . . . [and] speaks to the enduring mythological power of its staple dishes.-Michael Twitty, American Prospect
An intelligent review that explores the muddy territory 'where southern food ends and soul food begins.' The journey is as informative as it is entertaining.-Austin Chronicle
Detailed and sprightly. . . . [Miller] adds in-depth chapters that explore more than a dozen soulful dishes-including catfish, black-eyed peas, mac and cheese, cornbread, and candied yams.-Stanford Magazine
As Miller tells the whole story of soul food from its beginnings to current day and throughout, he is so skillful at finding cultural and historical context, you may find yourself learning about your own food culture.-Culinary Historians of Washington
Both thought-provoking and celebratory.-Edible Piedmont
An engaging, tradition-rich look at an often overlooked American cuisine-certainly to be of interest to foodies from all walks of life.-Kirkus starred review
[A] comprehensive and entertaining history of soul food. . . . A lively and thorough account for fans of food literature and of African American history. Recipes included. Highly recommended.-Library Journal
[Miller] doesn't do anything halfway.-5280
Examines the roots of a distinctly American tradition.-StarNewsOnline.com
Miller moves way past common notions about soul food to offer a fascinating look at the cuisine and its close cousin, southern cooking.-Booklist Top 10 Food Books of 2013
[A] lively, innovative, and carefully researched study of traditional African American food habits.-North Carolina Historical Review
Miller makes many surprising points and teaches us a great deal about our Southern foodways' relationship to soul food. . . . Along the way, we get some fascinating insights, and a few great recipes and illustrations.-Okra Magazine
An undeniably entertaining book.-Journal of Southern History
More details
Edition
Includes 22 Recipes edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Chapel Hill
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
16 halftones, 1 line drawing, 4 maps, 22 recipes, 11 sidebars
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
600 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4696-3242-1 (9781469632421)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2013
The University of North Carolina Press
€14.49
Available for download
Person
Adrian Miller is a writer, attorney, and certified barbecue judge who lives in Denver, CO. He served as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton, a senior policy analyst for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr., and a Southern Foodways Alliance board member.