Soul Food

African American food booth serving Soul Food, 1974 UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections

Immigration and associated dishes are often accompanied by bittersweet stories, and soul food is no exception. It is an integral part of Black food culture, however it is not a shorthand for all African American cooking. Originated in the United States’ Deep South, soul food was a type of ‘coping food’, a means of resistance invented by slaves, who had to adapt the food available to them. Transmitted to the rest of the country during early to mid-20th century, soul food was a way to connect with what was once home. The idea of ‘soul’ came from the gospel sound merged with jazz, and later became a term embodying almost all aspects of Black culture. A mixture of traditional African diet with indigenous American crops, the staples of this cuisine are smothered or fried chicken, some kind of pork, with famous side dishes such as cornbread and mac and cheese, as well as leafy green vegetables. Yet the very distinction between Southern food and soul food stems from flavour and spicing. Soul food tends to be more intense; it is spicier, sweeter and saltier, and sumptuous in variety. With a fascinating culinary history tinged with sadness and pain, it is a way to get together, and to celebrate Black heritage.