Bibliograph

What the slaves ate, recollections of African American foods and foodways from the slave narratives, Herbert C. Covey and Dwight Eisnach

Type

Label

What the slaves ate, recollections of African American foods and foodways from the slave narratives, Herbert C. Covey and Dwight Eisnach

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-306) and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

What the slaves ate

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

290431563

Responsibility statement

Herbert C. Covey and Dwight Eisnach

Series statement

American mosaic

Sub title

recollections of African American foods and foodways from the slave narratives

Summary

Carefully documenting African American slave foods, this book reveals that slaves actively developed their own foodways-their customs involving family and food. The authors connect African foods and food preparation to the development during slavery of Southern cuisines having African influences, including Cajun, Creole, and what later became known as "soul" food, drawing on the recollections of ex-slaves recorded by Works Progress Administration interviewers. Valuable for its fascinating look into the very core of slave life, this book makes a unique contribution to our knowledge of slave culture and of the complex power relations encoded in both owners' manipulation of food as a method of slave control and slaves' efforts to evade and undermine that control

Table Of Contents

The WPA narratives and slave diets -- Slave nutrition -- African roots and food traditions -- Slave cooking and meals -- Vegetables -- Meat -- Wild game and fish -- Dairy -- Grains, cereals, and baked goods -- Fruits, nuts, and coffee -- Celebrations, special occasions, and the war -- Closing observations

Classification