Life in Louisiana

Description

Food is more than a source of sustenance, it is a tool for socioeconomic advancement, and a symbol that generates individual or collective memories that help establish identity. Food highlights cultural identity because it is a force that defines social organization, unifies cultural groups, and shapes public opinion. Several culinary traits traveled with Africans to America. The use of smoked ingredients for flavoring, okra as a thickener, composed rice dishes, and leafy green vegetables is evident in my creole culture and identity. My great-grandmother is the matriarch of my family, she provides advice to calm our minds and savory foods to satisfy our bellies. For as long as I could remember, she has always took the lead on preparing traditional dishes like collard greens, dirty rice, rice and beans, and gumbo. Even in her older age she still excels in the kitchen, but she has passed down her culinary knowledge to her nephew, my cousin, and daughter, my grandmother. As I come to age as a young woman, I’m eager to learn here secrets of the kitchen. I sat down with my great grandmother to discuss how she learned to cook, and her life in Louisiana.

Participants

• krocke53
  

Interview By

• krocke53