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ridgewaygirl's review against another edition
4.0
Potlikker is the liquid left in the pot after boiling greens like collards or mustard. During slavery, the owners would dine on the greens, while the liquid in the pot was left for the slaves to consume. This potlikker is far more nutritious than the boiled greens and modern Southern chefs have reclaimed it. The Potlikker Papers is a social history of food in the American South and how the food the South is known for, from fried chicken to hopping John to gumbo to po' boys is a result of the African, Native American and European cultures that influenced what we eat now. John T. Edge is the director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and his passion for every aspect of Southern cuisine is evident in every page of this excellent book.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in food or who lives (or has lived) in the American South. For those who appreciate good food and live in one of the Southern states, it's required reading.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in food or who lives (or has lived) in the American South. For those who appreciate good food and live in one of the Southern states, it's required reading.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
”Decade by decade, food narratives illumine history. On the long march to equality, struggles over food reflected and affected change across the region and around the nations. Once thought retrograde, Southern food is now recognized as foundational to American cuisine. …This ongoing ascent has been tumultuous. And it has powerfully driven national conversations about cultural identity.”
I am proud to be a “foodie.” Part of the fun of travel for me is experiencing food along with all the other culture of a new place. I have had wonderful food in Spain, Israel, Japan and Vietnam and hope to eat in lots of other places.
I am also grateful that I have gotten to spend the last 36 years in the Southern United States. I had not had pimento cheese, ham biscuits, greens or real barbecue until I moved to Virginia. Along with these more traditional dishes, I have eaten my way through Richmond’s restaurant vitalization. I can’t say revitalization because the restaurant culture when I moved here was abysmal.
So I thought this book would be right up my alley. Food and the South, what could be better? This actual book was even more than I expected. The first chapter connected food to the Civil Rights Movement in a way that I didn’t anticipate. I knew a bit about the Montgomery Bus boycott, but I didn’t know anything about how Lyndon B. Johnson told stories about his cook and her travels to get the Civil Rights Act passed.
The book continued to teach me about the South and its food in ways that I couldn’t have foreseen. I am so glad that I found this wonderful read. If you like food, you might want to give this a look.
I am proud to be a “foodie.” Part of the fun of travel for me is experiencing food along with all the other culture of a new place. I have had wonderful food in Spain, Israel, Japan and Vietnam and hope to eat in lots of other places.
I am also grateful that I have gotten to spend the last 36 years in the Southern United States. I had not had pimento cheese, ham biscuits, greens or real barbecue until I moved to Virginia. Along with these more traditional dishes, I have eaten my way through Richmond’s restaurant vitalization. I can’t say revitalization because the restaurant culture when I moved here was abysmal.
So I thought this book would be right up my alley. Food and the South, what could be better? This actual book was even more than I expected. The first chapter connected food to the Civil Rights Movement in a way that I didn’t anticipate. I knew a bit about the Montgomery Bus boycott, but I didn’t know anything about how Lyndon B. Johnson told stories about his cook and her travels to get the Civil Rights Act passed.
The book continued to teach me about the South and its food in ways that I couldn’t have foreseen. I am so glad that I found this wonderful read. If you like food, you might want to give this a look.
jenniferdenslow's review against another edition
4.0
Edge's wide-ranging consideration of what food means in the modern South is a fascinating survey of foodways both native and imported. Southern food, its preparation and consumption, is by no means monolithic and this book illustrates the way different generations and cultures have changed the Southern table.
nuhafariha's review against another edition
4.0
As sprawling as the South, this book attempts to address the cultural, political and economic implications of Southern cuisine and succeeds to some degree. But by its all encompassing nature, it also loses focus along the way.
vyria's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
mariagarnett's review against another edition
3.0
This book absolutely captivated my attention right out the gate then lost it a bit. I think my main criticism is that the author tells us a little bit about a lot of aspects of the South's history through the history of its food whereas I would have preferred learning more about fewer. I'm still glad I read it, though, and this quote near the end of the book helps to illustrate why:
"Instead of glibly celebrating our attributes or damning our neighbors and kin for historical failings... Southerners who are proud of the glory should have the courage to stare down the shame." (309)
The history of the South, and of the United States as a whole, cannot be understood only in terms of either/or. It has always been and will continue to be both/and. 🌽
"Instead of glibly celebrating our attributes or damning our neighbors and kin for historical failings... Southerners who are proud of the glory should have the courage to stare down the shame." (309)
The history of the South, and of the United States as a whole, cannot be understood only in terms of either/or. It has always been and will continue to be both/and. 🌽