Let me turn you on to something that is going to fill your spirit. On May 26, 2021, a limited series was released on Netflix. It’s rich in history, information and will give you the desire to get a plate of soul food.

What am I talking about? High on the Hog it is a MUST WATCH. Please stop what you are doing and be sure to add it to your Netflix watch list. The series is rooted in “how African American Cuisine transformed America.”

This remarkable series is based on the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award winner, High on the Hog by Jessica B. Harris. Amazon notes that High on the Hog is the “culmination of years of her work, and the result is a most engaging history of African American cuisine.” My good friend told me that it is a “culinary historical journey.” She also asked me to pass on that “if you like to eat and appreciate good food, all walks of life should read this book.”

It’s everything that I wanted in a new food show. Storytelling.

The docuseries include four episodes covering areas like Benin, West Africa, connecting with a Gullah chef in the Carolinas, visiting Virginia, and sitting down with a Black Cowboy from Texas. I think High on the Hog should visit Alabama.

Let’s go back to the 19th century when enslaved West Africans arrived in Alabama to work in the cotton fields. The Encyclopedia of Alabama gives us more insight that “slaves were largely responsible for fusing African, European, and Native American traditions to create a distinct southern food identity.” I really do believe that High on the Hog should make a stop in Alabama and explore this story.  Alabama is the epicenter of southern food; it would be interesting to see how that story unfolds.

(Source) Click here for more information from Netflix. Click here for High on the Hog on Amazon. Click here for more details from the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

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