The History of Cornbread

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Every culture has that comfort food is my mentor, a burn and make goodness. I can guarantee you if you go to pretty much any black space that's inhabited by black people, you're going to be like, yep, I'm looking for the collard. Now do I want my cornbread sweetened or do I not want it sweetened? That's going to be a huge regional variation,. Some folks who's a jipping mix, some people are like, oh no, cornbread has to be straight up. And the best thing about talking to experts is finding out that cornbread is a hotbed for all kinds of gossip and historical context.

What’s the difference between Southern cooking and “soul food?” Is there a correct type of mac and cheese? And whose business is it what you eat? (Hint: no one’s). Culinary historian, scholar of African American life and culture critic Dr. Psyche Williams-Forson is a professor at University of Maryland College Park and department chair in the Department of American Studies. She also authored the books “Eating While Black: Food Shaming and Race in America” and “Building Houses out of Chicken Legs: Black Women, Food, and Power.” We chat about everything from oral traditions to “soul food” in popular culture, gendered roles in cooking, hyperlocal produce, systemic oppression and why someone would make chicken without seasoning it. On national television.

Visit Dr. Psyche Williams-Torson’s website and follow her on Instagram and Twitter

Buy Dr. Williams-Torson’s books: Eating While Black: Food Shaming and Race in America and Building Houses out of Chicken Legs: Black Women, Food, and Power

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