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Stories, history & know-how.

The history, technique, and traditions behind Southern soul food — the reading that makes the cooking make sense.

Regional Guides

Virginia and the Making of the American Ham Tradition

Long before barbecue claimed the Southern spotlight, Virginia's smokehouses were curing the country hams that built one of the oldest…

6 min read
Regional Guides

The Black Belt Table: Soul Food’s Deep Roots in Alabama’s Rich Soil

Named for the dark, fertile soil that built a cotton economy on enslaved labor, Alabama's Black Belt raised a soul…

6 min read
Regional Guides

Chicago’s Soul Food Story: How the Great Migration Built the South Side Table

When Delta families rode the Illinois Central north to Chicago, they carried their kitchens with them, and the South Side…

6 min read
Regional Guides

Two Carolinas, One Soul: A Regional Guide to Carolina Soul Food

From Lowcountry rice fields to Piedmont barbecue counties, the Carolinas hold a soul food tradition rich enough to fill two…

7 min read
Regional Guides

The Mississippi Delta: Where Soul Food Runs Deepest

In the flat, fertile farmland of the Mississippi Delta, generations of Black farmworkers built a soul food tradition out of…

6 min read
Regional Guides

Memphis on a Plate: Barbecue, Blues, and the Soul Food Tradition

Perched on the bluffs above the Mississippi River, Memphis built a soul food and barbecue culture out of pork, patience,…

6 min read
Regional Guides

Smoke and Soul: How Barbecue Shaped Texas Soul Food

In Texas, soul food and barbecue grew up side by side, and the result is a table where smoked brisket…

6 min read
Regional Guides

Creole or Cajun? Untangling Louisiana’s Two Great Kitchens

Two distinct Louisiana traditions get lumped together constantly, but the swamps of Acadiana and the townhouses of New Orleans raised…

7 min read
Regional Guides

The Lowcountry Table: Understanding Gullah Geechee Cuisine

Along the marshes and sea islands of the Carolina and Georgia coast, Gullah Geechee cooks turned rice, okra, and the…

6 min read
Pantry & Kitchen

Meal Prepping Soul Food Staples for the Week

You can absolutely meal prep soul food without losing an ounce of its soul, and a little planning on Sunday…

7 min read