We spent the hour talking about what makes Southern food Southern, how collard greens played a role in the civil rights movement, and the politics of barbecue. 

 

Southern food has a history as rich as its taste. Whether it's red beans and rice, cornbread and fried chicken, the history of this region’s fare stretches from slave plantations, to the Montgomery Bus Boycott to our own kitchens today. We talked with culinary historian John T. Edge and Soul Food scholar Adrian Miller about the role of food in the Civil Rights Movement.

Here in the South, we know our food is delicious. Even our young chefs are celebrated. Jasmine Stewart, 12, of Milton took first place this year on the Fox TV show, "Master Chef Jr." GPB’s Sean Powers joined Jasmine and her proud family in their home kitchen.

 

Another person that goes down in culinary history is Mrs. S.R. Dull. She was longtime editor of the home economics page of the Atlanta Journal. In 1928, she wrote the book "Southern Cooking," which has been described as the "bible" of southern cooking. That got us wondering if there are other cookbooks that rise to that level? We talked with Savannah food writer Damon Fowler, Judith Winfrey of the Atlanta-based company PeachDish, and culinary historian Adrian Miller.

 

Almost everyone has an opinion on the best way to cook, flavor and serve barbecue. However, it is controversial for another reason. Barbecue has roots in slavery and some popular restaurants have decidedly racist pasts. We chatted with Charlotte Observer food writer Kathleen Purvis, Chuck Reece of the Bitter Southerner, and culinary historian Michael Twitty.

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