Culinary Historian Examines the Connections between Food and Culture

In cooking, the “why” is just as important as the “how.” The North Miami Campus’ latest Distinguished Visiting Chef (DVC), Jessica Harris, connects the two by studying how cultural forces transform ingredients, dishes and traditions over time.

Harris is a bestselling author of 11 books. Her latest, “High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America,” is about, as she puts it, “the Africanizing of the Southern palate.”

Chef Patricia Wilson, a friend of Harris’ who was instrumental in bringing her to campus, believes that it’s important for students to start thinking about the larger issues surrounding food. “Examining the connections between food and our personal and national cultures helps us understand that we’re more alike than we are different,” she said.

Harris and Chef Wilson collaborated on the evening’s colorful menu of traditional Lowcountry and Southern dishes, which included pickled watermelon, pulled pork with collards and green banana escabeche, where the bananas are used as a starch.

Harris talked about each dish, explaining how and why many of the historically African ingredients gained popularity in America.

For instance, watermelon was favored because of its thirst-quenching effect — a huge benefit for field workers in the South. She also explained the phrase “high on the hog”: African-Americans felt they’d “made it” when they could afford to eat a higher part of the pig’s body.

Business major Lemar Scott '12 loved hearing the history behind the food. “She made food seem like less of a commodity,” he said. “She’s also an incredible storyteller — she really took you there.”

During the event, culinary arts and food service management major Dakotah Sandlin '12 was awarded a scholarship in Harris’ name.