The Soul Food Pod

Many people associate soul food with Southern comfort food and the South. But soul food goes way beyond Southern cooking. 

What is Black traditional food?

My recipes on TheSoulFoodPot.com! These are my best examples of Black people's food and recipes that are easy enough for anyone to make and everyone to love! Examples of soul food are a Black folks' fried chicken recipe alongside collard greens, black-eyed peas, baked macaroni and cheese, and cornbread.

But what you still wanna know is... What's the difference between soul food and Southern food?

We break it all down in today's episode!

What you'll learn in today's episode:

• What makes soul food soul food?
• What is Black culture food?
• What's the difference between Southern food, soul food & Black people's food?
• What is Black people food?
• People have asked me, "Why do you call your recipes Black folks' food?"

Links & resources mentioned in the episode:

Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today for another episode of The Soul Food Pod!

Have you checked out my new Black folks' sweet potato pie cookbook?

It's a collector's edition honoring a legacy of West African influences into my family's viral sweet potato pie recipes!  

Black folks sweet potato pie recipe, old fashioned sweet potato pie, purple sweet potato pie, and Southern sweet potato pie with cream cheese. Which one is your favorite?

My favorite is my classic Black folks' sweet potato pie. The first sweet potato pie recipe to introduce warm spicy notes of clove and ginger as part of its signature soul food spices, along with silky evaporated milk in the recipe. 

But what if you don't have evaporated milk on hand?

Can you use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk in pie?

In the words of my favorite President, Barack Obama, "Yes, we can!"  

So, in this sweet potato pie recipe, I'm sharing today, sweetened condensed milk substitutes for evaporated milk.

It's my signature Black folk’s sweet potato pie recipe with condensed milk.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Which is better, evaporated or condensed milk?
• How do you make a Black folks sweet potato pie recipe with condensed milk?
• What is Black folks’ sweet potato pie?
• What are the ingredients in Southern sweet potato pie?
• How do you cut sweet potato pie?

Links & resources mentioned in the episode:

This "Black folk tea cake recipe" (that's what they're called!) is an old-fashioned nostalgic Southern soul food treat! 

What you'll learn in this episode:

What is a Black folks' Southern tea cake?

African American tea cakes are a somewhat fancy Southern dessert. Little round cakes. Light, airy, and sometimes compared to soda bread or pound cake.

Tea cakes are typically served with hot tea at gatherings like weddings, christenings, and family events. Or any other pomp and circumstance dress-up occasion (which Black folks love).

Are tea cakes African-American?

It's believed that enslaved African Americans created tea cakes to reproduce the fluffy European confections that white Americans were accustomed to.

African Americans made their own version of tea cakes based on what was available to them with limited baking supplies.

• What do you serve with tea cakes?
• Why is the tea cake important to African Americans?
• Where did tea cakes originate?
• What are tea cakes made of?
• What do old-fashioned tea cakes taste like?
• How do you make Black folks' old-fashioned tea cake?

Links & resources mentioned in the episode:

If you grew up on soul food cooking or grew up in the South, then you already know! Grits are a staple in most Southern homes. 

And if you're looking for a fantastic meal that boasts Southern comfort food with an extreme infusion of soul food flavors…

Then this Black folks' Southern shrimp and grits recipe is what you've been searching for!

What is Black folks Southern shrimp and grits?

Southern shrimp and grits is an African-American dish that has all the creamy, saucy, and seafood goodness with the perfect Southern Creole seasoning to keep things interesting. 

It's served over white corn grits laced with the perfect blend of mascarpone cheese. Followed by a creamy sauce infused with smoked paprika and chili powder, this Southern shrimp delicacy offers a variety of flavors that will leave your tastebuds amazed!

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What ethnicity is shrimp and grits?
• Is shrimp and grits a Southern dish?
• Is shrimp and grits considered soul food?
• What state is known for shrimp and grits?
• Are grits an African-American food?
• How do you make creamy grits?

Links & resources mentioned in the episode:

What is a Black folks’ Southern turkey recipe?

Crispy skin and moist, juicy, flavorful meat – that’s what embodies a Black folk turkey recipe. Atlanta folks might call it a soul food “dirty bird!”

My signature recipe for Black folks Southern turkey will have your hungry bunch gobbling up this Southern specialty in no time.

It’s one of our family’s favorites that gets devoured in minutes at Thanksgiving dinner.

Warning: There will be no leftovers for the next meal!

What is the secret to a moist turkey?

The secret to a flavorful, juicy Southern bird is all in my signature apple cider brine.  It’s the beautiful fragrant marinade the turkey is roasted in. 

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to make a turkey marinade/brine
• What type of Southern seasoning is best to use?
• What can you put in your turkey for flavor?
• Should you salt a brined turkey?
• What kind of turkey should you cook?
• Can you inject the turkey?
• How do you keep the turkey warm?
• Should you cover the turkey when cooking?
• What size turkey do you need?
• How do you thaw a whole turkey?
• How much turkey per person?
• How do you know when your turkey is done?

My family loves my Southern turkey recipe because it’s so moist, juicy, and flavorful. It’s also simple for anyone to make – so don’t be afraid of cooking the turkey yourself this year! 

Links & resources mentioned in the episode: