On 3/4/2013 11:48 AM, Ophelia wrote:
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r09t0
>
> US Southern Cooking and Chef Sean Brock Johnson is in South Carolina
> to meet Charleston chef, Sean Brock, who is on a mission to revive
> ingredients and flavours not experienced for hundreds of years.
> It's a story that involves an intricate "food tattoo", one of
> America's biggest private seed collections, a hog roast and "pick
> picking" and bowls of delicious peas, beans, rice, grits and fried chicken.
> Soon after British settlers arrived in South Carolina in the 17th
> century a cuisine called the "Carolina rice kitchen" was formed. Using
> the expertise of West African slaves to develop rice plantations, a
> larder evolved consisting of the main crop along with beans, African
> vegetables and staples like oats, rye and wheat from Britain.
> Chef Sean Brock believes it was one of the earliest, and "most
> beautiful" food cultures in America. In his mid-thirties and sporting an
> arm covered in tattoos of heirloom vegetables, he's attempting to
> "reboot" that cuisine and those ingredients which had all disappeared by
> the 20th century.
> He's joined forces with historian David Shields and a seed hunter,
> Glenn Roberts, to source, grow and cook with these historic foods.
> Richard joins Sean Brock at his restaurant, Husk to hear why
> "ridiculous flavour" is the driving force behind the mission.
>
> Fascinating stuff)
>
> "--

The great thing about the US is it is so large and so diverse. The
country is truly a melting pot of people and food cultures. I've lived
in many places in the US. But I've I have spent most of my adult life
in the south. First in the mid-south. Now in the deep-south. (Yes,
there is a difference.)

Rice is a primary product of the Carolinas and is used in many dishes.
The wetlands make it a perfect environment for growing rice. And yes, I
live on an island that was at one time a rice and indigo plantation.
This was in the late 1700's. Descendents of West African slaves still
live in this area. They have their own unique culture, known as
"Gullah" or "Geechee" (depending upon who you ask). They have a very
distinct dialect. (I'm good with dialects but I still have to listen
carefully to know what they're saying.) They also have a very rich and
historical food culture. It hasn't disappeared, you just have to know
where to look.

Enjoy the series! Sounds like fun!

Jill