AS US expatriates living in the kingdom and navy personnel stationed in Juffair prepare to celebrate their independence day on Monday with traditional fare, a top American chef has been selling the joy of ‘soul food’ to Bahraini culinary students.
Adrian Miller, a food writer who specialises in the cuisine and is a certified barbecue judge, has been conducting a series of lectures and live cooking demonstrations in the kingdom.
“Soul food is the combining of ingredients, culinary techniques and food traditions of west Africa, Western Europe and the Americas,” said the 53-year-old soul food scholar who is also a James Beard Award winner, an accolade that recognises and celebrates chefs, restaurateurs, authors and journalists in the US.
He has also published culinary books on the history and culture of African-American cuisines.
“I’ve been fascinated by history since I was a child, but it was a history of southern food by author John Egerton that got me interested in studying African-American food traditions,” he explained. “Egerton noted that the tribute to Black achievement in American cooking had yet to be written. I accepted that challenge!”
According to Chef Miller, a representative dish of ‘soul food’ consists of fried chicken, fried fish, greens (cabbage, collard, kale, mustard, and turnip greens are the most popular), black-eyed peas, candied sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, and for dessert either banana pudding, peach cobbler, pound cake, or sweet potato pie.
“I hope that the people of Bahrain gained a deeper understanding of what African-American soul food is, its complexity and the similarities it has to local food traditions,” added the Stanford University and Georgetown Law School graduate. “I also hope they discover the joy from cooking and eating this delicious food.”
The Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI) and the US Embassy Bahrain arranged Chef Miller’s gastronomic programme in the kingdom. HDI works with the US Congress, the United Nations and US embassies around the world to inform and foster dialogue on key global issues as well as share American culture.
During his visit, Chef Miller, a native of Denver, Colorado, gave a couple of lectures on the history of African-American soul food to Bahraini culinary students and conducted food cooking demonstrations. He showcased how to make an unusual version of macaroni and cheese, soul food greens, cornbread, and a spicy dish called ‘Nashville hot chicken’.
“My lecture showed how soul food is connected to west Africa, how it developed in the US and the current trends in the cuisine,” said Chef Miller who practised law for four years before transitioning to politics.
He worked for President Bill Clinton in the White House, a progressive public policy think tank in Colorado, and for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. After 15 years in politics, he became the executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches.
He also gave a ‘Conversation on Soul Food’ with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities at Darseen Cafe followed by a food testing.
“There are a lot of interesting things happening with soul food, especially vegetarian creations and fusing it with other cuisines,” he added.
Chef Miller also advised food lovers in Bahrain that wish to add a touch of soul to their traditional dishes to simply substitute ingredients and whisk in culinary techniques from west Africa and the American south.
“The main thing is to cook with love and share this delicious food with others. It is about creating a community,” he said. “I’ll be tremendously happy if the people I met were inspired to try soul food and cook it in the future.”
mai@gdnmedia.bh
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