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Welcome to the Southern Foodways Alliance -- an institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture with headquarters at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi.
The SFA documents and celebrates the diverse food cultures of the American South. We set a common table where black and white, rich and poor -- all who gather -- may consider our history and our future in a spirit of reconciliation.
A radio show format compilation of recollections, recipes, and great music, brought to you by Tabasco and the SFA.
SFA members are volunteering time and labor to rebuild Willie Mae's Scotch House (among other culinary institutions) in and around New Orleans. Click here to see press, project details and photographs.
The SFA is working to preserve the history and foodways of the American South through its Oral History Initiative.
Visit our online archive, which includes projects that document barbecue, gumbo, tamales, and more.
The stories, poems, and essays gathered in Ronni Lundy's Cornbread Nation 3: Foods of the Mountain South were born along the winding roads of Appalachia, in the vales of the Ozarks, and in the flatlands beyond, where mountain people traveled in the hillbilly diaspora. Here, wisdom is gleaned in coal-mining camps, at roadside vegetable stands, at dinners on church grounds, and on shady front porches.
Wednesday, April 2
UP SOUTH CHICAGO ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
Edna Stewart of Edna's Restaurant in ChicagoSFA oral historian Amy Evans just returned from a week-long fieldwork-gathering trip to the Windy City, looking for stories of transplanted Southerners who left their homes but held on to family recipes. She found a whole lot more. Amy visited with James Lemons of Lem's Bar-B-Q, who left Indianola, Mississippi, as a young man, following his brothers to Chicago and into the barbecue business. Barbara Ann Bracy laughed as she remembered her Mississippi-born father opening the barbecue joint she still runs on the South Side and naming it after her. Edna Stewart recalled the moment when Civil Rights workers first visited her restaurant, Edna's, and when Reverend Jesse Jackson fell for her sweet potatoes. Izola White, originally from Tennessee, outlined her opinions on the color of dumplings and cornmeal served at Izola's Famiy Dining. Rose DeShazer White, who was born in Hollandale, Mississippi, baked a caramel cake from her grandmother's recipe and shared a slice, along with stories. Chicago native John Pawlikowski of Fat Johnnie's shared his thoughts on the mother-in-law sandwich, Chicago's long history with tamales, and their curious connection to Mississippi.
These oral histories will be online soon. In the meantime, please visit our new Flickr page to catch a glimpse of some of Amy's photographs from the road. And then plan to join us in May for Camp Chicago: An Up South Expedition. Many of the people Amy interviewed are part of the weekend's programming. Hear their stories in person, and get ready to eat. | posted by Amy C Evans at 4:06 PM
Tuesday, April 1
Photographs from SFA events and documentary projects can now be found of Flickr, the popular photo management and sharing Website. We hope you'll take the time to browse our pages and, if you're a Flickr member, add us to your contacts. Look for more photographs to be uploaded soon.
| posted by Amy C Evans at 12:39 PM
Monday, March 31
TWO GREENWOOD LANDMARKS FADE INTO HISTORY
2008 has brought a lot of change to Greenwood, MS. In February, Stacey Ragland, owner of the legendary Cotton Row Club for almost 40 years and a patron for 60, sold his business on Ramcat Alley. While there's talk that the club may still exisit in some form, Ragland won't be at the helm, and there's no telling what the new owner has in store.
On March 1, Mattie Smith closed the doors of her namesake restaurant, Mattie's, on W. Market Street. Known for her friend chicken, turkey & dressing, and sweet potato souffle', Mattie's was the place to go for good old fashioned home cookin'. At 62, though, Mattie was already thinking about retiring. But after spending 46 years at the stove, serving customers, and making friends, she's already missing putting her apron on every morning.
Mattie's Restaurant and the Cotton Row Club are each featured as part of our Greenwood Restaurants oral history project, which was produced in 2003. We're sorry to see these places go, but we're certainly glad that we still have their stories. | posted by Amy C Evans at 11:27 AM
Tuesday, March 18
CORNBREAD NATION CELEBRATION DINNER
Cornbread Nation 4: A Celebration DinnerFriday, April 4 @ 7 p.m.
City Grocery, Oxford, MS
With oysters by Tommy Ward. A film by Joe York. And reflections on the bay by SFA oral historian, Amy Evans.
For reservations, call City Grocery at 662-232-8080 and tell them you'd like reservations for the SFA Cornbread Nation dinner.
| posted by Mary Beth at 12:53 PM
Monday, March 17
SFA BENEFIT DINNER AT ZINGERMAN'S ROADHOUSE, APRIL 7
An SFA Benefit Dinner by Zingerman'sMonday, April 7 @ 7 p.m.
Zingerman's Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, MI
$75 / dinner (proceeds from the dinner to go to the SFA)
Zingerman's Roadhouse is hosting a fundraiser for the Southern Foodways Alliance featuring a meal from the Mississippi Delta. Special guest (and SFA board president) Marcie Cohen Ferris will reflect on her experience as a Southern Jewish woman in the South. Her husband, Bill Ferris, will speak about the Delta blues. The talented Alex Johnson will provide the music.
The menu is online here. The Roadhouse is taking reservations now. Call 734.663.3663. | posted by Mary Beth at 10:11 PM
Tuesday, March 11
THE RISE OF SOUTHERN CHEESE -- NEW SFA FILM ONLINE
SFA'S newest film, sponsored by Whole Foods and directed by Matthew Graves at the Center for Documentary Projects, shares the story of artisanal cheeses in the South. Visit Belle Chevre in Alabama, Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia, and Bonnie Blue Farm in Tennessee. The film is available online at this link:
http://130.74.84.74/blues/sfa/cheese.mov
Users must have Quicktime installed to view the film. PC users may need to wait a few moments for the film to download before it begins to play. | posted by Mary Beth at 4:07 PM
Monday, March 10
CulinaryCorps TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, JUNE 1-6
CulinaryCorps invites eligible culinary students and professionals to join our fifth volunteer outreach trip to New Orleans, LA and the MS Gulf Coast from June 1-6, 2008. Over the next few weeks, a team of twelve cooks, culinary students and food professionals will be selected to volunteer. The group will apply their time and kitchen skills to food-related community projects invaluable to the area's rebuilding efforts. Beyond the service activities, participants will be immersed in the vital culinary culture of the region. Each trip aims to provide both cultural exchange and service opportunities to cooks who believe that good food can lead to great change. For more information, visit www.culinarycorps.org. | posted by Mary Beth at 10:38 AMSunday, March 9
HOW SWEET IT IS! A LOOK AT DESSERTS ON APRIL 5
The Greater Midwestern Foodways Alliance invites guests to study sweets. Featured speakers include Robin Mather Jenkins and Donna Pierce of The Chicago Tribune. The one day seminar will be held at Kendall College in Chicago, and advance registration is only $50. For more information, visit http://greatermidwestfoodways.com/index.htm. | posted by Mary Beth at 10:01 AM
Monday, March 3
NEW GEORGIA FIELDWORK COLLECTED
SFA oral historian Amy Evans just returned from Georgia, where where she collected a handful of oral history interviews and spread the good word about the SFA.
While in Atlanta, Amy interviewed longtime SFA member Cappy Ricks. Then she set her sights on Georgia 'cue, collecting stories from the fine folks at Fresh Air Bar-B-Q in Flovilla, Paul's Barbecue in Lexington, and The Pink Pig in Cherry Gap. Amy ended her trip at the 11th Annual Georgia Organics Conference in Dalton, where she gave a presentation on conducting oral histories. While she was there, she had the opportunity to interview Nicolas Donck and Helen Dumba of Crystal Organic Farms.
Look for these and other interviews to appear online in the coming months. | posted by Amy C Evans at 10:27 AM
Tuesday, February 26
POTLIKKER BIRMINGHAM: A FEAST OF FOOD AND FILM
The most recent SFA event, Potlikker Birmingham, invited over 200 people to feast on fried catfish, artisanal cheeses, and coconut cream pie (among other favorite local dishes). There was poetry by Jake York. Music by the Pine Hill Haints. And films--including our newest, THE RISE OF SOUTHERN CHEESE--by SFA filmmakers Joe York and Matthew Graves. Thanks to all who worked to make this event a success. | posted by Mary Beth at 9:36 PM
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