Diversity MBA Magazine - April 2008 - (Page 82) International Cuisine The history of American soul food can be traced all the way back to the days of slavery. More often times than not, the slaves were given the most undesirable part of the meal, the leftovers from the house. Pairing this with their own homegrown vegetables, the first soul food dishes were invented. After the slaves were freed, most of them were so poor that they could only afford the most undesirable, inexpensive cuts of meat (the leftover unwanted parts of a pig such as tripe, tongue, ears, and knuckles) available to them. As in the days of slavery, African-Americans some years ago used their own home-grown vegetables and things they could catch or kill to complete their meals. This is the classic African-American cuisine. In the modern United States, soul food has truly evolved and has become part of the African-American culture, bringing family members together on all occasions from birthdays to funerals. With the explosion of new African-American Chefs the old classic African-American cuisine has evolved into wonderful offerings of great importance in the “New American Cuisine.” Now, with the interest rising worldwide we have other groups incorporating their cookery with the new African-American Chefs. This blends in a more global level by infusing African American into other cultural cuisines. Fusion Cuisine – while fusion cuisine is a general term for the combination of various forms of cookery, the concept can take several forms. One approach is regional fusion that combines the cuisine of a region or subregion into a single eating experience. As an example, Asian fusion restaurants have become popular in many parts of the United States by featuring Indian, East Asian, or South-East Asian dishes with their own dishes. This creates an inspired combination of regional fusion cuisine. The new African-American Cuisine is beginning to be a strong force in America. Soul Food– A global cuisine By Chef Kenneth Bunns, CEC, CFM, CPFM 82 w w w. d ive r s it y mb a ma g a z in e. c o m The New Black Cooking in America http://www.diversitymbamagazine.com
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