Delicious ass fried chicken and waffles at Matthew's Homestyle Cooking in Gardena. (Photo by Jay Connor for LAist)
What exactly is "soul food"? It has become a blanket term to describe African-American cuisine although its origins pre-date slavery. It's culled from European, indigenous and African influences but many of its key ingredients are rooted in the inhumane rations provided to African slaves by their masters. From the undesirable parts of pigs came neckbones, chitterlings and other mainstays, while meager amounts of cornbread were used to bread and fry catfish and other meats.
These cooking techniques stretched thin rations to their max and supplied slaves with the calories they needed to survive their brutal working conditions. Over time, the traditions evolved into the foundation of Southern cuisine as slaves who were adept in the kitchen became chefs for their oppressors.
As such, soul food is much more than a cuisine. It's a Southern-fried story of terror, triumph and taste. It captures the adversity of the oppressed and the undying will of the African-American spirit. Here's where you can get your fix.
Read the rest at LAist.