Personally I have always been a proponent of heritage cooking, and also a big fan of Jessica B. Harris, so when I saw the new Netflix show High on the Hog: How African-American Cuisine Transformed America appeared, I was hungry to see what it would present. Based on Harris’ book of the same name the show traces a journey through both history and food.
There is a lot to unpack here, and I will start where the show does, as close as possible to the beginning. The series begins in Benin, a place which holds great cultural significance. It is here that we find the roots of Black cuisine: okra, yams, and much more. We find out how these delicious beginnings make the journey across the waters. For those interested in learning more I suggest checking out the documentaries In Search of Voodoo by Djimon Hounsou and From Brooklyn to Benin by Regine Roumain, one of our favorite filmmakers, who we profiled before here.
Jessica B. Harris is a James Beard lifetime award winner, and her book High on the Hog, has been serving up culinary realness for almost a decade. She has been profiled here on this blog before when we reviewed her book My Soul Looks Back. Harris has a delightful way of combining food histories with life herstories, and we’re here for it in every way.
An article in the New York Times titled “The Profound Significance of ‘High on the Hog‘” talks about the crew and their powerful mission ” The four-episode show was made by an intentionally Black creative team — itself a rarity in television. Fabienne Toback and Karis Jagger are executive producers. Roger Ross Williams is the primary director of the series, with Yoruba Richen and Jonathan Clasberry. It’s based on the 2011 book by the historian and prolific cookbook author Jessica B. Harris, “High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America,” and hosted by Stephen Satterfield, a food writer, former sommelier and trained chef who is also the founder of Whetstone Media. At the center of the series is the holistic experience of Black foodways, told for us, by us: our unique and complex migration, diverse customs, creativity and expertise on full display. Blending a cross section of stories that address land and ownership, preservation and innovation, from fine dining to the outdoor pit, “High on the Hog” is an energetic, emotional and deeply nuanced celebration of Black people and their food. It is also sorely overdue.”
We can not agree more, so often we see media like this dominated by white creatives who filter authentic black narratives, this is a refreshing change. And just as with a great meal I intend to savor every bite. I’m very pleased to see that a second season has been released. It was so fantastic we even dedicated an episode of our Pop Occulture vidcast to it. You can watch that here –
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