_High on the Hog_ episodes 2 and 3

[minoanmiss]

Watching these with WD is an experience. He's really interested in all my personal connections to what this show teaches us, which makes me feel very loved and valued.

Episode 2 was about rice and North Carolina. Of course I saw a lot I recognized, and heard songs that went down my spine in chills of memory. I remember being a little child sitting in a shopping cart on a bag that said "Carolina Rice" that was as big as I was. This show gave me context for that, and reinforced my committment to never concede sole ownership of rice to any culture in the world. Rice belongs to my ancestors too.

Episode 3 was the one that surprised me. It talked about Hercules Posey, George Washington's famous and noted chef who eventually ran away from him, and James Hemyngs, Thomas Jefferson's French-trained chef who had to train his brother to replace him in order to be freed. It introduced us to James Hemyngs's greatxumpteen-niece, proud descendant of the family which created and cooked macaroni and cheese for Thomas Jefferson. It told us about free Blacks in Philadelphia who built catering businesses, and a phenomenal man named Thomas Downing, the Oyster King of New York, who sheltered escapees in the basement of his thriving upscale restaraunt. It talked about the popularity of PepperPot Soup in Philly, a Caribbean soup I grew up on (!) And it really showcased the diversity of Black people in the US, including some very fair people with noses I recognized.

I'm looking forward to Texas Barbecue and SO MUCH to the next season, which is supposed to include Creole food, my background. (Creole food extends from Louisiana across the English-speaking Caribbean. which isn't to say it's the same everywhere!)

Oh, and here's an article about the series:

https://food52.com/blog/26250-high-on-the-hog-netflix-review

God but I want to send this show back in time to my 16 year old self when I was told that Black people never created anything and that we were done a favor by being given a civilization when we were enslaved. But i have it now, and WD to watch it with.

[In other news TL showed me the first two episodes of _The Expanse_ and those deserve their own post. Suffice it to say that I had to lie down after watching them.]

Comments

[sovay]

the popularity of PepperPot Soup in Philly, a Caribbean soup I grew up on (!)

That's wonderful.

[harpers_child]

Oh I may need to look at High on the Hog. I got turned off of netflix cooking shows after the one where the guy from California came to New Orleans and told Vietnamese people they need to cook crawfish the Vietnamese way and not the local way.

Not Your Momma's History did an episode a few months ago about Pepper Pot sellers in Philadelphia. I've been interested in trying some since.

[minoanmiss]

"the guy from California came to New Orleans and told Vietnamese people they need to cook crawfish the Vietnamese way and not the local way."

They threw him in the harbor, right? WTF.

This show is based on a deep and knowledgeable book (same title) so I think with that guidance and the good sense of the host they can avoid pitfalls like that.

[harpers_child]

I don't know if they threw him into the harbor, I rage quit the show and haven't been back. He wasn't going to Vietnamese restaurants to find Vietnamese style crawfish, btw. He specifically went to places that did boiled seafood that happened to be owned by Vietnamese people to ask why they weren't serving Vietnamese crawfish. You could see on the people's faces that this was not the conversation they had signed up for.

[minoanmiss]

Do you happen to remember the title so I can make sure NEVER to watch it?

Three episodes in and nothing disrespectful like that has been on High on the Hog.

[harpers_child]

I double checked on netflix and it's Ugly Delicious.

[minoanmiss]

*makes a note*

[firecat]

I loved High on the Hog so much!

[lunabee34]

That show sounds amazing.

[goss]

Oooh, pepperpot! :D :D

My Guyanese aunt who lives in New York makes AMAZING pepperpot.

Our local variation (stew chicken) is my favourite meat dish, and has been since childhood. I could have it every day! *g*

[sabotabby]

I can't eat most of the staples of Creole cuisine but what I have had is incredible, like definitely top-five food experiences for me.

Ooooh are you getting into The Expanse?? it's one of my favourite shows ever.

[minoanmiss]

Have you had rice and red beans? As I think of it, if yu can eat coconut there's nothing in it you can't have. (there's also Rice and Pigeon Peas, which is the same recipe with less coconut and pigeon peas instead of red beans)

[sabotabby]

Yes! That is Peak Food. Anything involving those ingredients in any combination is excellent.

[minoanmiss]

I am going to add to my bucket list making rice & red beans for uou with my grandmother's particular combo of allspice and thyme.

[sabotabby]

*beams*

[amaebi]

Pepper pot, pepper pot!
Makes backs strong; makes lives long.
All hot!
Pepper pot!

[princessofgeeks]

This sounds wonderful! *makes note*

[clevermanka]

I heard the series got renewed for a second season and I am VERY excited for it!

[musesfool]

High on the Hog was so good and I am excited for season 2! Also looking forward to your thoughts on The Expanse, which gets even better as it goes along.

[oracne]

I am extremely excited for the second season.