Southern Cooking Legends

Once again, we enter Black History Month where we remember and honor those who excelled in various fields, from literature to the sciences.

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One such historical figure was Abby Fisher from Orangeburg, South Carolina. Born in 1831, Fisher, with the help of her husband, started her own pickle and preserves manufacturing business in San Francisco, called, “Mrs. Abby Fisher and Co.” But having a company and winning medals for her recipes wasn’t where she stopped her influence. Chefs living in her lifetime could credit their success to her book, “What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking.” Although her death date is uncertain, her impact is far from unknown.

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We move from the late 1800s to someone more current by the name of Edna Lewis from Freetown, VA. Born April 13, 1916, her life was far from easy. Eventually, with the help of a family friend, she became a head chef at a restaurant on the Upper East Side of New York.

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Although she gained notoriety from her cooking, we are most thankful for her cookbook, “The Taste of Country Cooking.” Now everyone can enjoy the wealth of knowledge Lewis accumulated during her years of cooking. Even today after her death in 2006, future chefs still read her book to learn from her expertise.

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We have much to celebrate in the culinary world during February. May we all take the time to remember the contributions of African-Americans in cooking and in other important fields enriching our lives. ?