Synopsis

The first major Gullah Geechee cookbook from “the matriarch of Edisto Island,” who provides delicious recipes and the history of an overlooked American community

The history of the Gullah and Geechee people stretches back centuries, when enslaved members of this community were historically isolated from the rest of the South because of their location on the Sea Islands of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. Today, this Lowcountry community represents the most direct living link to the traditional culture, language, and foodways of their West African ancestors.

Gullah Geechee Home Cooking, written by Emily Meggett, the matriarch of Edisto Island, is the preeminent Gullah cookbook. At 87 years old, and with more than 50 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Meggett is a respected elder in the Gullah community of South Carolina. She has lived on the island all her life, and even at her age, still cooks for hundreds of people out of her hallowed home kitchen. Her house is a place of pilgrimage for anyone with an interest in Gullah Geechee food. Meggett’s Gullah food is rich and flavorful, though it is also often lighter and more seasonal than other types of Southern cooking. Heirloom rice, fresh-caught seafood, local game, and vegetables are key to her recipes for regional delicacies like fried oysters, collard greens, and stone-ground grits. This cookbook includes not only delicious and accessible recipes, but also snippets of the Meggett family history on Edisto Island, which stretches back into the 19th century. Rich in both flavor and history, Meggett’s Gullah Geechee Home Cooking is a testament to the syncretism of West African and American cultures that makes her home of Edisto Island so unique.

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Review

This book is so much more than just a cookbook. It is also the story of the Gullah Geechee people and their history and traditions. There is also the story of Emily Hugchingson Meggett or M.P. as she is called by friends and family. I really enjoyed reading her story and learning more about her, Edisto Island, and the Gullah Geechee people that settled in South Carolina and surrounding areas.

The book starts out with her pantry staples to have on hand that will help you concoct her recipes in your own home. All of the recipes seem simple to prepare and are rich in flavors. Many will seem familiar but her twist on the recipes gives them a slightly different flavor but is still delicious.

I tried the Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe because that is something I make often in our home but decided to try it with her variation. I used ground pork instead of beef, but it was still quite tasty and I liked the variation from what I normally make. I will say that I usually cut my bell peppers in half so they are more like boats than the full pepper. It just makes it easier to cut and eat for me.

There are many recipes in here that I have bookmarked to make including this dessert that my husband said looked divine – Cracklin’ Rolls. This is the recipe that I am going to share with you and if you make it, let me know how it tastes!

Cracklin’ Rolls

Ingredients

1 loaf white bread, thinly sliced and crusts removed
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
3/4 c confectioners’ sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 c unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°

Flatten the bread slices with a rolling pin.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar and set aside.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Roll up the bread, jelly-roll style.

Dip the rolls in melted butter, then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. You may serve these warm or cold.