During the antebellum period enslaved Africans only had time to make sides dishes such as collard greens on Sundays. Masters gave their slaves off on Sundays and on few holidays and religious days. Collards are a fibrous greens which required extensive cooking to make them tender and easy to digest.
Why did slaves eat collard greens?
According to folklore, collards served with black-eyed peas and hog jowl on New Year’s Day promises a year of luck and financial prosperity. Hanging a fresh leaf over your door will ward off evil spirits.
Did slaves eat collards?
Many of the foods integral to the cuisine originate from the limited rations given to enslaved people by their planters and masters. … It has been noted that enslaved Africans were the primary consumers of cooked greens (collards, beets, dandelion, kale, and purslane) and sweet potatoes for a portion of US history.
Why do Southerners eat collard greens?
Collard greens have been cooked and used for centuries. The Southern style of cooking of greens came with the arrival of African slaves to the southern colonies and the need to satisfy their hunger and provide food for their families.
What cultures eat collards?
The name “collard” comes from the word “colewort” (a medieval term for non-heading brassica crops). The plants are grown as a food crop for their large, dark-green, edible leaves, mainly in Kashmir, Brazil, Portugal, Zimbabwe, the southern United States, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, the Balkans, Italy, and northern Spain.
What slaves ate?
Maize, rice, peanuts, yams and dried beans were found as important staples of slaves on some plantations in West Africa before and after European contact. Keeping the traditional “stew” cooking could have been a form of subtle resistance to the owner’s control.
How long did slaves usually live?
As a result of this high infant and childhood death rate, the average life expectancy of a slave at birth was just 21 or 22 years, compared to 40 to 43 years for antebellum whites. Compared to whites, relatively few slaves lived into old age.
Are collard greens from Africa?
As food historian Michael Twitty explains, “Collards are not African, they are temperate and Eurasian in origin, but their consumption, and with them — turnip, kale, rape, mustard and other greens are a healthy blend of tastes — West and Central African, Scottish, Portuguese, German and the like.
What is black soul food?
Soul food, the foods and techniques associated with the African American cuisine of the United States. The term was first used in print in 1964 during the rise of “Black pride,” when many aspects of African American culture—including soul music—were celebrated for their contribution to the American way of life.
What state produces the most collard greens?
Collard Greens: South Carolina producers grew 264,000 cwt. of collard greens in 2001*. This ranked South Carolina 2nd among other states in 2001 and represented 16 % of U. S. production. This amount was harvested from 2,200 acres out of 2,600 acres planted in 2001.
What are the benefits of collard greens?
Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium, a rich source of vitamin K, and a good source of iron, vitamin B-6, and magnesium. They also contain thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and choline.
What exactly are collard greens?
Collards are members of the cabbage family (Brassica oleracea), and a staple side dish in Southern cooking. They feature dark green leaves and tough stems that need to be removed before eating. … They are commonly used in Southern braises and stews, as the hearty leaves can hold up to longer cooking times.
Why do you put a dime in Black-Eyed Peas?
Serving your black-eyed peas with greens (collards, mustard or turnip), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. … When served, the person whose bowl contains the penny or dime receives the best luck for the New Year (unless they swallow the coin!!).
What time of year are best for collards?
The collard is a cool-season crop that should be grown during early spring or fall. Direct seed midsummer or early spring. Set transplants out in early spring or late summer. The mature plant will withstand frosts and light to medium freezes.
Why are my collard greens tough?
If you don’t wash them correctly, they can have sand hidden in them. There is nothing more awful than taking a bite of collards and chewing grits of sand. If you don’t cook them long enough, they are crunchy and tough. If you don’t season them properly, they are bitter and earthy.
Do white southerners eat collard greens?
TO most Southerners, few things are as pleasing as plopping down before a heaping plate of simple, home-style cooking — dishes like collard or turnip greens, fried chicken, black-eyed peas, corn bread, sweet potato casserole.