You know that look your grandmother gave you when you suggested adding kale to her collard greens recipe? That's exactly what this space is about - the intersection of cherished food traditions, cultural preservation, and those sacred moments of healing that happen in Black kitchens.
The Soul Food Part:
When I say "soul food," I'm talking about the dishes that become lifelines during our hardest moments. The perfectly seasoned “pot likker” that tastes just like Sunday comfort, the buttery cornbread with the crunchy edges that echoes Big Mama's wisdom, and that gravy - hmph, that gravy - the kind that makes you wanna slap yo mama. These are the recipes that somehow taste exactly like comfort when you need it most.
In my grandmother's kitchen, where the air was always thick with love and butter, food was never just sustenance. The rhythmic pat-pat-pat of her hands forming sweet potato biscuits, the sizzle of chicken hitting hot oil, the way she hummed while stirring pots - these weren't just cooking sounds, they were her love language, her history book, and most importantly, her medicine for healing broken hearts, tough moments, bad days. When life got hard - and Lord knows it did - she didn't just feed your stomach. She nourished your soul through the simple act of cooking together, sharing stories, and finding comfort in familiar flavors.
That's the kind of soul food healing I'm talking about, that's the kind of soul food I’m bringing ushering into this space. For every woman who's felt disconnected from joy of life, who's struggled to find her way back to herself after grief, who's yearning to reconnect with the culinary traditions that once brought her comfort - this space is for you.
The Side Eye Part:
Now, about those side eyes... If you know, you know.
It's that knowing look between women who understand life’s complexity. That subtle shift of understanding when someone mentions cooking their loved one's signature dish for the first time after losing them. That silent side-eye when somebody suggests making pumpkin pie because of a recipe they saw on Tik Tok instead of the age old classic, sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving (because some traditions are just too sacred to change). That powerful communication that says, "I see you, I feel you, and you're not alone in this."
In our culture, side eyes aren't just about judgment - they're about protection and preservation. They're about holding space for the sacred knowledge passed down through generations of Black kitchens. Sometimes they come with tears, sometimes with laughter, but they always come from a place of deep understanding and shared experience.
Bringing It All Together
Soul Food & Side Eyes is a healing space where we can gather around the virtual kitchen table to share our stories, honor our losses, and find renewal through food. As a Food Culture Nostalgist and pastry chef who has witnessed the transformative power of culinary therapy in my own story of miscarriage, divorce, depression, a victim of domestic violence, and family loss, I've seen how cooking can become a bridge back to joy.
This blog is where we'll explore the dishes that tell our stories, the traditions that help us heal, and the powerful connection between food and emotional renewal. We'll create immersive culinary experiences that honor our grief while celebrating life. We'll share the recipes that comfort us, the memories that sustain us, and yes, sometimes throw a little shade at the things that need questioning.
Here, we understand that sometimes the best therapy happens while making your grandmother's biscuit recipe. That kneading dough can be as healing as any counseling session. That there's profound comfort in gathering with others who understand both your love for food and your journey through loss.
So pull up a chair, grab a plate, and join our community of folx finding their way back to joy through the healing power of culinary healing. And please, just don't suggest putting raisins in the potato salad - you already know what kind of look that’ll get you.
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