Appalachian Food

Rachel Sergent
Nov 5 · 5 min read
“Fall in the Appalachians” by Sean Du is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The mountains of the Appalachian region are a harsh living environment. The land is rocky, making it very hard to yield any type of crops. The winters are cold and unforgiving, more so in this region than other parts of Kentucky. This makes farming particularly hard in this area, and many families were unable to survive in this region. Yet above all the physical barriers, the stereotypes the Appalachian people face are the biggest roadblocks. With these facts in mind, the camaraderie in Appalachia is unparalleled, and often seen by the sharing of food and the food of Appalachian culture.

One of the most notorious dishes of Eastern Kentucky is Soup Beans or as my brother used to call them, Cowboy Beans. This creamy, salty mix of beans seasoned with fatback is a very hearty dish that keeps one warm in the cold months. “Those of us raised on soup beans never seem to lose our taste for them. They always taste of home. A pot of beans is reassuringly familiar. We can rely on their tender creaminess, the promise of sopping, and the traces of smoky pork, like the lingering scent of last night’s campfire.” The familiarity of this dish has provided generations of Appalachian people a sense of comfort, something which is definitely needed.

While soup beans is a fairly simple dish, with it comes the culture and heritage of Appalachia. The natural instinct of the people to help one another and the unyielding loyalty present in all Appalachian towns is very easy to recognize. On the occasions I would visit my Mamaw in Johnson County, she would almost always be cooking something for some other family. There was absolutely no mentioning of a caterer at any family reunion; each lady of the house is accustomed to preparing her best dish for any family or community gathering. A room was rented in the back of the only recreation center in the town and the entire Sergent clan would pack in there, excitedly waiting for another staple of Eastern Kentucky — Fried Chicken.

Fried Chicken made by my Mamaw is one of the best foods in the world. It is always crunchy and the breading is perfect. The chicken is juicy and filled with the flavor of salt and pepper, a stark contrast to the bland, dry chicken I knew at my church potlucks. As someone who almost never eats a dish without dumping an entire salt and pepper shaker on the meal, not having to add anything is a welcome surprise.

Not only is the fried chicken a treat, but the family reunions are something I look forward to every year. When I was very young, my mother and father moved away from Eastern Kentucky, with only my mother’s parents following. I lived in a small town in Western Kentucky, and I watched as everyone had these huge, close-knit families. I was always so jealous until I realized that I had a big family who would do anything for me, simply because I am “one of theirs.”

I began to look forward to the week I spent in the mountains with my Mamaw. Although the mountains make the cellular signal very weak, and I could not communicate with my friends without wifi, I loved seeing the small town and how it worked. Wherever we visited, out and about in town people still stop to talk and earnestly ask, “How are you doing? How is your family?” People who I did not remember knew who I was. I felt seen and important. I watched as people lived their lives, walking down the street and waving to the people they saw and I was struck by the friendliness. It was so different from what I knew. To see all these people so amiable and ready to share food was heartwarming. Surrounded by all these different meals, I felt like I had found a part of my identity that I had worked so hard to push away.

To come from a family in Eastern Kentucky means loyalty with no bounds. This is something that the stereotypes fail to mention. I got used to hearing the insults from those in the same state about how my family was probably full of blue people (even though it was one family in one small region), or how everyone from Eastern Kentucky is a stupid hick. I would always get so angry. The days of me sitting in my AP Biology class and hearing my teacher lecture about how these “blue” people all lived in Eastern Kentucky like it was a common thing made me understand that people outside of this area did not know it like I do. Despite not living there, those were my people. I could have cared less about what they thought of me, but I was irate that they thought bad of Appalachian people, especially when I had seen firsthand that these stereotypes could not be further from the truth. The love and appreciation for one another is unparalleled in Eastern Kentucky, and this can be seen through the food they make.

Most of the food that is associated with Appalachia is food that is considered traditionally southern dishes. These dishes include turnips and greens, deer, biscuits and gravy, and cornbread. These foods are often referred to as “comfort food” , as is most southern food. These dishes are hearty and stick-to-your-ribs cooking, which is indicative of the people themselves. Because of the tough environment, Eastern Kentucky people are tough and resilient. They have to be, not only because of their environment, but also due to the stereotypes they must endure and the fact that this region has been left behind in almost every development.

Since they are left behind, Appalachain people had to become a self-sufficient community. Almost every family in Appalachia has a garden, where they grow tomatoes that you can eat fresh off the vine. I remember picking them and eating them like apples, juice running down my chin and onto my shirt. Whatever vegetables that were not eaten were canned, which is a daunting but necessary process. These cans were frozen to be eaten at a later date, which shows how self sufficient Eastern Kentucky people are. Gardens brought the community together, as everyone used these ingredients to create meals for gatherings.

Whether visiting Appalachia for the food or the culture, this area will always have a place in my heart. The uniqueness not only of the cuisine, but also the people and their interactions with each other makes this a place worth knowing and understanding.

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