The REAL History of Soul Food - Thanksgiving, Mac & Cheese, Collard Greens, BBQ | With Culinary Historian Adrian Miller

Welcome to the Bookum Author Talks Podcast!In this episode, we sit down with culinary historian and James Beard Award winner Adrian Miller to explore the REAL history of soul food. We dive deep into Thanksgiving history and traditions, black food traditions, the soul food canon, and cooking through history. Adrian breaks down everything from cooking Thanksgiving dinner and the best soul food dishes to collard greens recipes and old world cooking techniques.Discover the truth about soul food and how it's not slave food. Learn about mac and cheese history, the origins of chitlins, okra, hibiscus, neckbones, and how Caribbean food traditions connect to soul food culture. We also explore black and Asian chefs in the White House, the history of American BBQ, and the fascinating crossover between Asian cuisine and soul food.Whether you're looking for collard greens recipes, want to understand black food traditions, or curious about cooking through history, this conversation has it all!TIMESTAMPS:1:12 - Thanksgiving + Soul Food Items2:50 - History of Chitlins5:10 - Starting Career in Culinary Writing6:07 - Mac n Cheese History in Soul Food and Thanksgiving8:14 - Soul Food Canon9:43 - Preparing Collard Greens12:01 - History of Hibiscus13:21 - History of Okra13:50 - History of Neckbones14:52 - History of Gumbo15:34 - Jamaican & Caribbean Foods18:12 - Soul Food is NOT Slave Food20:50 - Veganism in Soul Food23:50 - Black Eye Peas on Stove for Holiday25:45 - Black Chefs in the White House29:02 - History of American BBQ32:12 - Best BBQ City in America32:45 - Asian Chefs in the White House34:02 - Asian Cuisine & Soul Food Crossovers36:12 - Documenting Family Recipes Histories39:12 - Writing Process of A Cookbook42:24 - Writing Food Reviews45:01 - Rapid Fire Food Questions46:42 - What Should Be in a Foodies Toolkit?📚 ADRIAN MILLER'S BOOKS:"Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time" (2013) https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Food-Surprising-American-Cuisine/dp/1469607352"The President's Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas" (2017)https://www.amazon.com/Presidents-Kitchen-Cabinet-African-Americans/dp/1469630494"Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue" (2021)https://www.amazon.com/Black-Smoke-African-Americans-United/dp/1469663406"Cooking to the President's Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History" (2025) - Co-authored with Deborah Changhttps://shop.whitehousehistory.org/products/cooking-to-the-presidents-tasteAdrian Miller Social Media:Website - https://adrianemiller.com/Twitter - https://x.com/soulfoodscholarInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/soulfoodscholar/Make sure to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more author conversations!Make sure to download our Book club and Book networking app Bookum at https://www.bookumapp.comThis Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs. Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!