HIGH ON THE HOG
I grew up following my mom around the kitchen. As a Black woman from Louisiana, the food that she would cook— catfish, red beans & rice, gumbo, shrimp etouffee—was all what she learned to make growing up, and each recipe holds a ton of cultural significance. So, I had the time of my life watching the Netflix docuseries HIGH ON THE HOG (trailer here). This series takes our host Stephen Satterfield (chef, food writer, and former sommelier) to Africa and back to America, exploring how African cuisine influences so much of American cuisine today. The series allows space to explore and express Black joy through food while still recognizing the harrowing past of our ancestors. As Stephen mentions in the first episode as he explores different countries and regions in Africa, “It was strange to come home to a place I’ve never been.” A sentence I know a ton of Black Americans, myself included, can relate to. For all of my fellow food lovers, if you’re looking to watch something that will make your mouth water and tug at your heartstrings, this one's for you.
—Erin Harris, Development Assistant
