The Importance of Appalachian Food & Culture

A blend of cultures with unique backgrounds, the makeup of modern Appalachia has been influenced by Native American, Irish, and German inhabitants, among others. It is a special piece of America all its own. A rich, complex history winds through its narrow valleys and wooded hills – and food is a meaningful part of that story. Appalachia is the home of corn bread and home-grown vegetables. From chicken and dumplings to biscuits and gravy, this southern food culture's roots are grounded in the farm-to-table meal experience.

"I think one of the best ways to understand a culture, any culture, is to learn about what its people eat and why," says Fred Sauceman, Senior Writer and Associate Professor of Appalachian Studies for East Tennessee State University. "A lot is being written now about Appalachian food, but unfortunately, some of that writing masks the fact that what we eat around here largely had its origins in hard times."

Appalachian Food & Creative Necessity

"It's important to remember that poverty begets creativity," says Sauceman. "That's how we get dishes like redeye gravy, when someone figured out that pouring some hot water into a black iron skillet where a piece of ham had been fried would create what my friend, the late John Egerton, called 'a divine elixir.' I recently did a story about vinegar pie, which is served at a restaurant on top of Clinch Mountain in Grainger County."

Sauceman says this is another example of making do with what you have, which he considers the essence of Appalachian cookery.

"It's the realization that making lemon pie was impossible because the lemons were either too expensive or unavailable to people in isolated, rural areas," says Sauceman. "So you improvise. You grab a bottle of apple cider vinegar that is always on the shelf and get the tartness that way, for a fraction of what you'd pay for a fresh lemon. In this age of instant gratification and indulgence, it's important to stop and realize what people had to go through in order to put a meal on the table. The whole process of raising and then killing hogs to get the family through an entire year is extremely labor intensive, and nothing is wasted."

Sauceman notes that another example of Appalachian food culture's enduring patience in food creation is the making of sorghum syrup, a process which he has studied in great detail.

"Nurturing that cane all summer, then squeezing out the juice and carefully boiling down that juice to have something to sweeten your biscuits and cornbread on cold winter days – it's hard work," says Sauceman. "I admire people who cure hog meat and make sorghum syrup not only for their knowledge but for their work ethic."

Appalachia's Contribution to American Food Culture

Sauceman points out that without Appalachian food and the region's food culture, the American table would be bereft of such culinary staples as corn, beans, and squash – cornerstones upon which Appalachian food is built.

"Native Americans called them the 'three sisters' and grew them in close proximity," says Sauceman. "Corn is central to the American table, from the consumption of it fresh off the cob to its preserved forms as cornmeal and grits. Some scholars call grits – essentially a cornmeal porridge – America's first prepared food. The Appalachian region has nurtured countless varieties of green beans. We are passionate about our green beans, and many of them carry family names."

The Walker Sisters green bean is one of the Sauceman family's favorites on the Thanksgiving table every year. Long and meaty in texture, it's an heirloom green bean from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park area. Sauceman recounts the time one of his students from that area showed up with seeds for his family as a moment he'll never forget:

"We kept them in the freezer for about eight years. When we built raised beds in our backyard in 2018, we got them out of the freezer and planted them. They were still viable. They're as strong as the sisters for whom they are named – sisters who refused to give up their land when the federal government was building the national park and worked out a lifetime lease allowing them to remain on their property until the last Walker sister who lived in the mountain cabin died in 1964."

Though they may be the most famous, corn and green beans aren't the only crops that can be traced to Appalachia's roots.

"Another treasured gift of the Native Americans is the low-growing cushaw, a long, crook-necked, heavy, striped squash that ripens in late summer and early fall," says Sauceman. "Among our most frequently asked questions is 'What can I do with a cushaw?' Although it is grown in other parts of the country, move very far outside the Appalachian region, and familiarity with the cushaw drops off dramatically."

Appalachians turn this squash into pies, with many mountain cooks claiming their superiority over pumpkin pies.

"The way we cook corn, beans, and squash in Appalachia says a lot about who we are," says Sauceman. "Done correctly and honestly, their preparation is profoundly simple."

Sauceman believes the really bright up-and-coming chefs are beginning to realize the wisdom of that approach, as well as the importance of letting natural food flavors shine through with minimal adornment.

Fred Sauceman's Favorite Foods

"I am a very ecumenical eater," says Sauceman. "There are only a couple of things I don't care for, and this usually surprises people. One is cheesecake, and the other is watermelon. My wife and I eat and cook foods from all over the world. From our home region, though, one food memory that stands out most vividly for me is frog-hunting."

When Sauceman was a boy, his father would take him on late-night hunts, using a gig mounted on the end of a cane pole.

"We would take those frogs home and dress them well after midnight, and my mother would fry them the next day. Still today, fresh frog legs are among my favorite dishes, both for the flavor and the memory. And here is that profound simplicity again: My mother did very little to the frog legs. Salt, pepper, flour, and oil. That was it."

Sauceman swears the sauced and gussied-up frog legs in restaurants can't compare to the country-kitchen version fried in a black iron skillet.

"I am a great lover of country ham cured for months," says Sauceman. "Fresh okra rolled in cornmeal and fried is one of my favorites. And I adore chicken soaked in buttermilk, rolled in seasoned flour, and fried. At midsummer, you can't beat fresh corn on the cob with butter and salt. And my favorite vegetable is eggplant!"

This is the first installment in a three-part series discussing Fred Sauceman's extensive work in the culinary world. Stay tuned for additional features covering Sauceman's experiences writing about restaurants, chefs, and the role food plays in our lives.