We can learn a lot about a culture through food. I can honestly say I’ve never had Native American cuisine. It is something I want to remediate!
November is National Native American Heritage Month, so this is the perfect time to explore Native American foods.
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I am eager to check out the New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian cookbook! I want to learn more about Native American culture and food. This is a vital cookbook that provides insight into North American history.
Freddie J. Bitsoie is a proud Navajo and an award-winning chef. Also, he is the former executive chef of Mitsitam Native Foods Café, located inside Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
I love that he shares culinary insights into Native American cooking. This is paired with honoring the Indigenous heritage of American cuisine. The recipes are as varied as the people that created them! New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian cookbook is magnificent.
The chapters are divided into:
- Soups
- Salads & Vinaigrettes
- Vegetables and Starches
- Land & Sea
- Puddings and Sweets
Then, it is further subdivided to make navigation easier.
This encompasses multiple indigenous peoples. It spans from the Pacific Northwest to the Great Lakes to the Appalachians. This is an opportunity to learn about Native staples, many of which define American cuisine today.
Freddie J. Bitsoie combines the old with the new, holding firm to traditions while also experimenting with modern methods. Some examples are:
- Grilled Butternut Squash
- Chocolate Bison Chili
- Hominy and Bacon Bits
- Dungeness Crab and Apple
- Onion, Celery Root, and Parsnip Soup
We learn about the origins of every recipe, in addition to how Freddie J. Bitsoie enjoys preparing it.
The New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian cookbook is a delight! I can’t wait to eat and learn about the indigenous cultures that are the foundation of American history.
~Kaiti
