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I ran across this subject on The Grio and thought it would be a great share as we come up on the Holiday season. We all know those mamas and auntees and grannies that put all their heart and soul into the holiday meals, making sure its “just right”. Well these are culinary artists are from that line! Their pride is in Artisanal foods – handmade, traditional goodness!
TheGrio spoke with several African-American culinary entrepreneurs and discovered that the “back to basics” philosophy is alive and well. Artisinal foods — which by definition are handmade using traditional techniques — are helping blacks reconnect with some of the best aspects of our past. As you plan your remaining holiday feasts, you may want to keep one of these African-American artisanal food producers in mind.
Take for instance, Slow Jams. The socially-conscious artisanal jam company in Oakland, California, is the brain-child of Shakirah Simley (above). The young food activist was born in the South Bronx and raised in Harlem, neighborhoods with little access to fresh produce, not to mention access to organic or locally-grown options. This deficit helped spark her commitment to making sure healthy foods are available to everyone. Her jams help her realize this vision.
“Canning and preserving are a sometimes forgotten thread in the fabric that makes up African-American food culture. However, farming, gardening and ‘putting food by’ is very much a part of our history, [coming from the] need for self-reliance and [a means of] staving off hunger,” Simley told theGrio. “When I’m selecting heirloom varieties of apricots or patiently boiling down grapes for jelly, I’m following the tradition of our not-so-far-away ancestors who did the same to feed their families with very little resources and preserve the harvest. Making jam isn’t some trend; [it’s] a real way to connect folks to our heritage, the land and to each other.”
Shakirah taught herself to can and preserve “through many hours of practice, voracious reading and research,” and was awarded a prestigious one-year Fulbright fellowship to attend the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy. Her Slow Jams flavors consist of unique delicacies such Urban Meyer Lemon Curd, Brown Sugar Pear Butter, Summer Berry Jam, and Vanilla Blenheim Apricot Preserve.
And Shakirah really walks the walk and talks the talk. “My work as an artisanal food producer is directly influenced by my work as a food justice advocate,” she said. “My strong belief that good food is for everyone guides my activities around healthy food access and recreational equity. I’m grateful that I get to continue this work as Bi-Rite Market’s Community Coordinator, as a volunteer instructor for cooking classes for pregnant teens and teen moms in San Francisco, as well as by supporting youth of color in their campaigns to change their school food systems through Funders Collaborative for Youth Organizing.
“My goal for my food career is to work toward a just food system and to extend culturally-appropriate, delicious and value-added products to all communities,” Simley shared.
Before moving West, Simley was one of the first Human Rights Fellows for the City of New York. She also volunteered as a community chef with Just Food in NYC, teaching families about eating and cooking in a local, sustainable, and culturally-appropriate way. She’ll soon be heading off to study for a year at Italy’s prestigious University of Gastronomic Sciences, founded by Slow Food International.
Read more about Shakirah here!
We’ll feature more of these Artisanal Foods artists in the coming months. Enjoy!