Here she is, everyone — Klancy Miller, the force behind the gorgeous new book FOR THE CULTURE: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food! This book is an extraordinary treat, a loving documentation of the great influence that Black matriarchs have had on American food and drink culture for generations. (And as she says, if you know Julia Child you should know these women too.) With essays, 66 interviews, recipes, and the most stunning illustrations you will find in any book anywhere, Klancy gives us a long overdue celebration of giants in the field, past and present. The many heroes of this book elevate the work that has too often been dismissed as mere domestic necessities. You will meet farmers, seed savers, a restaurant that figured prominently in the civil rights movement, sommeliers, chefs, and on and on.
Klancy and I talked about cooking “by vibration,” the importance of gathering and making food (but only for people you like), the history of Black food spaces as a sacred place to congregate to make cultural and historical change, the critical need to talk about money openly . . . and the brilliant premise of Klancy’s first book, COOKING SOLO: The Fun of Cooking For Yourself. Because sometimes you need to make and eat a you-sized cake.
Klancy, THANK YOU for nourishing our bodies and minds! I loved meeting you!
