For health and fortune in the new year, put this Gullah Geechee meal on your menu

For some African Americans living on the southeast coast of the United States, there is a long-standing tradition of eating whole, plant-based foods — the so-called blue areasFoods of sorts – These have been passed down from generation to generation. The Gula Jichi people are descended from West African slaves who were captured in places like Senegal and Angola and brought to the Low Country of South Carolina and Georgia to grow Carolina golden rice.

The traditional West African diet was primarily vegetarian – consisting mostly of greens, root vegetables, black-eyed peas, okra, sesame seeds, and grains such as millet. Enslaved people from West Africa brought with them to America the seeds of their indigenous food and entered into cultural exchanges with the Native Americans; The two shared some similar agricultural practices and staples. For example, they are both cooked with corn, sweet potatoes, and local bean varieties. The result is a fusion and innovative kitchen, all made with ingredients that support longevity.

For example, the staple dish Hoppin’ John – which is supposed to bring good luck if eaten on New Year’s Day, according to Gullah Geechee tradition – blends West African ingredients such as black-eyed peas, rice and vegetables with North American ingredients such as Thyme, Celery, and Corn Bread (see recipe below).

According to Herbert C….