Soul Food and Theopolis Vineyards

As a native Texan, Soul Food is part of the fabric of my upbringing and is a symbol of comfort and hospitality in my family.  Growing up, we had Fried Chicken dinners with Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese, and Cornbread on Sundays.   After church, we gathered as an extended family with my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins gathered around the dinner table. As you may know, Fried Chicken was a staple food for enslaved people brought to America from West Africa, and it played an essential role in the abolitionist movement during the Civil War.  Indeed, both my great grandfathers were slaves, and my paternal grandfather was a sharecropper in Texas, and eating fried chicken on Sundays was a tradition passed down through the generations.  Personally, Fried Chicken that is flavorful, deeply seasoned, and richly battered is one of my favorite dishes.   I am so glad that my cousin, Genice Hill Bouston, has captured the family Fried Chicken recipe so we can enjoy those Sunday Fried Chicken dinners today, with homage to our ancestors. Enjoy.

Another dish that I grew up eating as a child in Texas was Oxtails.  During slavery, oxtails were considered a cheap and undesirable cut of meat and thus were given to enslaved people as sustenance, while the best cuts were reserved for slave owners.  So, oxtails became a staple in the diets of enslaved people.  As usual, my ancestors developed creative ways to cook, prepare them, and turn them into a flavorful, cherished, and delicious dish.  Today, oxtails are quite popular and very expensive and are often prepared in stews and braised dishes. As my now deceased mother, Dorothy Lee, used to comment, back in the day, we had no choice but to eat oxtails, but now they are a delicacy enjoyed by everyone and have become quite expensive and highly valued.   The family’s Oxtail recipe has been passed down through the generations.  Again, my cousin, Genice Hill Bouston, the culinary chef in the family, makes an incredible Oxtail dish.  Enjoy.

I hope these recipes bring love and comfort to your dinner table, honoring Black culinary history and reminding you that the best meals are shared with family and friends.

Cheers, Theodora Lee aka Theo-patra, Queen of the Vineyards.