Synopses & Reviews
Texas is now hidden in a dense pine forest.and#160;and#160; Anthropologists have long divided American Indian cultures into southeastern and southwestern cultural areas. the Choctaw-Apache represent a distinct mix between these andldquo;food areas.andrdquo;and#160; Choctaw-Apache foodways are influenced by numerous cultural regions and ecological niches (river bottomland, southern forests, plains, desert) along the
Camino Real de los Tejas (northeastern Mexico, Texas, Louisiana) and the culture region of the U.S. Southeast, as well as hundreds of years of cultural interactions between so-called andldquo;old worldandrdquo; and indigenous groups.
The subject matter of this book has long been a mystery to outsiders. The cuisine developed from a longstanding cultural exchange between tribes of the southwest and southeast, and the colonial-era Spanish and French.and#160; These multiple food influences crossed cultural boundaries in the 18th and early 19th century to blend into a distinctive local cuisine that serves as an ethnic marker that sets this American Indian community apart from surrounding groups. In the past, both mystery and fear kept the outside world at armandrsquo;s length.and#160; This book brings the communityandrsquo;s cuisine and its rich history to a broad audience.
Review
The corn complex is an indispensable component of Choctaw-Apache food traditions. Corn was such an important part of the tribeandrsquo;s culture that, according to Rhonda Remedies Gauthier, many families grew two seasons of corn every year.
Review
Hot Water Cornbread
by Joanne Beebe Sepeda
1 andfrac12; cups plain cornmeal (white or yellow)
Tsp salt
3 cups water
Bowl of cold water
Cup oil
Bring 3 cups water to a boil, pour into meal, a little at a time, stirring until well-mixed and firm (not soupy). Let sit for about 5 minutes.
Dip hands into bowl of cold water. Pat heaping Tbsp of cornmeal into a patty, place on plate. Repeat until all cornmeal is made into patties.
Bring oil in skillet to medium temperature. Add patty to hot oil. Brown on both sides. Drain.
Review
Choctaw-Apache Foodwaysand#160;provides a fascinating look at the distinctive history, culture, and foods of one of Louisianaandrsquo;s Native peoples.and#160; Robert Caldwell seamlessly incorporates his tribeandrsquo;s culinary traditions within an absorbing ethnohistorical narrative that feeds your intellectual hunger, but leaves you craving some of that delicious food.and#160; Luckily, there are recipes includedandmdash;for food and for food sovereignty.and#160;-Brian Klopotek, author ofand#160;Recognition Odysseys: Indigeneity, Race, and Federal Tribal Recognition Policy in Three Louisiana Indian Communities
Review
.Robert Caldwellandrsquo;s bookand#160;Choctaw-Apache Foodwaysand#160;fills in a gap in the documentation of Louisiana traditional cultures. From the garden to the table, it explores the importance of foodways as an ethnic marker for this cultural enclave.and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; -Maida Owens, Louisiana Folklife Program Director.
Synopsis
Choctaw-Apache Foodways explores the rich and complex food history and culture of the Choctaw-Apache Community of Ebarb in western Louisiana.
Synopsis
Choctaw-Apache Foodways explores the rich and complex food history and culture of the Choctaw-Apache Community of Ebarb in western Louisiana. and#160;
The corn complex is an indispensable component of Choctaw-Apache food traditions. Corn was such an important part of the tribeandrsquo;s culture that, according to Rhonda Remedies Gauthier, many families grew two seasons of corn every year.
Shuck Bread
by Arlene V. Rivers Wright, Ebarb, Louisiana
2 cups cornmeal (yellow or white)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
Corn shucks (boil before using)
Mix cornmeal, soda, and salt with enough boiling water to make a very thick paste. Wrap in corn shucks like tamale and tie. Drop into deep pot of boiling water. Cover and cook for 40 minutes (or steam just like tamales until they are done).
About the Author
ROBERT B. CALDWELL, JR. is is a PhD candidate in the Transatlantic History Program at the University of Texas at Arlington where he focuses on colonialism, imperialism, and cartographic history. He holds Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology and History from the University of New Orleans, a Masters of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a Masters of Arts degree in Heritage Resources from Northwestern State University. He is enrolled in the Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb and a founder of the Ho Minti Society, a group dedicated to teaching the tribeandrsquo;s traditional culture.