among slaves and poor whites in the “Deep South” of the United States. Corn
(maize) was a staple among Native American groups in the southeastern United
States, and many items of soul food are made from this grain, such as grits and
cornbread. Meat protein was often limited in the diet of enslaved blacks in the
southern United States, and this is reflected in an emphasis on sources of vegetable
proteins like black-eyed peas, and on the use of many animal parts that whites typ-
ically eschewed, such as entrails, organs, or fatty tissue. Some well-known exam-
ples are chitlins, the intestines of pigs; and fatback, a layer of hard fat taken from
the upper back of swine. When pigs were slaughtered by slave owners, the better
cuts of meat were reserved for whites, while the intestines, fatty cuts, and other
less desirable portions were given to the slaves. Out of this discriminatory behav-
ior the uniquely ethnic cuisine of soul food evolved, and as blacks migrated to
other regions in the United States, their foodways traveled with them. Soul food
restaurants may now be found in any large American city.
Regionsmay also become tied to foodways. This may initially be due to a spe-
cific ethnic group that occupies the region, but over time the region itself becomes
associated with distinctive food types, spices, and cooking techniques. Tex-Mex, a
style of cooking that distinctively combines traditional Mexican spices and tech-
niques with ingredients from Anglo cuisine, is a good example. Cattle ranching
in the northern Mexico and southern Texas regions led to the emergence of a local
cuisine characterized by beef preparations flavored with spices and frequently
broiled or fried.Fajitas, now a popular “Mexican” dish across North America, is
in fact part of Tex-Mex cooking. A popular snack, nachos and cheese, is also
derived directly from the Tex-Mex tradition. In this dish, the use of melted cheese
is an Anglo (or “Tex”) contribution, and its combination with chilies or peppers for
flavor is derived from the Mexican tradition. Cultural geographer Daniel Arreola
in his bookTejano South TexasidentifiesregionsinTexaswherethesamefood
may be identified by different names, based on the influence of Tex-Mex cuisine.
A second example is the Creole/Cajun cuisine of Louisiana in the United States,
which developed over two centuries, based on a mixture of unique local ingre-
dients, traditional French and Spanish cooking, and special spicing techniques.
In southern Louisiana, the traditional cuisine remains highly variegated, and one
may encounter numerous local specialties in almost any town in the region,
depending on local preferences and techniques. Even a common dish like gumbo,
a stew usually made with seafood and sausage, will often be prepared and flavored
differently, depending on the location.
In the era ofglobalization, some foodways have become internationalized. A
classic example is the hamburger, originally a local preparation from the city of
Hamburg in northern Germany called “hamburger steak.” In the United States in
the 19th century this cut of meat evolved into a ground beef patty placed between130 Foodways