Fall is on its way. The garden will be rimed with frost one morning in the near future, making way for winter roots and greens. No doubt that first frost will inspire some frantic twilight harvests of tender crops like tomatoes and basil, but that urgency is a pale shadow of times long gone. Unlike our European ancestors and the Cherokee who tended this land, we are complacent in the knowledge that if we miss that last window of opportunity there is always a grocery store just down the street.
For the vast majority of human history, the advent of fall was cause for both celebration and consternation. Before electricity brought modern conveniences like refrigeration and frozen storage, and even before the home canning movement emerged in the s, winter survival hinged on summer preparation.
But in truth, I know I have it easy compared to my forbears. Yet we have no concept of what it truly means to live a life in which the production, processing and cooking of food occupies a significant portion of each and every day.
The Cherokee people certainly understood that life. One of the largest native tribes in North America, their territory once covered a large portion of the southern Appalachian Mountains and included parts of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia.
This area is composed of at least 14 different types of microclimates, over species of native trees, more than 1, species of flowering plants, at least 2, species of fungus and hundreds of species of both vertebrate and invertebrate animals.
As with all indigenous peoples, the Cherokee began as hunter-gatherers, relying on wild plants and game for their sustenance. Wild plants constituted the bulk of their diet during the summer months when vegetation was abundant, while hunted meat saw the people through the winters. Fruits and berries were particularly important foods that could be preserved by drying to bridge the hunger gap; huckleberries, serviceberries, wild strawberries, crabapples, blackberries, raspberries and wild grapes were common choices.
Nuts—including American chestnuts, hickory and pecan nuts, butternuts and black walnuts—also figured heavily in the Cherokee diet. After harvesting in the fall, they could be kept in the shell and stored in tightly woven river cane baskets or clay pots for months until needed—although it was important to monitor them regularly for signs of spoilage and insect damage.
By the time Europeans arrived in North American, the Cherokee were an agrarian culture, cultivating their staple crops in gardens around their settlements. However, foraged foods remained an important part of their diet because they were relatively easily obtained, easily stored and provided a diverse array of proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Game meat constituted a significant portion of the traditional Cherokee diet, both before and after their adoption of agriculture.
The usual suspects, like deer, turkeys and freshwater fish, made regular appearances on the menu, but the Cherokee also partook of a wide variety of animals that are less commonly consumed today: frogs, squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, raccoons, opossums, bears and even insects like yellow jackets and locusts. The fat or grease from mammals and from bears in particular, was a prized cooking ingredient. Most of the wild greens and mushrooms, including sochan, poke, ramps, creasey greens and wisi, foraged by the Cherokee were prepared in a two-step process that called for first parboiling and then frying the vegetables in grease.
Most of us have heard of the Three Sisters— squash, corn and beans, which were the three staple crops most frequently cultivated by the Cherokee and other Native American tribes throughout North America. The sisters were grown close together in a type of companion planting. Consequently, they had a complex diet. The Cherokees lived in well established villages and were skilled farmers. The women were responsible for planting and harvesting, and they grew corn, beans, squash and sunflowers.
They also picked berries, nuts and fruit. The men were responsible for hunting and fishing. One more modern, local favorite is shared by many people in the Qualla Boundary and beyond: it is called fry bread. Fry bread is a modern tradition found in many tribes in North America, and, in Cherokee, there is a wide variety of recipes.
Each person typically has their own recipe and preparation tricks. To make fry bread, sections of the dough must be pressed flat, and a hole is made in the center. The dough is then placed in hot oil and fried on each side until it is a golden brown. Fry bread can be eaten plain or with toppings like cheese, chili, hot sauce, hot peppers, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream, salsa, and more.
It can also be used to create really delicious sweet treats when powdered sugar, honey, apple butter, or fresh berries are added. Looking for restaurants and caterers that feature a variety of foods with unforgettable flavor? The fair includes everything from arts and crafts to agriculture, music, and food. Visitors enjoy food contests between vendors as they compete to be named the best bean bread or fry bread. Rainbows and Ramps - Rainbows and Ramps is a popular local food event held in the spring each year.
The public is invited to attend this one-day festival and enjoy two of the most delicious things found in the mountains: ramps wild leeks and rainbow trout. Music and dancing is accompanied by fresh trout, potatoes, corn bread, and native ramps, which were once considered an important source of vitamins and minerals.
Enjoy local food and music, as well as an excellent BBQ competition. Come and let your taste buds go wild. Full dishes are prepared, as well as other culinary delights like baked good and jams. Adults and youths can participate in competitions. Readers ask: What did the cree tribe live in? Question: Badjao tribe philippines? Question: Narragansett native american tribe? Readers ask: Pomo tribe for kids?
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