Understanding Gullah Geechee Cuisine and a Guide to Preparing It

This piece was crafted by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Originating from the southeastern U.S., the Gullah Geechee people are the immediate descendants of the initial Black individuals forcibly brought from Africa. Presently, their communities still thrive in coastal areas stretching from Florida to North Carolina, such as Charleston, South Carolina and Georgia’s Sea Islands.

Renowned for their unique traditions, language (an African-Creole dialect), and heritage, Gullah Geechee communities also have a distinct and esteemed culinary tradition that has greatly influenced what’s recognized as Southern food today. Familiar dishes like shrimp and grits or Hoppin’ John fall under the umbrella of Gullah Geechee cuisine.

This cuisine emphasizes grains, with rice being a key ingredient. The Gullah Geechee’s knowledge of rice farming was imported from West Africa’s ‘rice coast,’ spanning Senegal to Sierra Leone and beyond. Other common elements in their recipes include seasonal local grains like benne seed and millet, as well as slow-cooked vegetables such as okra, corn, tomatoes, and leafy greens. Hearty Southern meals like Country Captain, a chicken curry dish served with rice, represent this cuisine well. Seafood including shrimp, crab, oysters, and fish is also fundamental.

Matthew Raiford, a sixth-generation farmer and descendant of coastal Georgia’s Freshwater Gullah Geechee, champions this culinary tradition. A 2018 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Southeast, he authored Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer, a book that illustrates his passion for this heritage, which he considers both the bedrock and future of U.S. cuisine.

Here’s a tantalizing example of Gullah Geechee cuisine: Calypso pork loin with mango papaya sauce. This recipe showcases a blend of unexpected flavors, such as the fiery, sweet, and citrusy taste of calypso seasoning.

Ingredients:

Pork Loin:

• 1.4kg pork loin
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 mango, chopped
• 1 papaya, chopped

Calypso Seasoning:

• (Includes dried onion, holy basil or basil, oregano, minced fresh ginger, cinnamon, pink Himalayan salt, red pepper flakes, honey granules or brown sugar, and black pepper)

Tomato Jam:

• (With beefsteak tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, shallots, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, vindaloo curry paste, honey, and red pepper flakes)

Smokin’ Hot ’n’ Sweet Sauce:

• (Contains tomatoes, African fish peppers or alternates, onion, culantro or flat-leaf parsley, smoked paprika, steak seasoning, cayenne pepper, garlic, beef or mushroom broth, and olive oil)

Method:

1. Calypso seasoning: Blend all ingredients in a processor; set aside.
2. Tomato jam: Puree tomatoes; sauté garlic and shallots; combine with other ingredients and simmer.
3. Smokin’ hot ’n’ sweet sauce: Pulse ingredients, then combine with olive oil.
4. Pork loin: Allow to rest, coat with seasoning, sear and roast.
5. Sauce: Puree mango, papaya, tomato jam, and hot ‘n’ sweet sauce; heat to simmer.
6. Slice pork and spoon sauce over it.

This recipe can be found in Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer, by Matthew Raiford with Amy Paige (Countryman Press).

The article was featured in Issue 20 (summer 2023) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Subscriptions to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine are available in selected countries here.

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More about fokus keyword: Gullah Geechee cuisine

• Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer
• National Geographic Traveller (UK) – Food Section
• Gilliard Farms
• James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast Category