Dear Nostalgic Chefs,
Welcome back — to the kitchens where love simmered on the stove, and every bite held a story worth passing down.
At The America We Remember, food isn’t just a recipe. It’s a memory you can taste. It’s the laughter of family crowded around a table… the strength that carried our grandparents through struggle and triumph… and the traditions that kept a community alive when the world tried to forget them.
In this edition, we’re revisiting five delicious memories from 25 Lost African American Recipes Your Grandparents Knew — dishes filled with flavor, pride, and the history that shaped generations.
Because when we cook what they cooked… we remember who we are.
🍑 1. Peach Cobbler — “The Taste of Home”
Peach cobbler was never just dessert — it was a warm embrace from history. In the Deep South, where peaches grew in abundance, African American cooks turned seasonal fruit and simple pantry staples into a dish that graced countless Sunday dinners, repasts, and homecomings. Sugar was precious and flour was often rationed during wartime, but somehow there was always enough to make cobbler when peaches were ripe.
Unlike pie, cobbler was rustic and flexible. Sometimes the crust was spooned over like dumplings, other times rolled out into golden lattices. The peaches bubbled beneath, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, their juices thickening into syrup at the edges of the pan. Served hot, often with melting scoops of ice cream or splashes of cream, peach cobbler wasn’t just about sweetness — it was a way of saying, “You are home.” For many, the memory of a corner piece, with its extra crust and caramelized fruit, lives on long after the recipe itself.
Yield: Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
6 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced (or 6 cups canned peaches, drained)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (for batter)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup milk
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a bowl, combine peaches with 1 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Let sit 10 minutes.
In another bowl, whisk flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk until smooth.
Pour melted butter into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour batter over butter (do not stir). Spoon peaches and juices evenly over batter.
Bake 40–45 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
Serve warm, with ice cream or cream if desired.
Tips & Variations
Using fresh, ripe peaches gives the best flavor, but canned peaches work in winter.
Add a splash of bourbon for depth.
Some cooks drop biscuit dough on top instead of making a full batter crust.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally served hot from the oven, often with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or simply poured cream. A summer classic that often appeared at church gatherings, Sunday dinners, and special celebrations.
🍲 2. Neck Bone Soup — “Comfort in a Bowl”
Neck bone soup is a masterclass in thrift and flavor — proof that nothing was wasted in African American kitchens. Neck bones, often overlooked and tossed aside by butchers, were prized by families who knew the flavor was in the bone. Slowly simmered, they transformed water into a rich, silky broth and scraps of meat into tender ribbons that stretched into a filling, soulful meal.
The dish varied by region. Some families added potatoes, carrots, or celery; others used cabbage, corn, or beans. What remained constant was the method: browning the bones first for depth, then letting them simmer low and slow until the broth turned hearty and the kitchen filled with an aroma that clung to the air. For elders raised during the Great Depression and post-war years, neck bone soup wasn’t just dinner — it was comfort in a bowl, a reminder that flavor could be coaxed from even the humblest cut.
Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 lbs pork or beef neck bones
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 potatoes, cubed
8 cups water or beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1 tsp black pepper
Optional: 1 cup chopped cabbage or corn kernels
Instructions
Rinse neck bones and pat dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high. Brown neck bones on all sides for flavor. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened.
Return neck bones to the pot. Add potatoes, broth (or water), bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, until meat is tender and falling from the bone.
Skim off excess fat, adjust seasoning, and serve hot.
Tips & Variations
For richer broth, add a splash of apple cider vinegar while simmering to draw flavor from the bones.
Butter beans or cabbage can be added for extra body.
Leftovers often taste better the next day, after the flavors meld.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally served with cornbread or biscuits to soak up the broth. A weekday staple that could stretch into multiple meals, offering comfort and nourishment during lean times.
🌰 3. Black-Eyed Pea Fritters (Accara) — “A Recipe That Crossed Oceans”
Before canned beans lined grocery shelves, African American families soaked, peeled, and ground black-eyed peas by hand to make fritters known as accara. This dish has deep roots in West Africa, particularly Senegal, where similar fritters were sold as street food and paired with spicy sauces. In the American South, especially in Gullah communities, the tradition endured and evolved into a beloved snack or side dish.
Accara were more than food — they were connection. Each fritter was a cultural handshake between continents, proof that African foodways survived despite displacement and loss. Fried until crisp on the outside and tender inside, they were often served at community gatherings, dipped in hot sauce or relish, and eaten by hand. For many families, making them wasn’t just about taste — it was about remembering where they came from.
Yield: Serves 6 (about 18 fritters)
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus soaking)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes (plus soaking)
Ingredients
2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small chili pepper (optional, for heat)
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
After soaking, rub black-eyed peas between your hands to loosen skins. Rinse and remove skins by draining off floating hulls.
Grind beans into a paste using a food processor, blending with onion, garlic, chili, and salt until smooth.
Heat oil in a skillet or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil, frying in batches until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Tips & Variations
Add chopped scallions or bell peppers for extra flavor.
Traditionally pounded with a mortar and pestle before modern appliances.
Serve with spicy tomato sauce, vinegar relish, or hot sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Often enjoyed as appetizers at community meals or sold as snacks at fish fries and gatherings. Best eaten hot, straight from the fryer, and always shared with others.
🧀 4. Baked Macaroni & Cheese — “The Family’s Crown Jewel”
Forget the boxed version — in African American households, baked macaroni and cheese was an art form. It wasn’t just noodles and cheese thrown together; it was structure, richness, and pride layered into a casserole dish. Brought to America by enslaved cooks trained in European kitchens, baked mac and cheese became a holiday and Sunday staple in Black communities, passed down with unwritten rules about who in the family was allowed to make it.
At its heart, the dish started with a roux — butter and flour blended into milk to form a creamy sauce — then fortified with sharp cheddar, Colby, or even Velveeta in leaner households. Some cooks added eggs for firmness, others used evaporated milk for a custard-like texture. The goal was the same: a creamy interior with a golden, slightly crisp top that made people rush to the table. It was a dish of love, made for gatherings, and guarded as tradition.
Yield: Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 lb elbow macaroni
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk (or 3 cups milk + 1 cup evaporated milk)
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
1 cup Colby or Monterey Jack cheese (optional, for creaminess)
2 eggs, beaten (optional, for firmer texture)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ cup breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux, cooking 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth.
Stir in 3 cups of cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika until melted.
Combine macaroni with cheese sauce. Stir in eggs if using. Pour into baking dish.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, adding breadcrumbs if desired.
Bake 35–40 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Variations
Evaporated milk adds richness and stability to the sauce.
For a creamier casserole, skip the eggs. For a firmer, sliceable mac, include them.
Some cooks add Velveeta for nostalgic creaminess.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally served at Sunday dinners, holiday feasts, and family reunions. The corner pieces with crispy cheese topping are the most fought-over — often claimed by elders or the family cook.
🥣 5. Cornbread Dressing — “The Sacred Dish”
Cornbread dressing is one of the most sacred dishes on the African American holiday table. It isn’t stuffing — it’s its own tradition, born of Southern kitchens where cornbread was baked from scratch days ahead, then crumbled and mixed with herbs, aromatics, and broth to create a casserole that tasted like home.
For many families, there was an unspoken rivalry over whose dressing was best. Some swore by sage, others added oysters, and a few guarded their recipes like state secrets. But what mattered most was texture: golden and crisp at the edges, soft and savory in the middle, holding together but never dry. Cornbread dressing wasn’t just food; it was memory and ritual, marking Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Sunday gatherings where families paused to say grace before the first bite.
Yield: Serves 8–10
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus cornbread baking)
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
6 cups cornbread, crumbled (2–3 days old or baked fresh and cooled)
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
½ cup butter
2–3 cups chicken broth (add as needed for moisture)
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp dried sage (or to taste)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Optional: 1 cup cooked chicken, oysters, or boiled eggs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a large casserole dish.
In a skillet, melt butter and sauté onion and celery until soft.
In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, sautéed vegetables, sage, salt, and pepper.
Stir in beaten eggs and enough broth to make mixture moist but not soupy.
Pour into casserole dish and bake 40–45 minutes, until golden brown on top and set in the center.
Serve hot.
Tips & Variations
Always taste before baking — the seasoning has to be right.
Some cooks mix in cream of chicken soup for richness.
Oyster dressing was a coastal tradition; chicken or boiled eggs were common in rural areas.
Serving Suggestions
A centerpiece of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, usually served with turkey, gravy, and collard greens. Dressing often sparked debates at the table, but no matter the recipe, it symbolized family, tradition, and memory baked into one dish.
✨ Why These Recipes Matter
Each of these dishes holds more than flavor — they hold history.
They remind us that African American cooking wasn’t born in luxury, but in love, survival, and creativity.
When we cook these meals today, we’re not just feeding ourselves — we’re continuing a story that deserves to live on every plate.
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Because remembering isn’t just about the past — it’s about keeping our stories alive with every meal we share.
With love,
The America We Remember Team
