With more than one hundred cookbooks on my bookshelf, one would think I don’t need another. Yet after a trip to the great southwest my cousin was compelled to provide me with one we had seen in Taos. Seed to Plate; Soil to Sky by Lois Ellen Frank contains modern plant-based recipes using Native American ingredients. Chef Walter Whitewater is the culinary adviser.
Linda, my cousin, and I have traveled together for over fifteen years. We consider ourselves foodies. Although she is not a vegetarian, she does appreciate vegetables, having grown up on a farm where her mother had an extensive garden. She is the one who selects where we eat when we travel. She studies menus, looking for those that have at least two options for me while also offering dishes that sound good to her. Over the years, I can’t think of more than one or two places that turned out to be less than delish.
One of the great things about living in America is the diversity of cuisine available due to the melting pot we are. Interestingly, many of the dishes we eat today come from other cultures. Although the cuisine is readily available in restaurants, the ingredients are available year-around in grocery stores.
Melissa K. Nelson of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa states “very few know and understand the Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and deep kinship relationships that Indigenous Peoples historically had and still have today for these ‘life sustainers’.” The cookbook serves not only as a source of recipes to use with The Magic Eight but offers insights into the use and development of these sustainable culinary sources.
“The Magic Eight were given to the world by Native Peoples of the Americas.” The book is divided into chapters, eight of which focus on one of the primary ingredients: corn, beans, squash, chile, tomato, potato, vanilla, and cacao.
You are probably thinking, you eat these ingredients frequently. Absolutely! You are probably also thinking “I don’t care for squash!” Yet what is better than a yummy pumpkin pie in the fall or a grilled zucchini with lemon herb dressing? Some ingredients are so familiar that we take them for granted. And that is a steppingstone for expanding our palates. Calabacitas, for example, is a traditional stir fry with roasted green chiles, zucchini, yellow summer squash, onion, and corn. Easy to make and yummy to eat. And you are eating squash!
When I first tried sweet potato and black beans I was shocked at the delightful mix of flavors. Now sweet potato and black bean tacos or enchiladas are “go-to’s” when I want a quick, nutritious meal. I always have tortillas on hand, but with this cookbook, I could make my own!
I could go on and on about the recipes in Seed to Plate; Soil to Sky. Some are easy. Some are a bit more challenging. All the ones I have tried have been delicious. I’m still making my way through the recipes.
Admittedly, mine rarely look as pristine as the gorgeous full color pictures of ingredients and finished dishes, but they aren’t bad. If you are looking to better understand Native American culture while trying new week-night dishes, give this book a nod. I’m guessing you will be inspired!
ᎠᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᎠᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎬ (Happy Eating in Cherokee)!
Silver Sage Sisters 