Southern Cuisine

Edna Lewis. (Credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of John T. Hill.) Edna Lewis was a chef and cookbook author whose memories and devotion to the delicious, fresh flavors of her Virginia childhood forever changed the way we think of Southern food. While our previous episodes have focused on women who time may have forgotten – MFK Fisher, Cecilia Chiang, Lena Richard – Lewis certainly holds a prestigious position today in the food community, inspiring chefs and home cooks alike. There's even a postage stamp dedicated to "the Grande Dame of Southern Cooking," featuring her elegant visage. "She didn't look like anyone else. She seemed to be 10 feet tall. It was just a majestic and also quiet presence," recalls Scott Peacock, Lewis's longtime friend, who joins us in this episode. Despite the accolades, it's fair to say that the average person might not know about Edna Lewis, who died in 2006 at age 89. And many more might not realize her influence – not just on Southern cuisine, but on how we source and consume food in general. Her historic Southern recipes focus on fresh ingredients that are in season and local. "Foundationally, her food was brilliant in its simplicity," says chef Alexander Smalls, who met Lewis at Gage & Tolner in Brooklyn, New York. "Long before there was Alice Waters from Berkeley, there was Edna, who essentially brought us to the fields." The episode also features Sara Franklin, who edited the book Edna Lewis: At The Table with an American Original, a collection of essays published in 2018. Check out the entire Seasoned project, with more episodes rolling out in the weeks ahead. More From This Series Seasoned, Episode 1 – MFK FisherOur 6-episode podcast kicks off with the California writer who invented the food memoir. Long before Anthony Bourdain, there was a woman who taught us how to enjoy food, drink and life. Seasoned, Episode 2 – Cecilia ChiangIn San Francisco, an immigrant restaurateur brings authentic Chinese cuisine to the U.S. via The Mandarin. It’s a love letter to her childhood in China, pre-Communist Revolution. Seasoned, Episode 3 – Lena RichardDown in the Big Easy, a Creole chef experiments with bold flavors and becomes a forebearer of today’s multihyphenate food personality, even as her life is cut short.

Southern Cuisine

Seasoned: Women Culinary Pioneers – Edna Lewis

The Story Exchange

Southern Cuisine

Seasoned: Women Culinary Pioneers – Edna Lewis

The Story Exchange

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