Gastro-Politics and John the Conqueror
Carving barbecued meat, 1937, Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston recorded a John the Conqueror folktale barbecue related story which is insightful in terms of Arjun Appadurai’s theory of gastro-politics. Appadurai’ describes gastro-politics in part as contested food related hierarchies and status symbols. In the tale, John shames a rural “trashy” white couple, ordering them to consume their “barbecue and likker” out back in the kitchen away from the honored guest attending his barbecue. In the story, the marginalized couple is restricted to a space where the hog is butchered and prepared for barbecuing. The privileged are given access to the prized spaces where the host distributes the best cuts of meat.
Alabama-Style Barbecued Chicken
Ingredients
1 Young Broiling Chicken
5 Tablespoons of melted butter
2 Tablespoons of Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Method
Split the chicken for broiling. Place on a broiling rack above a shallow dripping pan, split side up and broil under a hot flame until well-browned. Turn and brown the other side. Frequently, during the broiling, baste the chicken with a barbecue sauce made from the listed ingredients.
Recipe from “The China Press” Issue September 11, 1936
