Family Reunions and Food
St. Helena Island, South Carolina, Courtesy of The New York Public Library
August is often the month, set aside for family reunions. Some families do them every year, and others. Every other year because they take so much time the plan. The food that grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins bring with them are one of the highlights of family reunions. All the delicious food spread out on several different tables is something to see, and it makes your mouth water. Family reunion stands for more than a smorgasbord of food. “We gather to share all that is most precious to us, especially with those family members we don’t get to see often. We eat, we drink, we pray, but also we encourage each other and lift our heads in praise of what our offspring have accomplished,” says Sheila Ferguson in her book, Soul Food: Classic Cuisine From the Deep South. Everyone brings their best in the dish that they share with their loved ones. Each family is expected to bring their signature dish or desert made by the best cook in their corner of the family tapestry. Ferguson adds, “One dish just walks all over and surpasses another, and we always delight in sharing and comparing recipes. . . . Even if it’s not a big family reunion, it is still considered an extreme insult if you don’t put yourself out and cook a fine and exquisite meal.” The “pressure” of being told off or talked about makes one go deep into their culinary creativity.
