Gullah Geechee Home Cooking

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR

This is the first major Gullah Geechee cookbook: Emily Meggett, the matriarch of Edisto Island, shares the recipes and history of an essential American community.

The Gullah and Geechee people have a history that spans centuries, with their ancestors being enslaved individuals who were isolated on the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia. This isolation helped preserve their distinct culture, language, and foodways, creating a unique link to their West African heritage.

Gullah Geechee Home Cooking, written by Emily Meggett, is the definitive Gullah cookbook. At 89 years old, Meggett is a respected elder in the Edisto Island community, where she has lived her entire life. Despite her age, she continues to cook for hundreds from her cherished kitchen. Her house has become a place of pilgrimage for those interested in Gullah Geechee food.

Meggett’s cuisine is flavorful and rich, yet lighter and more seasonal than other Southern cooking. Central to her recipes are heirloom rice, freshly caught seafood, local game, and vegetables, all forming the basis of regional delicacies like fried oysters, collard greens, and stone-ground grits. Alongside accessible recipes, the book offers glimpses into the Meggett family's history on Edisto Island, which dates back to the 19th century.

Gullah Geechee Home Cooking is not only a treasure trove of recipes but also a tribute to the blending of West African and American cultures that define the heritage of Edisto Island.