Cookbook Club: The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman with Beth Dooley
To catch up with previous Cookbook Club posts, click here.
From the book:
“This book is dedicated to our ancestors and all indigenous people who have suffered through centuries of colonialism. We, the First Nation descendants, are living proof of courage and resilience. We offer our work to the next generation so that they may carry the flame of knowledge and keep alive our traditions, our foods, and our medicines for generations to come. We devote these pages to the earth, Turtle Island, our home, our everything, in hopes that we indigenous people will always stand strong to protect her.” -Sean Sherman
As I prepared to introduce this book to you, I started thinking about how I travel for food because it teaches me about other places and cultures. Recipes from Italy, for example, often showcase a deep history of an Italian Nonna’s method of pasta making or a centuries old method of cheese making, wine varietals highlighting local flavors from the earth, or prosciutto from pigs raised in ways dating back hundreds of years. All of the most sought out recipes in most countries around the world have been passed down through families for generations, which is what makes them so special even to foreigners. We long for that connection to time, to the earth, and to ancestors.
What I find especially beautiful about this book is that Sean Sherman followed his own journey that eventually brought him to a point in his life when he wanted to learn more about his indigenous history through food. The ingredients Sherman uses (wild rice, dandelion greens, rabbit and bison to name a few) are not fancy, but they may seem new, exciting, and a little overwhelming to work with. But that, combined with the education you’ll get while reading these pages, make this book more than worth purchasing. Because LEARNING IS FUN!
Not all cultural experiences have to be done on a trip across the globe (even though that is an amazing thing to experience). What this book reminds me is that there is much to learn right where we are. I hope it does the same for you as we dig deeper this month! I hope you’ll take the time to explore this thoughtful book and the recipes and stories on its pages.
