Fields and Gardens

Think of August’s sweet corn roasted over a fire to be crispy and succulent, of poached eggs on a bowl of soft cornmeal, of a hearty, rich black bean soup. Not one of these dishes is difficult or complex and they’re made with ingredients found right outside our back door.

To build the indigenous kitchen, I began by turning my focus to the foods that have always been available here. I had to shuck off layers of European culture and get my hands on native greens, herbs, vegetables, eggs, fish, and game foods that have stood the test of centuries. I began working with simple, direct cooking methods and the hand tools of my ancestors, and I learned to see the world through indigenous eyes.