February is African American History Month. This machine is the predecessor to all modern day bread makers and, for his efforts, he received a patent for both. In celebration of Independence Day, we’ve rounded up the best dishes that actually took form in this country, thanks the gastronomic ingenuity of our forefathers. George Crum prepared the fries as he normally did but this customer complained that they were too thick. This dish recalls the many attempts to appropriate a contribution of the romanticized Old South Black cook. Tell us more in the comments below. His creation saw heavy use in WW II not just for food, but for other perishables like medical supplies and blood packs. He’s the reason why we can have blood drives today. One narration has it that on the 3rd of November, 1762, the Earl was swamped in an intense marathon poker game (as usual) and could not risk leaving the gaming table for dinner. A post shared by Hector Dominguez (@bigdominguez). Her intention was that the chocolate would melt completely and she would have chocolate cookies. After leaving her hometown, Freetown, Virginia, (which was founded by her emancipated grandfather), Edna Lewis set out for the Big City. An inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Jones designed a portable air-cooling unit for trucks carrying perishable food; still a vital innovation to the food industry, for which he received a patent in 1940. FIRST WE FEAST participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means FIRST WE FEAST gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. The result? Epperson finally applied for the patent in 1923 and produced even more fruit flavors. Two years later he also rearranged and combined parts for an advanced non-electric refrigerator with a manually filled ice chamber. To this day, Hoppin’ John remains one of the most quintessentially Southern dishes. Alfred Craelle – Ice Cream Scoop Inspired by the ineffective way that ice cream was being served to customers at the time, Alfred Craelle was the first African American in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to receive a patent for his invention of a more efficient ice cream scoop. Brunswick Stew, complete with the addition of rabbit, recalls a famous one pot meal claimed by Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, and popular in all three. The resulting salad became the dish diners order when they are pretending to diet but are not quite committed enough. Where It’s Actually From: California. That Black cooks transformed the bounty of the Southern table to last the year round is reflected in the variety of pickles offered—from okra to green tomatoes, and Afro-Southern takes on chow-chow, a type of spicy relish. In the “Creole Coast,” we are reminded that the Gulf and Lowcountry are where African-American Southern foods connect with their Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin roots. There aren’t many surprises here, but it's worth noting that regional ingredients and popular edible heirlooms are being put to work in educating the public about African-American foodways. Medicine. Of course, a taco is every bit as “American” as a corn dog, but when people claim that the U.S. doesn’t actually have its own culinary creations, hit ’em off with a little history. To her greatest surprise, when the cookies came out of the oven, the chocolate had not melted at all. Hoppin’ John. What it is: Corn syrup, butter, salt, and flavoring melted at around 270 degrees Fahrenheit. A year later, he gained more popularity and success after serving them at Neptune Beach, an amusement park in Alameda, Calif., which closed in 1939. What is a good ice-cream without cones or waffles? Hemings learned all of Jefferson’s favorite French foods while living abroad and eventually helped to introduce America to French cuisine. The combination of a nagging customer and a furious chef resulted in the creation of Potato chips, one of the world’s famous foods still enjoyed to this day. What Black Women Need To Know About Lupus, The Latest Trends For Braided Hairstyles And Kinky Curly Hair Straight From The Runway, These Celebs Shined Bright At Rihanna’s 3rd Annual Diamond Ball, Find Out What Your Favorite Celebrities Did This Week On Instagram (09/9-09/14), 20 Books Every African-American Should Read, Photos Of The Jason Stockley Protest In St. Louis. Herdsmen from that time stored milk in containers made out of the animal’s stomach to preserve it while on the go. In the “Creole Coast,” we are reminded that the Gulf and Lowcountry are where African-American Southern foods connect with their Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin roots.