Culinary historian Michael W. Twitty brings a fresh perspective to that most divisive cultural issue, race, in this illuminating memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture that traces his ancestry--both black and white--through food, from Africa to America and from slavery to freedom.

Preface: The Old South -- No more whistling walk for me -- Hating my soul -- Mise en place -- Mishpocheh -- Missing pieces -- No nigger blood -- "White man in the woodpile" -- 0.01 percent -- Sweet tooth -- Mothers of slaves -- Alma mater -- Chesapeake gold -- The Queen -- Adam in the garden -- Shake dem 'simmons down -- All creatures of our G-d and king -- The Devil's half acre -- "The King's cuisine" -- Crossroads -- The old country -- Sankofa.