We all know that soul food potato salad, aka Black people’s potato salad, is one of the best side dishes for any occasion. We also know that not everyone in the family can make it.
This article will explore how this classic dish came to be at the top of the soul food menu list, which ingredients are mandatory, plus those we should never include. Sorry, we know each family has their recipe, and conversely, some things just aren’t up for debate.
Who Made the Potato Salad?
“Who made the potato salad?” It’s a common question most folks aren’t shy about asking. I once cooked a feast of barbeque chicken, collard greens, red rice and cornbread for three of my colleagues.
They all declined the containers of potato salad I thrust in their direction, stating that they only ate their mother’s potato salad. Even though the rejection stung a bit, the emotion quickly subsided as I recalled I had hesitated to pack the potato salad because I felt the same about my mother’s recipe.
Deep down inside, I applauded them — after all, I would have unabashedly done the same had the shoe been on my foot. Naturally, I completely demolished the untouched potato salad when I returned home. I ate well for days.
Realizing how particular so many Black folks are regarding this side dish caused me to ponder its origin.
But first, we need to understand why the term “soul food” is integral to turning a mundane potato salad recipe into a well-seasoned, beloved, and somewhat polarizing masterpiece.
The Origin of Soul Food Potato Salad
Soul food is more than a mouth-watering expression; it evokes powerful imagery dating back to slavery in the United States of America. In addition to the inhumane treatment enslaved people suffered, they were forced to eat what could be considered undesirable parts of animals for sustenance.
As expected of Black creativity, they turned those parts and other scraps of food into delectable meals U.S. Americans continue to enjoy today.
By Quia Bethea
