Deb Freeman

Thanks so much for having me on. Yeah.

Thanks so much for having me on. Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely. So I am a culinary historian. I focus mostly on Black foodways, but also I write a lot about the South and foods of the South, where they came from, why we eat what we eat. I would stress I'm not a baker. I'm a historian. But it's one of the things that I love to talk about because I'm from the South, so I'm mandated to talk about things like this.

Yeah, absolutely. So I am a culinary historian. I focus mostly on Black foodways, but also I write a lot about the South and foods of the South, where they came from, why we eat what we eat. I would stress I'm not a baker. I'm a historian. But it's one of the things that I love to talk about because I'm from the South, so I'm mandated to talk about things like this.

Yeah, so my grandmother, who was an amazing cook, basically introduced me to kind of all of my culinary loves, right? And so biscuits was something I would say that wasn't, you know, every day, but it was definitely probably every other week kind of concept. But she was making everything from scratch, which I cannot even fathom today. I'm doing that level of cooking that often.

Yeah, so my grandmother, who was an amazing cook, basically introduced me to kind of all of my culinary loves, right? And so biscuits was something I would say that wasn't, you know, every day, but it was definitely probably every other week kind of concept. But she was making everything from scratch, which I cannot even fathom today. I'm doing that level of cooking that often.

But basically, I remember, you know, getting them out of the pan, she would take a stick of butter and just melt them over the pan of biscuits and hand them to me and tell me to be careful because it was hot. So I have a very warm memory of that. I will also say that that wasn't something that I thought was unique. I thought everyone ate this. I thought this was a common thing.

But basically, I remember, you know, getting them out of the pan, she would take a stick of butter and just melt them over the pan of biscuits and hand them to me and tell me to be careful because it was hot. So I have a very warm memory of that. I will also say that that wasn't something that I thought was unique. I thought everyone ate this. I thought this was a common thing.

But obviously, as I got older and met people from different places, they were like, you're eating biscuits every what are you doing? Where's your bread? I'm like, no, biscuit is bread.

But obviously, as I got older and met people from different places, they were like, you're eating biscuits every what are you doing? Where's your bread? I'm like, no, biscuit is bread.

When biscuits originally came to be, they were called hardtack. They weren't called biscuits. And they basically were things that sailors could eat. And they were supposedly they would last you a really long time. So flour, water and salt. That's all the ingredients. But they were baked cookies.

When biscuits originally came to be, they were called hardtack. They weren't called biscuits. And they basically were things that sailors could eat. And they were supposedly they would last you a really long time. So flour, water and salt. That's all the ingredients. But they were baked cookies.

four times and they were made about six months in advance so that they could be incredibly dry and they wouldn't spoil. So I can't even imagine what that tasted like. That sounds insane to me.

four times and they were made about six months in advance so that they could be incredibly dry and they wouldn't spoil. So I can't even imagine what that tasted like. That sounds insane to me.

That's what I'm thinking. And I just, I feel really bad for these soldiers. It just sounds insane.

That's what I'm thinking. And I just, I feel really bad for these soldiers. It just sounds insane.

Yeah, I mean, I think it's a couple of different things. Initially, it's still pretty similar. Probably not as hard because you're not waiting for six months to eat it, but they're still not great, right? But in the South, once you have cows and you have pigs, so you've got buttermilk and you've got lard. And so you're adding that.

Yeah, I mean, I think it's a couple of different things. Initially, it's still pretty similar. Probably not as hard because you're not waiting for six months to eat it, but they're still not great, right? But in the South, once you have cows and you have pigs, so you've got buttermilk and you've got lard. And so you're adding that.

We don't know exactly who started that, but once you start adding that, then you're getting a flavor profile, right?

We don't know exactly who started that, but once you start adding that, then you're getting a flavor profile, right?