Emily Blejwas: The Story of Alabama in Fourteen Foods

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Season two of the Bean Pot. I’m thrilled to be able to continue this journey for another season, and excited to explore several new topics that will, hopefully, help us all to see our world from new perspectives. My first episode of the season is largely about Food, and how it shapes and is shaped by our culture. It’s no secret that food is essential to all life. But, have you ever wondered why you eat the foods you eat? Why your parents, or grandparents made certain meals? Or maybe why the same food is prepared differently from one family to the next?

My guest Emily Blewjas, explores this fascinating intersection of food and culture in her book The Story of Alabama in Fourteen Foods. In this interview we talk about what led her to the idea for the book, and how her creative process and research brought the traditions and stories of the state’s past into focus. We talk about several of our favorite chapters, and stories, including gumbo, banana pudding, and boiled peanuts just to name a few. I don’t think I’ve ever dug so deeply into the back story of food before. I found it to be deeply moving to think about how creative people had to be in the past just to make tasty meals. We just take it for granted that we can walk into almost any store and grab a ready made meal that will feed our whole family. The process of where it came from, and how it was made is almost completely lost on us.

And, honestly, we barely scratched the surface because I also wanted to talk about her non-fiction writing. We touched briefly on her most recent middle-grades book called “Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened.” Which I highly recommend. It’s a story about a young boy, who’s father dies, and the complexity of how the people around him deal with the loose. And, beyond just being a well told story, Emily really challenges the reader to see the things that most people overlook. To really think about our life, and the rich history of the places we live and the people that came before us.

Without a doubt, I finished this interview feeling inspired to be creative, and to explore my community and the stories of the people who lived here before. I hope that you will find something similar, and that you will read her books and recommend them to others.

Please visit my web site adamdrinkwater.com for links to my podcast, blog, and social media. And check the show notes for how you can learn more about Emily, and her books at www.emilyblejwas.com.

So, with that, let’s get started.
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