He states, “the kitchen was, perhaps more than any other space during slavery, the site of rape after rape, sexual violations that led to one of the more unique aspects of African American identity…” Twitty shows readers that there was always a kitchen, whether that be for the enslaved or the free, and as such was open for terror and tasting, creativity and cancer, freedom and fellowship, joy and journeys, sympathy and solitude, and even awe with anger. Never one to not stir the pot, Twitty constantly declares the significance of the kitchen in various ways, and in some ways unintentionally personifying it. Furthermore each topic has a kitchen connection. Twitty, whom identifies himself as being an African American, a jewish convert, a decendent of an enslaved population, a decendent of caucasian europeans, and an openly gay male, individually addresses how each of these factors have played a huge part in his own personal journey of self discovery. Readers of The Cooking Gene are introduced to Michael Twitty’s personal history, as well as his family’s ancestry. Similar to a griot, Twitty seeks to educate readers on the connections and impacts of food and the southern kitchen. While intertwining race, politics, economics, and enslavement with his culinary wisdom, Michael Twitty implores an honest style of storytelling that combines research and experience. The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South studies the history and heritage of blacks within the Americas across the centuries, further traveling throughout the realms of sociology, biology, geography, and linguistics, all while taking a deep dive into food origins and connections. Twitty’s The Cooking Gene.Īuthor and Culinary Historian Michael Twitty colorfully details the journey of the black diaspora through a cultural and culinary based lens. So without further adieu, I present to you my review on Michael W. The assignment also seeks to provide a socioeconomic perspective on the region. As a Sustainable Urban Planning Master’s Candidate at George Washington University, I was given the opportunity to read this book for my Sustainable Communities Design Studio class, this semester, in an effort to further apply the knowledge gained as a potential applicable tool that may be used in urban planning. This awarded literature focuses on the impact of an enslaved population’s impact on food and the South. Twitty’s The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South. I present to readers a book review on Michael W.

Michael twitty the cooking gene