Flavor as Artifact; Jessica Harris: Stirring Up Pots of History

It's easy to understand why Jessica Harris is considered the Zora Neale Hurston of the culinary world. Like Hurston, she has a way with words, a love of history and a passion for anthropology, as well as an appreciation for everyday folks and the simple things of life. Harris makes mouths drool as her voice meanders along, whether she's describing her mother's rutabagas, seasoned with bacon and basil, or a chutney made with the juicy Louisiana Creole tomatoes. She makes you want to float along with her on a bamboo raft in Jamaica in search of tiny river shrimp called janga, or share some red rice in Charleston, South Carolina. All of this flavor comes through in her eight cookbooks, …