Foodways are one of the most prevalant community-based art forms in the South. South Carolina history is strongly rooted in agriculture and food has long been an important aspect of economic and social life. From large rice plantations in the Lowcountry to family farms tucked in the hillsides of the Piedmont, food preparation was a large part of daily life. Parents taught children how to prepare vegetables and dress hogs. Different ethnic groups brought recipe variations with them when they settled throughout the state. Germans in the Midlands, French influences on the coast, and Scots-Irish in the Piedmont. More important, recipes synthesized African and Native American influences to create a wholly unique environment.

Content is provided by McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina.

For further information about any of the artists featured on Digital Traditions, send your questions and comments to hallagan@mailbox.sc.edu.