Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1233255
APRIL/MAY 2020 | maconmagazine.com 43 Celebrate the good life & great stories Contact us: HELLO@MACONMAGAZINE.COM OR CALL (478) 746-7779 ADVERTISE WITH US ON OUR WEBSITE MACONMAGAZINE.COM that Richard continues to use. "is type of food goes a long way back to slavery," Richard said. "ey were forced to create something good with whatever they had and we carry on what they originated." e juxtaposition of this food being born from a place of such division going on to serve a unifying role within Southern culture, is humbling. Alfreda believed that her food was meant to bring people together, and so it has. In an interview with e Telegraph in 2016, she shared her favorite part about what she does, saying, "What I love to see is the people. I love to see their smiles and hear their comments about the taste of the food. It means I must be doing something right.'' ough the family recipes are kept secret, Richard insists the most important element is using fresh ingredients. Each week, Richard travels to farmers' markets across the state to pick up what he needs. Because of his efforts to reduce the use of grease and focus on health, he hesitated to call the food found at MeMaw's "soul food." He admitted, however, that his ingredients are unique and give his contributions to the Southern food scene something special: "Others may have similar items on the menu, but no one uses the ingredients I do." Each bite proved him an honest man. I cleaned my plate, and maybe even a bit of Walter's. e food at MeMaw's may not claim to be soul food, but it is clear that Alfreda's soul lives on through the joy each meal brings to those who partake. Next time you find yourself in need of a little comfort, go see MaDukes for that amazing cornbread, swing by Dawson's Kitchen for a slice of home and some fried green tomatoes, or visit MeMaw's at LG for oxtails and gravy over rice, which might just be my new favorite meal. I may not have found the answer (yet) to the burning question of what gives Southern food its soul, but I believe I have found the food with the most love.