Macon Magazine

Lowe is known for her potato salad, corn soup, chicken and dumplings, and of course, her fry bread, always perfectly cooked, fluffy inside and evenly golden on the outside. Originally a survival food made from U.S. government commodities in the 1800s, fry bread has become a staple food in most Native communities. Recipes vary by region, tribe, and family, and the ingredients for the "best" fry bread can cause contention. But one thing most can agree on is that a cook is only as good as her fry bread. However, Lowe said it's not what the bread looks like, it's what it tastes like. And don't even ask her about measurements. "I get backed into a corner when someone asks me 'how much of this or that?' I say, 'Well, as much as you want!'" Lowe's traditional culinary skills are the result of decades of trial and error. She was just 10 years old when her mom passed away, and as the oldest girl of 14 children, Lowe took on the role of homemaker and caretaker to her siblings. "I had to buy groceries. I had to be the one to do everyone's laundry. The job of the mom fell on me," Lowe said. But it was her dad who started teaching her how to cook. And during times when the family didn't have much in the way of groceries, Lowe remembered that her dad would make it fun. "He'd say, 'I'm gonna show you how the cowboys ate,' and we'd have water gravy and cowboy biscuits and fried potatoes." Although, it took a while before Lowe's biscuits become edible. "My first batch I ever made were, like, so ball size and hard." She laughed. "My brothers took them down the street and batted them down the road." Cooking isn't just about the necessity of food, though. In most indigenous cultures, the kitchen is a place where life lessons are learned, stories are told, and recipes are passed down from one generation to the next. Lowe said she remembers spending summers with her grandmother and watching her cook over an open fire while all her siblings and cousins ran around or went swimming. Her recipes included so e, a traditional Muscogee Creek dish made with hominy and lye that predates removal. "I helped my grandma make so e growing up …. We made our own lye water. I remember my grandma had this squared off piece of screen, and she did it in an old coffee can, put that wood in the can and poured water over it," Lowe explained. "I used to like to drink so e when it was really fresh and hot." A higher level of reverence comes with cooking during ceremonies. Muscogee Creek and Yuchi women believe that their thoughts and feelings go into the food they cook. "I always say my prayers before I make that breakfast [for a Native American Church ceremony]," Lowe said. "I try not to let anything negative get in my way." Lowe added that whether she's cooking for a ceremony or a community event, she doesn't have a favorite thing to make. It's just about doing something to serve other people and make their day a little better. She doesn't even taste her food as she's cooking or worry about how it tastes. "Cooking for other people is like my therapy. I just fix it," Lowe said. "Put all my love in it and hope it comes out all right." LEARNING HOW TO COOK WILD ONIONS WAS LIKE LEARNING HOW TO COOK AN EGG. NO ONE HAD TO TEACH US. WE'VE BEEN AROUND IT FOREVER." – JOANNA LOWE " FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023 | maconmagazine.com 53

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