Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1515764
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | maconmagazine.com 49 ambiance as I entered the kitchen as she obviously had been creating the meal earlier. "In my country, food is not just for nourishing our bodies, but also for nourishing our communities. Food is about hospitality," she said before referring to what I witnessed her doing as I walked in as "running around." Skipping lunch paid off and provided me ample room to sample every mentioned item. Chin chin has a similar taste and texture to animal crackers. They were all the better coupled with cashews. The kingfish, a deep- sea delicacy that has the trappings of tuna, and stew sauce, made a fantastic match for the rice. Loved the mixed greens! Seasoned to perfection and extremely fresh. I am not a black- eyed peas guy, but the hostess made it impossible not to dig in once I tried a forkful. When asked about soul food and its relationship to West African prepared meals, Ezekwueche says 400-plus years of slavery didn't break Black people's connection to the Motherland. She recalled getting goosebumps in 1983, shortly after relocating to Macon with her family, brought on by a guest at her house dipping fufu into a soup with the skill set of a born and bred Nigerian. The woman told Ezekwueche that she obtained her expertise eating cornbread and collards the same way. "You have to take your heritage and culture with you, or you won't recognize yourself," said Ezekwueche. "Bonds are never broken. The soul food is a manifestation of that." West African food: the next big thing Who knew there was a West African cuisine takeout and delivery business in, of all places, Kathleen? Goes to show you that demand will bring about the supply. And much to our benefit, in the case of African Street Bites. The Houston County home-based business is owned by 42-year-old Nigerian-born Oluwakemi "Kemi" Agbebi. For over twenty years, she has kept local bellies full of traditional items. Pepper, okro and egusi soup, jollof rice, and pounded yam are a few of the items on the menu. Agbebi has customers from across the color and cultural spectrum, but the Black community drives the bulk of her business. "All my customers love my food. But a light switch goes off when Black people taste it. They describe it as soothing and satisfying," Agbebi said. She discovered the remarkable similarities between Southern fare and her homeland's upon relocating to Central Georgia in 2003. In addition, she says her food is helping Westerners appreciate other aspects of West Africa, including art, music, dance, and fashion. "Soul food and West African food is definitely connected," she said. I must admit, upon tasting her specially prepared okro soup and pounded yam, I was taken in spirit to her country by the organic, fresh, perfectly seasoned soup, which took a couple of hours to prep. Agbebi says Africans don't take shortcuts when cooking. "It's prepared meticulously with love. It's a full package. The result is bliss. Quality trumps everything," she insists. Agbebi, Ezekwueche, Mason, and Taylor all feel that soul food is here to stay. But African cuisine is next. As with soul food, its cousin from across the way will also transcend centuries, cultures, classes, and continents, due in part to people being better educated about international dishes and their willingness to try new things. Ezekwueche noted, "The language of food is the language of God and our ancestors. It transmits into warmth, love, and unity." ABOVE Attendees sample international cuisine at Jubilee: A Taste of Soul at the Tubman Museum. Photo courtesy of Dean Brown.