Stories and Recipes from Black Appalachian Cooks

A new food memoir includes nearly forty family recipes rooted in the culinary history of Black women who settled in Appalachia. Author Crystal Wilkinson joins us to discuss her new book, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks.   Indian Creek Chili Indian Creek Chili (Courtesy of Penguin Random House) This is a mild chili, similar to the one I grew up with. It’s the perfectmeal for a frosty fall evening. It’s perfect for a family of all spicepreferences; you can increase the heat for those who want it (like myhusband) or enjoy its tomatoey mildness. At my house, we now top itwith a scoop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and serveit with saltines on the side. When we owned Wild Fig Books and Coffeein Lexington, we served our chili with goat cheese underneath andcornbread that had a touch of sweetness. It makes a great meal on itsown, or you can serve it with grilled cheese or peanut butter sandwicheson the side. The addition of spaghetti—typical in this region—stretches it to feed a large family. 10 to 12 servings (makes about 14 cups)2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey1 large onion, chopped3 tablespoons chili powder2 tablespoons garlic powderCrushed red pepper flakes1 (14- to 16-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices, or 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes1 (14- to 16-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained46 ounces tomato juice (5¾ cups)Table salt7 ounces dried spaghettiSour cream, for servingShredded cheddar cheese, for serving Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Working inbatches as needed, brown the ground meat just until no trace of pinkremains, stirring often. If there is a lot of rendered fat, drain that off.Move the meat to one side of the pot and add the onion. Cook for6 to 8 minutes, until it has softened, then stir in the chili powder, garlicpowder, and a small pinch of red pepper flakes into the meat.Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, the kidney beans, and tomatojuice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about40 minutes, stirring occasionally. About 15 minutes before the chili is done, bring a pot of water to a boilover medium-high heat. Salt it generously. Add the spaghetti and cookto al dente following the directions on the package. Drain the pasta andadd it to the pot of chili. Cover and cook for the remaining minutes so thepasta absorbs some of the chili’s flavor. Taste and add more salt and/orred pepper flakes as needed. Serve hot, with sour cream and cheese.