“Original Local” celebrates Thanksgiving recipes from the First Americans

“Local foods have garnered much attention in recent years, but the concept is hardly new: indigenous peoples have always made the most of nature’s gifts. Their menus were truly the ‘original local,’ celebrated here in 135 home-tested recipes paired with stories from tribal activists, food researchers, families, and chefs,” according to Minnesota Historical Press, reporting on a new book by Heid Erdrich called Original Local .

“A chapter devoted to wild rice makes clear the crucial role manoomin plays in Native cultures. Similar attention is lavished on the tallest of the Three Sisters: mandamin, or corn. The bounty of the region’s lakes and streams—walleye, whitefish, and more—inspire flavorful combinations and fierce protection of resources.

“Health concerns have encouraged Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota cooks to return to, and revise, recipes for bison, venison, and wild game. Sections on vegetables and beans, herbs and tea, and maple and berries offer insight from a broad representation of regional tribes, including Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Potawatomi, and Mandan gardeners and harvesters.”

Heid talks about her book here. A sneak peek of the book is here.

Our favorite line: “A recipe is a story.”