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Article #253: Native American Cooking

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Native American cooking includes Tamales Mole Mezcal Tortillas
practices in the culinary arts of the Champurrado, a chocolate drink Pozole
native peoples of the all the Americas. Pulque Tlacoyos
Modern day native peoples retain a rich Native American cooking of South America
body of traditional foods, some of which Humitas, similar to modern-day Tamales, a
have become iconic of present-day Native thick mixture of corn, herbs and onion,
American social gatherings (for example, cooked in a corn-leaf wrapping. Fried
frybread). Foods like cornbread are known green tomatoes, a nightshade relative
to have been adopted into the cooking of native to Peru Saraiaka or Chicha, a
the United States from Native American corn liquor Ch'arki, a type of dried
groups. In other cases, documents from meat
the early periods of contact with Crops and ingredients Maize, beans and
European, African, and Asian peoples squash were known as the three sisters
allow the recovery of food practices for their symbiotic relationship when
which passed out of popularity in the grown together by the North American and
historic period (for example, Black Central American natives.
Drink). Crops Beans - Throughout the Americas.
Native American cooking of the United Squash - Throughout the Americas. Sweet
States potato Potato - South American Tomato
The native cooking of the Native Coca Kiwacha Maca
Americans of the United States: American South and Central America. chile
Indians of the Eastern Woodlands planted peppers bell peppers quinoa South
what was known as the "Three Sisters": America, Central America, and Eastern
corn, beans, and squash. In addition, a North America. amaranth tobacco
number of other domesticated crops were cassava Primarily South America.
popular during some time periods in the Hunted or livestock
Eastern Woodlands, including a local Horse: The only animal on the list
version of quinoa, a variety of amaranth, introduced by Europeans, the horse was
sumpweed/marsh elder, maygrass, still very important to Native American
sunflower, and little barley. Some known cultures throughout the Americas
dishes Succotash, a trio of lima beans, (although famously on the North American
tomatoes and corn Corn bread Fry bread Plains) in the historic era. Squirrel:
is a dish made from ingredients Many groups had no cultural stigma
distributed to Native Americans living on against the consumption of small mammals
reservations. Pemmican Buffalo stew, such as squirrels. Guinea pig:
from the Cherokee Nation also called Domesticated in the Andes. Bison: A
Tanka-me-a-lo Acorn mush, from the centrally important wild food and modern
Miwok people Bird brain stew, from the livestock animal. Llama: Domesticated
Cree tribe in the Andes. Guanaco: Hunted in
Native American cooking of Central Southamerica by hunter-gatherer
America societies, for ex. in Patagonia until the
Central America made a major contribution 19th century. Turkey: Domesticated at
to shaping modern-day Mexican cooking. least once in Mexico.






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