Wojape (Wozapi)

If you could make your food taste exactly like the place where you are physically standing, then you can really evoke the flavor profile that resonates through history. This way of thinking provides a direct connection that we have as indigenous people to our ancestors and to the flavors of their foods, because those flavors have not changed.

-Sean Sherman, quoted in Cornell Chronicle

Quotes have an inherent force, a persuasiveness that brings an important point to the forefront so that it could be considered more fully and understood better. Yet, even quotes require a dive into the context surrounding the words, and, when it comes to the foodways of the indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, understanding that context is critical.

Growing up in the Midwest, I learned very little about the indigenous peoples of North America. I write "very little" for a reason. To be sure, indigenous people were mentioned in my U.S. history books. However, the books told that history from the perspective of rich white men, not indigenous men and women. There was very little, if anything, from the perspective of those whose ancestors had lived on this continent for generations.

Fortunately, I found a hobby in cooking, which provides me with an opportunity to learn. I use these chances to educate myself, not just about how to prepare food, but also about the peoples, cultures and history behind the ingredients, cooking processes and dishes. I use this blog to record some of my thoughts and some of what I have learned after making the dishes.

One area that I wanted to further explore involves indigenous cooking throughout North America. The desire to learn about this particular aspect of cooking, as well as the underlying cultures and peoples, really took hold during a visit to  Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was there for work, but I found a restaurant near my hotel that sparked my interest. The restaurant is Owamni, which is run by Chef Sean Sherman. An Oglala Lakota, born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, Chef Sherman has made it his life's work to educate everyone about indigenous cuisine, as the native Americans would have prepared it (that is, without "colonizer ingredients," such as wheat, beef, pork, etc.). My meal that I had at Owamni was one of the best meals that I had ever had in a restaurant (you can read my restaurant review here).

Since that time, I have wanted to explore indigenous cuisine. The first steps took place on Indigenous People's Day, when I decided to make Wojape or, as it translates in Lakota, "fruit stew. It is a native berry sauce made by indigenous peoples, including the Lakota and Dakota. They traditionally prepared the sauce with canpa'-hu, or, as we would call them chokecherries or bittercherries.  The chokecherry plant is part of the rose family, and it can be found throughout much of the United States and most of Canada. Its white flowers bloom in May, and, then give way to small, rather tart berries in July and August. When the berries are ripe, they are picked for use in a wide range of foods, one of the most common being pemmican, which is a combination of dried meat, fat and, of course, berries. A foodstuff necessary for survival in the northern Plains, especially during the long winter months.

Yet, the Lakota and Dakota also used chokecherries to make wojape. The traditional recipe calls for a combination of cooked chokeberries, pounded raw berries and ground root powder. The result is something that has the consistency of a pudding. As with pemmican, there was a purpose to the pudding. It transformed the berries into something that could last longer than a simple berry sauce.  

As much as I wanted to make a traditional Wojape, I faced a couple of obstacles. First, as common as chokecherries may be, I don't have a ready access to them. Chokecherries are not in my local grocery stores and I don't have the time to go foraging for them. Second, I have even less access to the root powder or root flour that would be used to make the dish. I did not want my start on this indigenous cooking exploration to begin with the use of corn starch or wheat flour. That would seem to be the wrong course to take.

Fortunately, I have a recipe that was developed by Chef Sean Sherman. The recipe comes from Chef Sherman's The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen cookbook. He provides a recipe that incorporates readily available substitutes, such as blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. His recipe also does not use root powder, but substitutes maple syrup or honey, which provides some slight thickening and more sweetness to the final dish. In the end, I was able to make Wojape; and, in a nod to indigenous cuisine, I served it over a roasted, sliced bison loin. 

WOJAPE (WOZAPI)

Recipe from Sean Sherman, The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen, pg. 173

Makes 4 to 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of fresh berries (chokeberries or a mix of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, elderberries, cranberries, blackberries)
• 1 to 1/2 cups water
• Honey or maple syrup, to taste

Directions:

Put the berries and water into a saucepan and set over low heat.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thick. Taste and season with honey or maple syrup as desired.

ENJOY!

Loyalist Bread

I am not the only one who cooks in our family.  My beautiful wife, Clare, is also a great cook and a great baker.  Every once in a while, I ask my Angel to provide a guest blog post so that I can share some of the amazing and delicious things that she makes for family, friends and, of course, me.  She has already provided guest blog posts about Tuscan Vegetable Soup and Cuban Bread.  So, without further ado,

A Guest Blog Post by Clare ...

For years, my mom has baked a blueberry bread called Loyalist Bread.  She usually made this bread for special occasions, like breakfast for guests during the Thanksgiving holiday or for Keith and myself when we visit.  And, whenever my mom makes this bread, it tends to be eaten very quickly, because it is delicious.  The recipe for making this bread is very fun and easy.  Recently, I made Loyalist bread with my godson, J.T.,  his sister, Ella, and one of my best friends, Michele.  This time, the special occasion was my birthday.

According to Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads, the recipe for Loyalist Bread dates back to the American Revolution.  During that time, the recipe for Loyalist Bread was commonly made by families who were loyal to King George III.  As the Revolutionary War progressed, these families fled the colonies to various parts of Canada, like Nova Scotia.  These families took their recipes with them.  When they arrived at their new homes, these families continued to use those recipes, like the Loyalist Bread recipe, using local ingredients.  This recipe and others were collected in a book called The Blueberry Connection, written by Beatrice Ross Buzek from Nova Scotia, where the provincial berry happens to be the wild blueberry..

All you need to make Loyalist Bread are two medium (8 inch by 4 inch) loan pans, greased or Teflon, lined with buttered wax paper.  It is best to use fresh blueberries for this bread and you need to use some care to ensure the blueberries are not broken up or smashed.  You will be rewarded in the end because, beneath the great crust of this bread, there will be little blueberry pockets that are perhaps the key to what makes this bread so delicious to eat.
 

LOYALIST BREAD

Adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads at 452-53.
Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of shortening, melted

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of buttermilk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

5 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups of cleaned blueberries

1 cup chopped walnuts 

Directions:

1.  Mix the melted shortening together with the sugar, buttermilk and beaten eggs in a bowl.

2.  In a larger bowl, mix the dry ingredients.  Form a well at the bottom and pour in the buttermilk mixture.  Stir together with 15 to 20 strokes.  Drop in the blueberries and walnuts and push into the corners.

3.  Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared pans (see discussion above) while preheating the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Allow the pans to stand for 20 minutes.

4. Place in the oven and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  The crust will become light brown.  Test with a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf.  If it comes out clean and dry, then the bread is done.

5.  Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes before turning the pans on their side.  Tug the bread loose with the ends of the wax pepper.  Allow to cool further on a wire rack.

And, as Keith always says,

ENJOY!