Try not to get too hungry when we look at the history of lemon pepper seasoning. Here are three historical facts that add flavor to our culture’s love of the seasoning.
#1: Turtle Soup (1881) - Abby Fisher was a former enslaved woman who left Alabama for San Francisco. In 1881, “What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking,” became the second cookbook in the U.S. written by a Black woman. Her cookbook features two turtle soup recipes that combine lemon and black pepper seasoning.
#2: Black Bean Soup (1911) - Rufus Estes, who grew up enslaved, went on to become a brilliant chef for the Pullman Company, serving dishes to presidents. His 1911 cookbook, “Good Things to Eat, as Suggested by Rufus,” included a recipe for black bean soup seasoned with lemon and black pepper.
#3: Lemon Pepper Wings (1990s) - Of course, we can’t forget the world-famous Magic City, which helped popularize lemon pepper wings across the South back in the 1990s.
Let’s continue to honor our staples with our secret ingredient of Black joy, uplifting our communities and preserving the flavor of our culture.