Lesson 3: Culinary Fusion: Exploring the Exchange of Ideas Between Africa and America

What are historical exchange of culinary ideas between Africa and America?
How does the impact of physical, psychological, cultural, spiritual, and social influence our food choices?
What new flavor profiles in modern food trends resulted from this culinary fusion between Africa and America?

Jollof Rice and Black-Eyed Pea Salad: This dish combines the flavors of Jollof rice, a popular West African dish, with a refreshing black-eyed pea salad common in American cuisine.
Fried Chicken and Waffles: A classic dish that blends the American favorite of fried chicken with the sweetness of waffles, inspired by African culinary traditions of savory and sweet combinations.
Gumbo with Collard Greens: Gumbo, a dish with roots in both African and American cuisines, is paired with collard greens, a staple in Southern American cooking, creating a unique blend of flavors.
Peanut Butter Stew with Cornbread: A fusion of African peanut stew with American cornbread, showcasing the combination of savory and nutty flavors.
Plantain Tacos: This dish takes the traditional African ingredient of plantains and pairs them with a Mexican twist in taco form, highlighting the versatility of global culinary influences.

Standard 1: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the influences of social, cultural, and psychological factors on food choices.
Standard 2: Students will analyze the historical and contemporary exchange of culinary ideas between different cultures and its impact on modern food trends

making connections between events.

DOK Level 2 - Skill/Concept - graph, classify, compare, estimate, summarize.

Compare and contrast the flavor profiles of traditional African dishes with modern American cuisine.

DOK Level 3 - (Strategic Thinking - assess, investigate, formulate, draw conclusions, construct.)

Investigate how the cultural exchange of culinary ideas can lead to the creation of fusion cuisine.
Assess the impact of spiritual and social influences on food choices in different communities.
Formulate a hypothesis on how future exchanges of culinary ideas between Africa and America might shape global food trends.
DOK Level 4 - (Extended Thinking - analyze, critique, create, design, apply concepts.)

Analyze a specific dish that exemplifies the fusion of African and American culinary traditions, discussing its ingredients and preparation methods.

Many popular food items like fried chicken, cooking with peanuts, jambalaya, stews and candied yams come from Africa and was introduced to the Americas by the slave population.

Students do not know that different foods they enjoy eating and where they think these foods originated from are very different.

Students will choice their visual for their presentation and they can write or orally explain their findings to demonstrate learning.

Students will create a presentation showcasing a traditional dish that highlights the fusion of African and American culinary influences. They must also include a written reflection on the physical, psychological, cultural, spiritual, and social factors that influenced the creation of the dish.

Online resources.