Photography Julian Lucas ©2024

Food prepared by Julian Lucas
All ingredients locally sourced if possible.

The Great Migration was a pivotal moment for many African American families, as they sought refuge from the Jim Crow South and the promise of better opportunities in northern cities like Chicago (south side), my hometown. The migration carried rich food traditions that transformed inner city culinary landscapes. Weaving together personal and cultural narratives, succotash and hot-water cornbread serves as a comforting reminder of my family’s southern roots of Mississippi.

Originally this historically indigenous midwest dish called msickquatash was reimagined leaving out the tomatoes and lima beans and incorporating white beans and scallops and a splash of Sauvignon Blanc, merging nostalgia with a modern twist. This combination honors tradition while inviting new flavors to the table.

A Southern staple, succotash sustained people during times of hardship and depression, much like it did for the Indigenous people who originally created it.

Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of events because he will charge you a lot of money. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, founder of Book-Store.