I appreciate your thoughtful exploration of Korean fried chicken's cultural significance in "Drumstick Diplomacy." Your insights into Korean-American identity and food diplomacy are valuable. However, I must address some historical inaccuracies in your piece that perpetuate the erasure of Black Americans' foundational contributions to fried chicken.
The Scottish Origin Myth
You write that fried chicken was "carried into Appalachia by Scottish immigrants" and describe it as "a dish that's older than the United States." This is simply incorrect. As food historian Adrian Miller documents in Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, fried chicken as we know it—with its distinctive seasoning, battering, and deep-frying techniques—was developed by enslaved West Africans and perfected by their descendants in America.
The Scottish connection is a persistent myth that needs to stop being repeated. While Scots had some pan-frying methods, the specific techniques that define American fried chicken come directly from West African culinary traditions. Michael Twitty's The Cooking Gene and Jessica Harris's High on the Hog thoroughly document how enslaved Africans brought sophisticated frying techniques from their homeland and adapted them in the American South.
Treating Documented History as Speculation
More concerning is how you frame the role of Black American soldiers in Korea as mere speculation, writing that "another origin story credits Black American GIs" and that "primary sources are scant."
This isn't speculation—it's well-documented history. Food historians widely agree that African American soldiers stationed in Korea taught Korean soldiers how to make fried chicken. Food critic Alton Brown has stated definitively that Korean fried chicken became exceptional "because it was taught to Korean cooks by African American GIs." The Smithsonian Institution and multiple culinary historians confirm this connection.
The Pattern of Erasure
Your article, unfortunately, exemplifies a common pattern in food writing:
Attributing Black innovations to white Europeans
Treating documented Black contributions as uncertain
Using vague terms like "American soldiers" that obscure specific Black contributions. This is particularly ironic in a piece celebrating cultural exchange and diaspora identity while simultaneously erasing the African American heritage embedded in the dish itself.
Why This Matters
Food history isn't just about recipes—it's about recognizing whose knowledge and innovation built American cuisine. Korean fried chicken's excellence builds on techniques perfected by enslaved Africans and shared by Black American soldiers. Acknowledging this doesn't diminish Korean contributions; it honors the full chain of cultural exchange.
Your exploration of Korean-American identity through food is important work. I hope future pieces will also recognize the Black Americans whose culinary innovations made dishes like Korean fried chicken possible.
Dear Carolyn Stewart,
I appreciate your thoughtful exploration of Korean fried chicken's cultural significance in "Drumstick Diplomacy." Your insights into Korean-American identity and food diplomacy are valuable. However, I must address some historical inaccuracies in your piece that perpetuate the erasure of Black Americans' foundational contributions to fried chicken.
The Scottish Origin Myth
You write that fried chicken was "carried into Appalachia by Scottish immigrants" and describe it as "a dish that's older than the United States." This is simply incorrect. As food historian Adrian Miller documents in Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, fried chicken as we know it—with its distinctive seasoning, battering, and deep-frying techniques—was developed by enslaved West Africans and perfected by their descendants in America.
The Scottish connection is a persistent myth that needs to stop being repeated. While Scots had some pan-frying methods, the specific techniques that define American fried chicken come directly from West African culinary traditions. Michael Twitty's The Cooking Gene and Jessica Harris's High on the Hog thoroughly document how enslaved Africans brought sophisticated frying techniques from their homeland and adapted them in the American South.
Treating Documented History as Speculation
More concerning is how you frame the role of Black American soldiers in Korea as mere speculation, writing that "another origin story credits Black American GIs" and that "primary sources are scant."
This isn't speculation—it's well-documented history. Food historians widely agree that African American soldiers stationed in Korea taught Korean soldiers how to make fried chicken. Food critic Alton Brown has stated definitively that Korean fried chicken became exceptional "because it was taught to Korean cooks by African American GIs." The Smithsonian Institution and multiple culinary historians confirm this connection.
The Pattern of Erasure
Your article, unfortunately, exemplifies a common pattern in food writing:
Attributing Black innovations to white Europeans
Treating documented Black contributions as uncertain
Using vague terms like "American soldiers" that obscure specific Black contributions. This is particularly ironic in a piece celebrating cultural exchange and diaspora identity while simultaneously erasing the African American heritage embedded in the dish itself.
Why This Matters
Food history isn't just about recipes—it's about recognizing whose knowledge and innovation built American cuisine. Korean fried chicken's excellence builds on techniques perfected by enslaved Africans and shared by Black American soldiers. Acknowledging this doesn't diminish Korean contributions; it honors the full chain of cultural exchange.
Your exploration of Korean-American identity through food is important work. I hope future pieces will also recognize the Black Americans whose culinary innovations made dishes like Korean fried chicken possible.
Best regards,
Nicole