Holiday Delicacy : Chitterlings

Chitterlings has been an African-American staple for decades and decades . Some run to them and others choose to runaway. Their signature smell is what makes them unique and truly a delicacy in the black community. The question lies : What exactly are Chitterlings? Where did they come from? Why are they so popular?

Chitterlings are made from hog intestines or rectum . During the time of slavery , slave masters would slaughter pigs and give the pig remains to slaves .That would include pig ears, neckbones, feet and internal organs . Slaves were forced to survive off of the foods their masters provided for them .From these remains they created southern traditions like chitterlings and souse .Chitterlings are cleaned ,boiled,and steamed. They are prepared and served over a bed of rice or noodles .Back in the day chitterlings were considered "poor people food" . It was all that poor people could afford .But chitterlings represented more than poor people , but a southern tradition.

Chitterlings are usually not served alone. They are served with other soul food dishes like macaroni and cheese, collard greens, black eyed peas, fried chicken and yams just to name a few .

Every Thanksgiving , Christmas or New Years dinner , the young and the old gather around dinner tables to eat chitterlings . In some cases,people don't need a holiday as a reason to eat chitterlings, they eat them throughout the year. Chitterlings and other southern dishes are responsible for bringing families together.However chitterlings are viewed one thing is for sure, the legacy of chitterlings will never die . It will continue to be passed from generation to generation.