Here's my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
“Greens” are often paired with tomatoes, cucumbers and croutons for a light lunch in many parts of the country.
In Appalachia, though, “greens” go best with a ham hock, bacon or fatback as part of a hearty dinner.
That’s because in Appalachian cooking and throughout much of the American South, greens typically refers to leafy vegetables that are cooked and slow-simmered with flavor bombs, like smoked meat, onions and spices.
Salad greens, like lettuce, arugula, or spinach are usually eaten raw and aren’t typically considered part of the traditional “mess of greens” in mountain cooking.
Some of the most common Appalachian greens include:
Collard Greens – Heat- and cold-tolerant, collards are prized for their hearty texture and deep flavor, especially after the first frost.
Turnip Greens – Often served with the turnip roots, these greens are tender and slightly peppery.
Mustard Greens – Known for their sharp, spicy bite, mustard greens are often mixed with milder varieties.
Kale – An old-world green that has made a modern comeback, kale thrives in Appalachian gardens and gets sweeter in cooler weather.
Pokeweed – A wild green that must be carefully prepared to remove toxins, poke is a controversial but storied part of Appalachian foraging culture.
Creasy Greens (Wintercress) – A peppery, early-spring wild green that’s beloved in mountain communities.
The tradition of eating greens in Appalachia runs deep, with roots in Native American, African, and European cuisines.
Indigenous peoples foraged wild greens like lamb’s quarters, ramps, and pokeweed long before settlers arrived. European immigrants brought seeds and methods for cultivating kale, cabbage, and turnip greens, while enslaved Africans introduced rich, slow-cooked preparations and the practice of seasoning greens with smoked meats.
For Appalachian families, especially in rural or isolated communities, greens were a critical part of subsistence living. They were easy to grow, nutritious, and adaptable to the seasons. Whether foraged or cultivated, greens represented a reliable food source through lean winters and long growing seasons.
Plus, they’re delicious.
In Appalachian kitchens, greens are often prepared in a way that honors their flavor and maximizes their nourishment. A pot of greens simmered low and slow with a hunk of salty meat is a classic preparation, producing not only tender greens but also a richly seasoned “potlikker” —the broth that’s revered in its own right.
Greens are served with cornbread to sop up that potlikker, tucked into savory pies, or combined with beans and onions for a filling meal.
Today, greens remain a staple in Appalachian cuisine — from appearing at markets and in backyard gardens to restaurant menus, where they can even be found alongside those other “greens.”
