The Day of Epiphany or Old Christmas Foodways

Roast chicken with lemon and herbs, recipes below (photo from http://dishingup.wordpress,com)

I talked about the January 6, the he Day of Epiphany, and the Feast of the Three Kings tradition practiced among Catholics of Latin American descent on yesterday’s post. Among Protestants here in the United States you find The Day of Epiphany called Old Christmas and it’s practiced among some whites, particularly in the Appalachian mountain regions, and among some African Americans in the south. For example, I interviewed Benjamin Outlaw for my book Hog and Hominy http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-14638-8/hog-and-hominy/excerpt. Outlaw comes from the same hometown as my maternal grandmother, Windsor, North Carolina. His mother, Hattie Outlaw, prepared her New Year’s Day meal on the sixth of January, which she called “old Christmas,” he says. What is noteworthy here is that his mother’s menu did not include pork (like most southerners do on New Year’s Day). “Mama would make roast chicken, collard greens, desserts, and stuff like that,” recalls Benjamin Outlaw. Roast chicken recipes below.

Featured photo and recipe for roast chicken with lemon and herbs: http://dishingup.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/roasted-chicken-with-lemon-and-herbs-with-potatoes-dauphinoise/

Sara’s roast chicken with sage and garlic: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Saras-Roast-Chicken-with-Sage-and-Garlic

Orange roasted vegetarian "chicken" recipe: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/orangechicken.htm

Vegan roasted chicken soup: http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/gluten-free-progressive-dinner-vegan-un-chicken-roasted-vegetable-soup-recipe-4437.html