‘Fire Roasted’ Buttermilk Recipe

Let me start again by admitting that bread is not a traditional food. Native people have mixed feelings about this dish because its ingredients represent our colonization. Yet I can’t think of a single mainstream gathering in the entire country where I haven’t seen a loaf of bread on the table. Over the decades, this survival food has become a staple in our diet. Either someone from the community brings them to our meetings or a vendor sells them at powwows.

We have become so passionate about our dry bread that many tribes are proud to put themselves in it. Navajo fry bread is thin and wide, our Potawatomi version is slightly smaller and thicker, and others make it into small squares like pillows. Some are printable, and others are fluffy. We eat it dry with soups and stews, fry it with honey and cinnamon, top it with vajap, and it’s even turned it into our version of tacos. So, as I am aware of this history, I honestly think that it also represents our resilience and our efforts to survive some of the most difficult times in our lives. Just remember, as sweet or fried, this traditional guilty pleasure should be eaten in moderation.