Southern Chow Chow

Chow chow (also, chow-chow, chowchow), is a pickled relish from the United States with influences from Africa, Europe, and indigenous peoples combined. A recipe for Creole chow chow appears in one of the first African American cookbooks, 'What Mrs Fisher Knows about Southern Cooking' from 1881.

Traditionally, green tomatoes formed the basis of chow chow. Recipes vary in different parts of the country, often using up excess vegetables from summer harvests. Chow chow has a fresh, tangy flavour with warming spices like allspice, turmeric, and mustard. Other ingredients may include cabbage, bell peppers and onions. Chow chow often accompanies dishes like fried chicken, cheese, burgers, greens, and black eye-peas. The process involves brining the vegetables in vinegar, sugar and salt, before cooking.

We bought our American Southern chow chow from Garden of Eva, which is made in south London by African American Eva Thorne.