Unless you were raised in the South, sorghum isn’t an ingredient you’ve encountered often — if at all. A couple of generations ago, sorghum was a staple sweetener in the South. It was cheap, plentiful and often went by the name of sorghum molasses. The thick golden syrup was used in place of pricier sweeteners; and those that have grown up on it are partial — with an almost nostalgic attachment — to the flavor. Edward Lee, Southern chef and cookbook author said to AP that this sweetener has “a unique flavor. And it adds a lot of depth to what you’re cooking, more so than honey.” And Sean Brock, the James Beard Award winning chef, says in his new cookbook Heritage that the flavors of sorghum remind him of home, where every fall the community would get together to harvest the tall plant and boil down the sorghum syrup.
Sorghum is a cereal grain that grows tall like corn, and it is used for a lot more than just sweetening. First and foremost, in the United States, sorghum is used as livestock feed and turned into ethanol. It’s a popular crop to grow within the drier regions of the States because it is drought resistant. This quality has also made it a popular crop in Africa — where it has been growing for 4,000 years. Actually, sorghum is thought to have been introduced to America from Africa, making its way over on slave ships.
And that’s not all, sorghum can also bepopped like popcorn. Or cooked into a risotto. It can even be made into a lunch bowltoo. How have we been surviving without this versatile grain for all these years?
Just look at a couple of different things you can do with this grain…
- Garlic Green Beans With Sorghum Salad
Naturally EllaGet the Garlic Green Beans with Sorghum Salad recipe from Naturally Ella - Sorghum Buttermilk Pancakes With Whipped Coconut CreamSassy KitchenGet the Sorghum Buttermilk Pancakes with Whipped Coconut Cream recipe from Sassy Kitchen
- Gingerbread Beer Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Food52Get the Gingerbread Beer Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze recipe from janeofmanytrades via Food52 - Rye Crepes With Sorghum Bourbon StrawberriesNaturally EllaGet the Rye Crepes With Sorghum Bourbon Strawberries recipe from Naturally Ella
- Nettle, Sorghum And Bourbon CocktailBeth Kirby | {local milk}Get the Nettle, Sorghum, and Bourbon Cocktail recipe from Beth Kirby | {local milk} via Food52
- Roasted Cherry Tomato, Arugula And Sorghum Salad
Cookie + KateGet the Roasted Cherry Tomato, Arugula and Sorghum Salad recipe from Cookie + Kate
By Julie R. Thomson Source: What Is Sorghum? And Why Is The South So Obsessed With It?