McCormick has announced it is partnering with award-winning chef and soul food/southern cooking expert Millie Peartree to acknowledge the history and prominence of soul food by transforming traditional charcuterie boards into “Soul-Cuterie” boards for Black History Month. 

This collaboration provides fans the opportunity to not only celebrate soul food recipes but dig deeper to understand their history and the innovation used to create. With the introduction of Soul-Cuterie boards, a new take on the popular trend of charcuterie boards, families will be able to reimagine how they share their favorite soul food dishes.

“Soul food is not just food from the soul, but also comes from the heart. Growing up in the South, I’m always inspired by the down-home cooking that was passed from generation to generation,” says Chef Millie Peartree. “Rooted in Black culture, soul food connects families and community. I love bringing this new spin to classic soul food with Soul-Cuterie, while still showcasing the origins and history of our favorite dishes.”

To celebrate the partnership, McCormick donated to Chef Peartree’s own “Full Heart, Full Bellies” initiative, which supports the food insecure in her current hometown – the Bronx.

As a way to further educate and help fans learn soul food recipes, there is new dedicated section on Soul-Cuterie boards within the McCormick Flavor Maker App and online. The experience features the history behind soul food, Chef Peartree’s classic recipes (with a few twists) and videos that will showcase all the tips and tricks needed to create a Soul-Cuterie board and celebrate the month.

Chef Peartree’s favorite soul food recipes include:

• Catfish Nuggets – Battered in a zesty mixture of Zatarain’s Crispy Southern Fish Fri and Creole Mustard, with a hint of OLD BAY Seasoning
• Deviled Eggs with Southern Fried Chicken Skin – Prepared with the signature heat of McCormick Paprika and tangy French’s Classic Yellow Mustard

Chef Peartree has provided some creative tips for creating a Soul-Cuterie board, including:

• “When plating a Soul-Cuterie board, you want to plate the star of the show in the middle, which would be our catfish nuggets, because we want people to eat it while it’s hot. You probably won’t have to worry about re-heating anything because McCormick seasonings add so much flavor, everything will be devoured before any reheating is necessary!”
• “You can turn any soul food staple into a small bite perfect for a Soul-Cuterie board - whether it’s collard greens you turn into spring rolls, mac-n-cheese into fried gooey nuggets of goodness, or banana pudding into individual pie bites.”
• “Adding ready-made sauces to the board allows for dipping that creates a unique bite for each guest. Mini ramekins with an assortment of condiments like Stubb’s BBQ sauce, Zatarain’s Creole Sauce, even some French’s mustard can really jazz up the board.”