When Alysia Burton Steele moved to Mississippi, she found herself drawn to the Delta. Something about it reminded her of her grandmother, who’d grown up in rural South Carolina. That observation would lead Alysia on a journey of discovery, seeking out the stories of elderly women of her grandmother’s generation. Their memories often focused on food. And they painted a portrait of the Mississippi Delta that is usually missed by an outside world that focuses on the poverty, the racism, the hardship. In this episode of Gravy, the stories church mothers across the Mississippi Delta reveal a region of extraordinary generosity.

You can find Alysia Burton Steele’s book Delta Jewels: In Search of My Grandmother’s Wisdom here.

A video Alysia produced featuring more of the church mothers’ voices is here.

You can find the wonderful gospel music of the Como Mamas, which is featured in this episode, here.