The Unsung Ingredients of Southern Food
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, Inc.
Make Ndolé with Adrian Lipscombe
LocationHilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States
Grantmaking areaHumanities in Place
AuthorAlexandra King
PhotographyKristian Zuniga for Mellon Foundation
VideoKristian Zuniga and Derek King
DateFebruary 3, 2026
Adrian Lipscombe, founder of the 40 Acres Project and founding member of OneKitchen.
After a trip to Cameroon, an African-American chef finds new life, and honors history, in a bowl of collard greens.
Adrian Lipscombe is a founding member of the Muloma Heritage Center, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving African Atlantic food culture, with a focus on the legacy of the Gullah Geechee people in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
A fourth-generation pitmaster and founder of Uptowne Café in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Adrian champions Black agriculture and food sovereignty. She also founded the 40 Acres Project, which preserves the legacy of Black agriculture and foodways.
Learn how to make her version of Cameroonian Ndolé.
Chef Adrian Lipscombe’s Ndolé
Ingredients
- 3 bunches collard greens
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 head garlic
- 1 ¾ inch piece ginger
- 8 oz unsalted peanuts
- Kosher salt
- Water
Preparation
- Strip and clean the greens.
- Chop the onions and garlic.
- Peel and slice the ginger.
- Sear and cook down the onions.
- Add the greens, garlic, ginger, ham hock, and water.
- Bring to a boil for a couple of hours.
- Crush the peanuts (in food processor or by hand).
- Add the peanuts to the greens and let them steam to desired consistency.
- Serve
Grant insight
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, Inc.
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, Inc. was awarded $1,765,000 in September 2023 through the Humanities in Place grantmaking area.
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