Essentials: Cornballs, Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, North Dakota
A longtime staple on the Plains
Cornballs are both a comfort food and a nutritionally dense powerhouse. Traditionally made from buffalo tallow, ground corn, and wild-harvested berries, they have long been a staple for our tribal nations—a traveling food that keeps you satiated during long trips, and lasts a long while. These days, they are something of a delicacy, and people make them for fundraisers or as gifts. Most cooks modify the traditional recipe to incorporate different types of tallow or berries, but the end product is quite similar to the original.
I associate cornballs with affection and love, because the people that give them to me are often relatives or friends who are expressing their regard and care. What better way to show someone you care about their well-being than to give them food that cares for them? —Dr. Twyla Baker
Dr. Twyla Baker is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Nation and the President of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, the Tribally chartered college of the Three Affiliated Tribes. She raises her children and her horses on her home rez, North Dakota’s Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
Kevin Necessary is a freelance illustrator and editorial cartoonist. He is currently the editorial cartoonist for The Cincinnati Enquirer. His cartoons are syndicated by GoComics, and his cartoons have been published in a variety of publications such as The Week and Politico. A Cincinnati native, Kevin will fight to the death defending Cincinnati chili. He lives with his wife, Julie, and three cats, Huckleberry, Grayson, and Bonnie.