Whenever I think of the month of March, I immediately think of Denver March Pow Wow. Whenever I think of Pow Wow I immediately think of fry bread. (***More about Denver March Pow Wow Here***)
Although different kinds of frybread can be found all over the world, it is most well known as being the staple food of America’s many different tribal nations. “Indian fry bread” (or simply “frybread” as it is known to Natives) is exactly what it sounds like. It is made by taking flat dough and frying it in oil. The way that it is made and served varies by regions and tribes, although national inter-tribal gatherings such as pow wows have created some consistencies over time. Frybread has also become very popular with Non-Natives thanks to state fairs, rodeos and other community events.
Frybread is unique in the fact that it can be served as an entrée, a desert or all by itself as a snack. One of the most popular ways it is served is as an “Indian taco”. Indians tacos are generally served open-face with a flat piece of fry bread serving as the base. On top there is generally a combination of fillings starting with a protein. The most popular choices are pinto beans, black beans, ground beef, bison and chicken. On top of that, the taco is usually piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa and in some cases sour cream.
As a desert, frybread is served in many different ways. My favorite is when they take a piece that is fresh out of the oil and coat it was a generous dusting of cinnamon and powdered sugar. Another popular way to serve it is with fruit compote on top as you might typically see done with pancakes. The most popular fruit toppings are apple, cherry and blueberry. And of course, the most simple and classic way of enjoying frybread as a desert is eating a warm piece with honey. It is similar to eating sopapillas with honey, although the taste and texture are quite different. Sopapillas are generally know for being "puffy", while frybread tends to be more dense.
Frybread is more than just a good. It is a symbol of Native American pride. It brings family members all generations together, from the elders down to those who just started to eat solid food. It is a time for sharing among friends, and making new friends too. I can’t count the number of times I met a new friend while standing in the enormously long frybread line. (***More about Native tradition of Frybread Here***)
The “frybread line” is something pow wow legends are made of. At most large pow wows, the frybread stand traditional opens around 11am after Grand Entry. During Grand Entry all dancers, elected royalty (princesses and warriors) and other community representatives dance into the grand arena and while the drummers beat a sacred prayer. This is usually a song to honor veterans, a presentation of colors and singing of the National Anthem or a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. After that is usually some sort of special prayer dance, and then it is one mad chaotic dash by everyone to the frybread line. If you aren’t already in line just before Grand Entry ends (which is something the elders generally frown upon unless you are non-Native), you can expect to be waiting anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour. For those who only get this incredible treat every once in a while, the time spent in line is absolutely worth it!
While visiting with family at Denver March Pow Wow in 2009, we received some very exciting news. We had arrived late due to another family obligation and were saddened that we wouldn’t have enough time to stand in line for frybread. We were informed that as of January 2009 there was a new Native American restaurant called Tocabe (which means “blue” Osage). They are located in the trendy Highlands neighborhood near 44th and Tennyson in Denver. We couldn’t believe that we could actually go to a restaurant and order an Indian taco just as easily as ordering a cheeseburger. And best of all—there is no line!
Tocabe is does a great job of serving up tradition while being incredibly innovative at the same time. When you first walk in the door, the restaurant design makes you feel as though you have stepped in a post-modern Chipotle. However, on any given day you will tables full of Native families or groups of elders interspersed amongst Highlands hipsters. Besides the option of having frybread any way you like it, the menu features non-traditional items as well. This includes Medicine Wheel Nachos (an option for customers who cannot have gluten), the highly addictive cinnamon and sugar coated Frybread Nuggets, and of course beer--which is both traditional and non-traditional depending on who you ask.
At a whopping 700 calories a serving (and that’s before any kind of protein, sugar or topping!) and deep fried, frybread is unfortunately not one of the healthiest foods in the world. However, it stands for so much to our America’s Native people. Whether they have lived on a reservation their entire life or only visit pow wow once a year, it is the fellowship of the bread that brings Native American brothers and sisters together. This tradition and expression pride is so ingrained that Tocabe sell t-shirts that read, “My heroes have always cooked frybread” (a clever play on the cliché, “My heroes have always been cowboys”). In the non-Native world, it is one of the last persevering symbols of a people that have lost so much over the decades. When it comes to Native American visibility, frybread is right up there with Indian casinos, dreamcatchers and the American Indian stereotypes of headdresses and totem poles. The calories may be heavy, but they certainly carry a lot of weight.
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