Taste from Afar: Mitisam Cafe Cookbook
For Dreaming of: The Diversity of First Nations Cooking
Recipes
Until recently, the best place to eat on the National Mall in Washington, DC was easily the cafeteria (the Mitisam Cafe) at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. There were different buffet sections dedicated to different native geographies (think Aztecs, the Prairies, the Northwest Woods, the Southwest Deserts, etc), and the unique foods people ate/eat there. Unfortunately, as for cost cutting measures and probably due to popular demand (from chicken-nugget-eating families), the cafeteria now serves mostly hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and of course, chicken nuggets. But we can still dream of the fry-bread with honey, the cranberry dotted wild rice, the plank roasted salmon, and the passion fruit aquafresca. It was closed for renovations in 2024, and some of the unique features have been re-added to the menu - but on our recent visit, it is still nothing like it once was. Luckily, the Smithsonian put out a book of their recipes, and it’s still available:
Photo Source: KERA News, Destination DC
Syllogi’s ‘Musings’ is a series helping you paint a picture of a destination while traveling from your living room. From relevant books and articles, inspiring movies and tv shows, to songs and even treats and dishes, our goal is to curate a sensory experience that will prepare you for an upcoming trip, reminiscence on adventures past, or simply to envision a place that exists in your bucket list fantasies.
