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Native Americans

The original inhabitants of Virginia who grew beans, squash, and fished, greatly influencing English settlers.

Smithfield hams

Hams that are cured in Smithfield, Virginia, known for their international reputation and legal restrictions on curing.

Curing

The process of preserving meats, which Native Americans taught to English settlers.

Watershed

An area of land that drains into a specific water body, also associated with grape and oyster harvesting in Virginia.

Oysters

Seafood that was part of the culinary heritage influenced by Native Americans and settlers in Virginia.

Virginia cuisine

A blend of culinary practices influenced by Native Americans and English settlers, including specific food production and preservation methods.