The heritage of the Suwannee River Valley is experienced through local foodways ranging from homemade jellies to boiled peanuts. Chicken Pilau, a chicken and rice dish cooked over an open fire, has been a culinary tradition in Florida for over 300 years and remains a staple of community gatherings, family reunions, and church suppers. Local honeys made from gallberry, tupelo, and saw palmetto nectar have distinct flavors and colors that beekeepers pursue by moving their hives. For generations, locals have made jelly from mayhaws, a fruit that grows wild near the Suwannee, and while some newcomers cleared the trees from their property, local canners such as Helen Cribbs and Marie Norris planted mayhaws in their yards to produce enough fruit to make jelly for their families and the community.