Remembering Black Chefs

African-American chefs have long contributed to the American table. Now a new book imprint showcases not only traditional recipes but new chefs  that highlight their recipes and histories. It's a time to savor and celebrate.

Korsha Wilson, food writer and podcaster wrote this informative piece in yesterday's New York Times Food section. The person charged with the new imprint 4 Color Books from Ten Speed Books is chef and cookbook author, Bryant Terry. Chef Terry , who has won the James Beard and the NAACP Image Awards is dedicated to not only preserving and cooking traditional recipes but also promoting new African-American chefs such as seventeen year old Rahanna Bissenet-Martinez , the San Francisco born finalist of "Top Chef Junior" Her new cookbook Flavorous will be released next year by 4 Color. Chef Terry is known for his vegetarian recipes and has written five cookbooks revolving around them. His are Afro-Vegan, Vegan Soul Kitchen and Vegetable Kitchen  along with ones inspired by the African diaspora. Cooking during the enslaved people varied from the Carolina to Louisiana to the Caribbean.It was shaped by a number of variants from location to financial status and disposition of plantation owners. There are nuances and it is really Black food , bringing to the American table, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens and pole beans, or Black Superfoods as Chef Terry calls them.

He does include two recipe from his cooking lab, (namely his shed that also is a home office).He offers traditional corn muffins.made with fine white cornmeal like Dixie LIly or White Lily. The batter is fragrant with coriander, not usually put in corn muffins, There is also vegetable oil and brown sugar along with buttermilk. He also has a vegetarian grits with mushrooms and rainbow chard. The mushrooms  can be either cremini or maitake are made into a sauce with jalapeno and garlic. Onions are also added and are charred. The chard is cooked and pickled , as it's cut into matchstick pieces and then quickly pickled in a sauce of jalepeno, garlic, onion sugar and vinegar. The leaves are also used. Chef Terry also includes a pilipili oil that combines olive oil and bird's eye or Thai chilis. These are cooked with thyme and smoked paprika and used on many South African dishes.

Bryant Terry and 4 Color Books will make sure that African American cuisine and its' history will come into its' own. The writers and their recipes along with tradition will come to the front of the American table. It's about time.

Eat Like Your Favorite CHaracters

 Since childhood we've always wanted to be like our favorite characters. We still do it even as adults, Now we can eat like them too thanks to all sorts of cookbooks. You can dine like Spock or feast like a Stark.

Priya Krishna, a regular contributor to the New York Times Food section wrote about this in today;s issue. Cookbooks based on TV show shave been around for a while. There was The Dark Shadows (!) Cookbook as well as one based on the Partridge Family. There was even A LIttle House On The Prairie one. Now it's more intense thanks to streaming platforms and amusement parks that cater to fans.It also took The Sopranos Family Cookbook that came out in 2002 which sold more than 142,000 copies and The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook in 2010 which sold more than a million copies!!! These showed major publishers that these can be considered a lucrative genre. Some books are centered around food shows and movies like "Bob's Burger" and the fun movie "Ratatouille". Others are eye brow raising as in the "Walking Dead Cookbook" and "Hannibel". Really???

Of course "Game of Thrones" was a big part of everyone across the globe's lives. It's no wonder that there's a cookbook.Ms.Krishna has even included a lemon cake recipe from a cookbook based on the show. Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer A Feast Of Ice and Fire : The Official Game Of Thrones Companion Cookbook which was written almost ten years ago. Most of the recipes are taken from medieval and Elizabethan cookbooks. They can work at a Christmas or holiday party, especially if there's wassailing.There's also the Avatar The Last Airbender Official  Cookbook which has dishes from the Four Kingdoms.Now there is a brand new cookbook based on Wakanda called The Official Wakanda Cookbook written by NYanyika Banda. Ms, Banda had to up her game with the recipes thanks to the rabid fandom surrounding "Black Panther. She includes chambo, a traditional fish dish from Malawi which speaks to Wakanda's varying locations throughout the continent. It's what they want and know. Fifteen years ago they wouldn't be this passionate. Now they are.

You can eat like your favorite characters. Get the cookbook that features your favorite show or comics. Then you can feast like the Starks or enjoy ravioli like The Many Saints of Newark.

LIttle Bits Of Pasta

Pasta goes well in soup.It gives any from tomato to minestrone texture and taste. The only problem is it'

s too big. That's where the smaller sort comes in handy.It's easy to cook and easy to eat.

For those who like spaghetti or thinner noodles in their soup try Barilla fideo cut spaghetti. The known pasta company has created spaghetti strands or bits, that are perfect in any soup or even broth. Add it to chicken , beef or vegetable broth for those sick day lunches or dinner. It gives the broth more nutrients  which is better for the patient.It would also be good in a thick homemade tomato and basil soup too.The cut spaghetti would also be a fun change up in a classic minestrone where shells are used.There is also orzo which you probably used all summer in salads.It is also great in plain broths, perfect for a sick day meal. However it works just as well in minestrones and Italian wedding soups. Keep in mind that orzo is good served with just butter and cheese.It makes for a good Saturday night or Sunday supper where you just don't want to cook something fancy or elaborate.

Most people , especially those who grew up in Italian households know about pastina. These were a standard ingredient in chicken soups.Again, like orzo it's good on it's own cooked in broth and topped with butter and Parmesan. Ditalini or little fingers are bead like pieces of pasta. Many home chefs use it in a variety of different soups.It sometimes is the backbone for minestrone, meshing nicely with chopped tomatoes and onions along with kidney and cannelini beans.It add texture and more nutrients to a simple vegetable soup, rich with zucchini, cabbage , carrots and celery.Ditalini is also perfect for a simple cheese sauce. Just cook cheddar and whole cream into a sauce and pour over the pasta for a quick, satisfying bite. Other pastas that are good in soups and broth are the tiny wagon wheels called ruote and trofie , short twisted spaghetti like strands. Can you combine potatoes and pasta in the same soup. You can but go easy on the potatoes.There's enough starch from both. Besides the kids would probably prefer more pasta over the spuds anyway. 

Smaller sized pasta is a great addition to any soup or broth. It adds texture and taste, elevating the bowl to another level. Try it in your favorite.

Fall Picnics

 The weather is glorious right now. The summer heat has gone away and that makes it wonderful to take hikes or spend a cook day at the beach. It's the perfect time for a picnic basket.

Of course every picnic has to have sandwiches. Think heartier ones with a variety of meats and cheeses. You can even use leftovers from a week day roast for them. Autumn is the time for cheddar. A roast beef and cheddar sandwich on crusty sour dough bread.If you have leftover chicken or turkey shred the meat and layer it on think on a hero roll. You can add cheese , what's left over from your tomato harvest and kale or spinach. You could also make an ultra sophisticated  one with Brie spread on split croissants. What to have for sides? Since it's apple season try a slaw loaded with the Gala kind along with dried cranberries and shredded cabbage. To give it some color and crunch , add in scallions, matchstick carrots and almond slivers. You can sub in walnuts for the almonds for a different spin on flavor.Pears are also in season right now. A pear salad is unusual, easy to carry, and tasty. Think of one with arugula and goat cheese. Keep the dressing simple with a vinaigrette made with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Should you bring soup on a picnic? You could if it's two or three people or just yourself. Get yourself a large mouthed thermos which makes pouring easy. A great one is the classic tomato soup , a perfect companion for a cheddar cheese sandwich. You could also bring chicken soup or a potato soup. Pack a packet of oyster crackers along too. What to drink? If it's a bit chilly then think a hot tea or coffee , again brought in a thermos.If the weather is warmer , you could go for cider. It's always a great drink that works with any type of food. If not sparkling water is great as is cold brewed iced tea which can be brewed on the ride over. Picnics should end with some kind of sweet treat. Homemade shortbread is perfect. It travels well and won't get sticky or melty in the afternoon sun. Oatmeal raisin is another great bring. You could bake a double batch, one for the picnic and one for school and office lunch bags. A simple apple cake , easily cut into manageable squares is a good picnic cake. You could also make a spiced or nut snack cake too. Skip the frosting  though because it can get messy if wrapped in Saran wrap.

The weather calls for a picnic. Pack a lunch grab a blanket and set out to enjoy the beautiful season and sunny blue skies. Then enjoy a tasty meal in the cool fresh air,.

A Heimgemacht Oktoberfest

 October means one thing- Octoberfest. It;'s a big deal in the major cities like New York and Chicago. Some smaller towns and restaurants have their own version. However what do you do when there's not one celebration in your area? Make your own  heimgemacht as the Germans would say.

German food is heavy and it does vary from region to region. However there's one thing they can agree on and that's beer and wurst.  The most popular is Pilsner, a hoppy smelling brew popular all over the German republic. Your local liquor store should sell such top quality ones as Bohemia and Hacker PSchorr Weisse.As for wursts, the Schaller and Weber brand is the best Try to pick up a variety of them. Bratwurst is about the best because of its;' flavor and the way it grills up nicely. Hot dogs or frankfurters for the kids can also work.If you want more fancier fare then think rouladen which is beef rolls stuffed with spinach. Some add bacon and pickles to it but the spinach inside is very tasty and doesn't need anything else. Schnitzel and spaetzel is also very good.  Schnitzel is  any pounded piece of meat that's then dipped in beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Most Germans opt for pork because of the intense flavor and because it is traditional. Spaetzels can be bought or homemade. The ingredients are simple - flour eggs and water. You will need a spaetzel board which looks like a giant cheese grater to cut them into bite size drops. From the grater, they're plopped into the water and boiled like pasta.

One of the biggest dishes in Deutchland is sauerkraut. Yes , you can buy a big jar or can of it at your grocery store. However nothing beats the homemade kind. Keep in mind that it does have to be fermented for one to four weeks.You will need a large head of cabbage and salt. The cabbage has to be shredded, then salted and then massaged. Keep kneading it as it's poured into a very clean glass jar. (any impurities can cause bacteria to grow).Tightly screw on a plastic lid and let it ferment at room temperature. After the fermentation process you can then store it in the fridge. Oktoberfests are known for their pretzels too. These are the large soft, chewy kind that can also be used for bread or dipped in mustard or melted cheddar. They can be home made , with a yeast based dough. They do have to be boiled in either a baking soda or lye. Lye is the better bet here because its' the reason pretzels are golden brown and crisp on the outside. Plus it gives them that unique flavor too. after a quick lye bath, brush them with beaten egg and sprinkle on coarse salt. They're baked for  ten to fifteen minutes.

A heimgemacht Oktoberfest is the best thing in the world You can celebrate with wurst and homemade sauerkraut or schnitzel mit spaetzels.. Try a pretzel with mustard or have a plate of rouladen. Enjoy this month with good food from the heart.

Your Own Hot Doughnuts

 One of the best fall treats is a doughnut. It's the perfect snack or even breakfast on a chilly day. Homemade ones are even better.The bite is fresh and deliciously chewy,

Any good home baker can create a doughnut.You can make it with yeast for one with  a chewy bread like crumb or a cakey one that's more like your favorite slice. A basic recipe for the yeast variety has milk and two packets of yeas t mixed with two eggs and a stick of melted butter. You will need flour , usually the all purpose kind,More flour will be needed to roll out the dough into rolls. Keep in mind you will need a deep fryer for this and two quarts of a neutral oil like grapeseed or vegetable oil. Can you air fry doughnuts? You can. Just generously spray the basket with a neutral spray in either vegetable or butter flavor. This may be a bit tedious to do. Only two doughnuts at a time can be fried and  they have to be flipped midway through the baking process. The plus side is that they won't leave a greasy after taste and the texture is crisper on the outside, tender on the inside. Another plus is that you can also air fry cake batter doughnuts too, They come out just as good as their yeast cousins, The air fryer also works for doughnut holes too. The yeast ones take forty five minutes to rise and six to eight minutes to bake at 375 degrees Farenheit.

Cake doughnuts are another treat. The recipes are more varied than the yeast recipe as are the textures. Cake doughnuts can be as dense in crumb as a muffin or as light and fluffy as a birthday cake. You can create more flavors with cake doughnuts. A good cake doughnut recipe is made with flour, and baking powder which gives them lift. Usually one egg is used along with milk. You can fry them but look for an evenness in color and texture. Baked doughnuts are another way to go. Get a doughnut tin which has different shapes, from fluted edges to a regular circle. If you don't have one simply use a muffin or cupcake tin with foil in the middle to create the hole. Apple cider doughnuts are big right now and it's just adding concentrated apple cider. DO NOT add cider straight from the jug. You'll need to reduce it to a thick and potent syrup. This is done by boiling it down for twenty minutes.It's then added to the batter. You can also add an apple pie spice blend of nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamon. After they've been baked brush with melted butter and dredge in a mix of white sugar and cinnamon.

This is the season for doughnuts. Make them at home for a fresh, sweet treat. You can fry , air fry or bake the yeast or cake variety for a tasty bite full of satisfying sweetness.

Sharing Cuisines And Backgrounds

 What we eat tells other who we are. It's a glimpse into our histories and traditions. A plate of rice or yams can explain our pasts and who are ancestors were. Our recipes are a mirror of us, passed down for generations in some cases.

Regular  contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She tells of her own roots in Lagos, Nigeria in her new monthly column. Like Marcel Proust  with his madeleines, ,  Chef Komolafe reminisces about the aromas and taste of her past, She tells how diasporas shape and will always shape the American cuisine. The broader region of West Africa has also been responsible for the way America eats.Our barbecues and gumbos, fried fish and rice dishes are all part of the gifts the enslaved brought to America. They brought over fried foods along with okra and yams to add to the North American diet. Her own recipes made for guests, explains who she ; her background and her ideas on food. WE all do this , letting friends and colleagues into a slice of our lives and our histories. These dishes connect us to our our pasts and to those ancestors where we inherited those recipes.

Chef Komolafe also offers up a side dish - roasted carrots with yaji spice relish. Yaji is an essential pantry spice that should be in every kitchen. It's a homemade and simple blend of toasted peanuts, ground ginger, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders combined with fine sea salt. All of this is then pulsed in a spice grinder but you can also use a mortar and pestle to create it.Chef Komolafe roasts the carrots on a sheet pan at 400 degrees Farenheit after coating them in a neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed.The relish , made with yaji , grated lemon, grated ginger and chopped scallions. Parsley and more oil is added.The carrots are then tossed with the relish in a large bowl. Toasted peanuts are scattered over the carrots. This would be a good side with roasted chicken for a Sunday meal or a a small Saturday get together. It could even be used for grilled vegetables too such as broccoli and cauliflower.

How we cook instantly telegraphs whop we are and where we come from. This is evident in CHef Komolafe's cooking and the ingredients she uses. They reflect her and her family's past while letting her guest know who she is ,