Michael Twitty, renowned author of the 2018 winner of the James Beard Award for Best Food Writing and Book of the Year, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South examines the foodways that form the foundation for how we eat and how we define food. He shares his passion with those curious about the origins of southern food with honesty and in context. Mr. Twitty’s body of work and his book, The Cooking Gene, is about more than food though, his book is also a memoir, a celebration of his ancestral roots and his craft; he is a chef and culinary historian, that intrigued me.
Michael Twitty
Mr. Twitty is a recent discovery for me. I am fascinated by his work and his contribution to the world to help tell a more complete, historically accurate and unvarnished story of southern American cuisine and our own history. Twitty lives his passion in old southern plantation kitchens and over hearths in slave quarters. He embraces the history of our ancestors as enslaved people that introduced new foods and cooking methods from Africa that were as elemental to their survival as it was to the evolution of southern cooking. He takes us through time from regions in Africa to the shores of a new land, through the southern antebellum slavery era and translates it in way that can be better understood and more deeply appreciated.
photo credit: Washington Post by Michael S. Williamson
One of the things I love about this brother is he is unafraid to tell truths many are uncomfortable hearing. He deconstructs a lot of protective myths that have wound their way through centuries. Twitty unapologetically blows holes through common misunderstandings that have warped our past and aided in the misappropriation of traditions and twists facts that minimize the contributions of black people to American history in general and southern cuisine in particular.
During one of Mr. Twitty’ talks he recounted a cringe inducing experience he had on a plantation tour. The guide, a Daughter of the Revolution, throughout most the tour couldn’t be bothered to mention the engine that kept that plantation humming – slaves – until she was challenged. Only then did she begrudgingly mention slavery and in doing so, used that well worn brush that is commonly used to whitwash silly little things like history. She magically transformed slaves into servants it seems, without missing a beat and even then made only a passing reference.
During this one month, the shortest one too, I might add (I’m just sayin’) out of an entire year where we openly celebrate our heritage, it’s important to realize that it’s the Michael Twittys and others that remind us of the important unassailable fact that.while we have come a long way despite the minimizing of our contributions, we aren’t “there yet”.
The Cooking Gene can be purchased on Amazon.com. I am not receiving any compensation from the author or Amazon.
Call it serendipity or call it dumb luck. When I stumbled across this recipe I was elated! I got it from my Aunt Nellie. My Aunt Nellie got the recipe from our great Aunt John. And, the one and I mean ONLY dish that Nellie could rock was jambalaya. She was never the greatest in the kitchen (my mom and Aunt Joe were the kitchen magicians), but she thought she was a beast in the kitchen and nobody ever told her she wasn’t because she was also kind of a bully. My Aunt Nellie, who my older sister and I would visit in New Jersey in the summer when we were kids, lived with our great Aunt John, my granddaddy Bill’s older sister, from the age of 12 until she got married and moved to New Jersey at age 25.
Neither me nor my brothers and sisters ever set eyes on Aunt John. We don’t even know why she was named John but it was her given name. Aunt John was a young woman when she moved to New Orleans. We figured it was because she needed to get out of the Georgia woods or maybe she was run out of Georgia seeing that everyone that remembered her said she was a scoundrel but no one ever said what she did outside of stealing land from my granddaddy.
At one point, Aunt John attempted to open a restaurant with her first husband. Evil tendencies and family drama aside, a slamming pot of jambalaya was the one thing my Aunt Nellie learned from Aunt John and although now Aunt Nellie’s health is failing a bit, she was still able to pass that recipe along.
Jambalaya is one of my all time favorite dishes. We never visited Louisiana and being born in the north, we never had it as kids except during our visits to Jersey. As great a cook as my mom was, she never cooked it and I never had it again until I was grown and then, only in restaurants.
Now just let me say no one, not Aunt John or anybody else has a lock on the original jambalaya. So, you’re not going to travel to the French Quarter of New Orleans or deep into the bayou and stumble across the old dude that created it, although you might find some old dude that says he did. What you will find are an endless number of jambalaya recipes, same with gumbo or etouffee. And just like me of course, everyone thinks theirs is the best.
Aunt John’s jambalaya is the creole version or red jambalaya. The Cajun version doesn’t have tomatoes but, just about anything that could have had a mother can be added; duck, bear, alligator; it’s all fair game. I think I prefer the creole version that I’m used to. It is a spicy, hearty dish with shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage with deep, soulful flavor. Make it as spicy as you want. Aunt John’s was really spicy; as spicy as she was I guess. I had to tone it down. If you really like jambalaya though, you’ll love this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 TBSP olive oil 2 TSP salted butter 1 lb chicken, white and dark meat cut in small chunks ½ lb sliced andouille sausage 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 small onion, diced 1 rib celery, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced 3 cloves garlic, roasted and smashed 6-8 roma tomatoes, diced 1 16 oz. can tomato sauce 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup fish stock 1 cup rice 2 TBSP creole seasoning 2 bay leaves 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 TBSP hot sauce 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp cayenne ½ tsp pepper parsley for garnish
Heat 1 TBSP olive oil and 1 TBSP butter in hot heavy bottom pan or dutch oven. Season chicken in 1 TBSP of creole seasoning and brown over medium high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook about 4-5 minutes until browned.
Add to pan onions, celery, green pepper and roasted garlic and cook until transparent.
Combine diced tomatoes, rice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, 1 TBSP creole seasoning, salt and pepper and stir. Add fish stock, chicken stock, tomato paste and bay leaves. Bring pot to a boil, turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add shrimp and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.
Milk punch is a New Orleans favorite. It’s a brunch staple and while it’s served during holidays it also takes center stage during Carnival as a Mardi Gras cocktail favorite. Simple, sinfully rich and delicious, it can pack a serious punch (no pun!). Frozen milk punch is a slight twist on this smooth and boozy drink. Replace the milk with vanilla ice cream and, voila!
By the penny or by the pound, you can mix up a batch or serve up a single cocktail.I couldn’t find one recipe that totally satisfied my taste buds so, I freestyled it. I didn’t measure by the way, and I recommend adding ingredients to taste.
Ingredients:
Premium vanilla bean ice cream Half and half Bourbon Sugar or simple syrup Vanilla extract Nutmeg for garnish
Combine and mix in a cocktail shaker or in a blender. Freeze for about 3 hours or until slushy.
Mardi Gras is the best party in America and Louisiana is the home for Mardi Gras. It can be traced back to medieval times and it was first celebrated in the U.S. about 60 miles south of New Orleans on March 2 1699 (https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/history/), 19 years before the city of New Orleans was even established.
This year, Mardi Gras will be celebrated on February 25th, 2020. Mardi Gras actually means Fat Tuesday and reflects the end of Carnival that started January 6th, Epiphany. After days of celebration and parades, it is the last night of Carnival and is celebrated across the city and the state with extravagant balls and eating rich, fatty foods before the start of Ash Wednesday that starts the season of Lent.
Here in Michigan, we celebrate Fat Tuesday by eating delicious, incredibly calorie-dense paczkis (400 – 500 calories). This is the Polish tradition of the last hurrah before giving up all the fatty, decadent foods and go into the Lenten season.
While I would absolutely LOVE to run away to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras in the Garden District, don’t weep for me, I’ll be in Michigan eating paczkis.
And, in honor of Mardi Gras too, we’re also going to don our Mardi Gras beads and masks and treat ourselves to blue crab beignets and a few bourbon milk punch cocktails. This blue crab beignet recipe comes from Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery in New Orleans and is featured on the Garden & Gun website.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped 6 oz. fresh blue crabmeat, picked over 1/3 cup mascarpone 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives Kosher salt, to taste Vegetable oil for frying (about 4 cups, more if needed) 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup cornstarch 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more 1 cup amber lager
When ready to fry, pour oil into a Dutch oven or saucepan fitted with a clip-on deep-fry thermometer to a depth of at least 3 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat until temperature registers 375°.
Meanwhile, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in beer, just to blend (batter will be thick).
Measure one heaping tbsp. crab mixture, roll into a ball, and drop into batter. Using a fork, toss to coat, then lift from batter, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Working in batches of about four and returning oil to 375° each time, carefully lower beignets into oil to avoid crowding. Fry, turning occasionally, until crisp and deep golden brown, about four minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season with salt.
Creole seasoning is the cornerstone of most creole dishes. There are countless iterations of creole seasoning. This seasoning very basic and can be adjusted it to your taste. This recipe is pretty tame when it comes to spice level. I like my Creole seasoning pretty spicy so I switch out the 3rd tablespoon of paprika with smoked paprika and add an additional teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Valentine’s Day falls on Friday this year, yay! Do it big! Go ahead and slip into that sexy arm candy dress or side piece skinny suit and make the evening sparkle and turn it up with a fun night out. Or, wind it down with a romantic evening at home and a scrumptious meal.
And then, what’s Valentine’s night without a sexy cocktail or two, or a few? Why not spice it up and give your partner a reason to Put a Ring On It, no? Can’t go wrong.
Whatever your thing is, do you, and end the night with a Kiss on the Lips or maybe Sex in the Driveway?
I’ve curated a list of sensual sips that’s fun for 50 people or just for two. Whether you end your evening with a Goodnight Kiss or a Kinky Hookup, any one of these 10 cocktails has the power to make things happen.
Put the peach schnapps, frozen mango and crushed ice into a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour the grenadine into the bottom of a cocktail glass and then pour the blended mixture in over the top of it. Garnish with a pineapple slice and a cherry.
2. Quickie on the Beach
1 part vodka 1 part peach schnapps
Pour over ice and enjoy.
3. Good Night Kiss
1 oz. Campari 4 oz. champagne 1 sugar cube 1 dash angostura
Add 1 dash angostura bitters onto 1 sugar cube and drop it into a champagne flute. Add 4 oz. champagne and top with 1 oz. Campari. Recipe excerpted from Romantic Cocktails by Clair McLafferty
4. Very Sexy Martini
3 Raspberries 5 Mint leaves 1 oz. Simple syrup 1-½ Citrus vodka 1 1⁄2 oz Moët & Chandon Rosé Imperial Champagne
In a shaker, muddle the raspberries and mint. Add the remaining ingredients except the Champagne and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a Martini glass. Top with champagne and garnish with a mint spring and a raspberry.
5.Pink Silk Panties
1 oz. Absolut Vodka 1 oz. Svedka Raspberry vodka 1-½ Peach schnapps 2 oz. Cranberry juice
Garnish with: choice of o lemon wheel, strawberry or cherry Add all ingredients into a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Double strain.
6. Punch Drunk Love
JIMMY at James Hotel’s Punch Drunk Love by mixologist/partner Johnny Swet
Cute mixed drinks have their place, but tonight it’s rye on the rocks, baby! If you’re a whiskey drinker, I recommend giving rye whiskey a shot. I’m far from an expert in rye whiskeys, I’m only an expert in what I like and the rye I like is Corsair Ryemagedden. According to them, it’s booze for badasses. It’s 92-proof, very smooth and on my palate, kind of nutty and buttery. This is not a paid endorsement or a product review.
It’s said that rye is bourbon’s spicy cousin and for sure there is a spiciness to rye. Oh, I also love bourbon, Tennessee straight whiskey, single malt scotch…
Tonight, we’re not getting all connoisseur-ish talking about mouth feel, top or bottom notes. I’m just working on getting to the bottom of my glass.
A bit about the distillery, Corsair is a new American distillery located in Nashville, Tennessee. They have a respectable line of small batch, artesian whiskeys that includes a white rye, pumpkin spice moonshine, gin and a cat named Pizza. If you happen to be down around the Tennessee area, look them up, take a tour of the distillery, and pick up a bottle or two if you can. Corsair’s distribution is pretty wide but, it’s damn near impossible to find in Detroit.
The best smoked salmon dip I’d ever had was at J. Alexander’s. I haven’t been there in a very long time but, I remember how good it was and I was jonesing for some so I decided to make my own. Here’s my own version of Smoked Salmon Dip. It’s a lot of stuff I know but, it’s all necessary if you want the slammingist Smoked Salmon Dip.
Ingredients:
¼ TBSP liquid smoke 1 Small scallion 2 TBSP crushed capers 2 TBSP Fresh dill weed 1 TBSP Finely chopped parsley 1 TBSP Lemon juice 1 TBSP Lime juice 2 TBSP Buttermilk 1-½ tsp Spicy horseradish sauce 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1-½ tsp Cracked black peppercorns ½ tsp Sea salt ½ tsp Cayenne pepper ½ tsp Garlic powder ½ tsp Paprika 1 Cup Sour cream ¼ Cup Mayonnaise 16 oz. Cream cheese 2 TBSP Parmesan (optional) 2 lb Flaked salmon
* Recipe can easily be halved.
Mix all ingredients, chill in the refrigerator for about 3 hours. Garnish with dill and lemon wedges. This serves about 16. This should definitely be your “go to” Smoked Salmon Dip recipe. If you do try it, post a comment and let me know what you think!
Is Valentine’s Day an awesome day or WHAT!? So, St. Valentine’s Day is the day we lose our minds about love. We buy candy. We buy cards. We buy flowers. We buy balloons and teddy bears and carriage rides and engagement rings. All for the ones we love and the ones we want to love us. And yes, we buy dinners. Lots and lots of dinners, and at some of the finest, fanciest, schmanciest restaurants, too.
I love love and I love Valentine’s Day and I love to eat! It’s the perfect excuse, to sample a restaurant you’ve never tried that may be on the pricey side.
Chocolate truffles? Yes, please!
Still, I tend to fall on the more practical side of the scale on celebrations like Valentine’s Day. All of the pomp and circumstance that surrounds Valentine’s Day holds sentimental value for so many of us. Over the years, my husband and I have laid down the equivalent of a mortgage down payment at the altar of St. Valentine.
These days my practical, pragmatic me would scream bloody murder if I even entertained for one second the idea of spending $70 for a box of chocolates (yep, that’s a thing, y’all) or thought for a minute my husband couldn’t live without a $50.00 miniature teddy bear to tell him that I love him. With all that love floating around in the ether on Valentine’s Day, we can lose all sense of ourselves and do some pretty impulsive (er, expensive) things.
Now practical me tells me “you can celebrate Valentine’s Day honey, but you can’t mortgage the house to do it.” So, I cook a fabulous meal with all the bells and whistles I already have in my kitchen. The romantic me says cooking a fabulous meal at home is far more warm and fuzzy than sitting in a restaurant full of strangers or settling on some low-budget joint just for the sake of saying we went to dinner for Valentine’s Day. Practical me says, “Yay!”
For real, dude. You can miss me with that arrow this year!
I know, I know. “I want to go out! I eat at home all the time, what’s so special in doing that?” you whine. Well baby, it’s all about being creative and thinking beyond the everyday. You make it special. Bring out the good stuff you know, the china you think you’re only allowed to eat on at Christmas. Set the table. Buy some candles. Dim the lights. Hell, create a tent on the living room floor and cosplay – the harem of one serves the sultan his meal and maybe dance for him during drinks and desserts (bet you can’t do that at Morton’s Steak House!). Amazingly, celebrating the day doesn’t have to be complicated or it can be as complicated as you want. This is your thing.
To give you a leg up, here’s a sexy meal that leans heavily on Italian cuisine (Italian food is so romantic). Take a couple of days to do all the prep work you need to do in order to roll out the perfect Valentine’s Day dinner without breaking a sweat (Mise en place… We’ll talk) . Because the last thing you want to be is too tired to enjoy after-dinner festivities, amiright?
Enjoy the day and the evening. Enjoy your partner, a good meal and drinks! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Menu
Bruschutta Pasta e Fagioli Roasted Pork Loin with Brown Butter Lemon Caper Sauce Duchess Potatoes
Bruschetta
1 small garlic bulb Campari or cherry tomatoes, sliced Fresh basil Scallion Olive oil French baguette Mozzarella cheese Salt
Cut off the top of the garlic bulb. Place garlic, cut side down on an oiled pan. Roast in a 450-degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. Let cool.
Slice baguette in about 1-½” wide slices, on the bias and toast in oven until lightly browned. Drizzle bread slices lightly with olive oil and rub roasted garlic bulb across each slice.
Place cheese on toasted bread and top with sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes on 350 degrees.
Pasta e Fagioli
2 TBSP Olive oil 1 Spicy Italian sausage 1 16 oz. can or pkg dried cannelloni beans, cooked 4 Cups vegetable stock 1 Small onion 1 Small carrot 1 Rib celery 2 Cloves garlic 16 oz. Can crushed tomatoes 1 Cup ditalini noodles 2 TBSP – Reggiano or Parmesan cheese 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary 3-4 sprigs of fresh Thyme ½ tsp dried Oregano 1 large dried bay leaf Salt Pepper
Soak beans overnight following instructions on bag. Cook cannellini beans.
If sausage is in a casing, remove casing and crumble. Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and sausage. Brown the sausage, add herbs, bay leaf, chopped vegetables, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain and add beans, tomato sauce, water, and stock to pot. Raise heat to high and bring soup to a rapid boil and add pasta. Reduce heat to medium and cook soup, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Rosemary and thyme leaves will separate from stems as soup cooks.
Remove herb stems and bay leaf from soup. Let soup cool for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated cheese.
Roasted Pork Loin with Brown Butter Lemon Caper Sauce
3 lb Pork loin 1 TBSP Olive Oil 1 tsp Garlic powder 1 TBSP Rosemary, 1 tsp ground thyme 1-½ tsp pepper 1 tsp salt or to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and dry pork loin. Slice off the silver skin. If loin is too fatty, slice off some of the fat on top (fat cap) and let meat come to room temperature.
Grind spices in spice grinder until rosemary is minced well. Rub olive oil all over pork loin. Cover pork loin completely with seasoning mix.
Optional: With kitchen twine, cut about 5 strings long enough to wrap and tie along the length of the loin to keep its’ shape during cooking.
Place pork loin on a pan with a rack and put in heated oven. Loin should take 20 minutes per pound to cook. With a meat thermometer, test doneness. Meat is done when it reaches 145 degrees.
Take pork loin out of oven, wrap loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 5 minutes to let juices redistribute. Remove kitchen twine (if used). Slice pork loin in 2-inch slices.
Heat 1 tsp of butter in saucepan until golden brown. Do not burn! Add crushed capers into butter and saute for about 1 minute letting moisture from capers evaporate.
Once the capers begin to brown, stir in tarragon to incorporate then pour in lemon juice. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes to let sauce reduce.
Take off the heat and stir in the remaining butter and let it melt.
Duchess Potatoes
2½ lbs Potatoes, Yukon gold 4 TBSP Butter, room temperature 3 Egg yolks 2 TBSP chopped chives 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Black pepper to taste Salt to taste Parsley for garnish
Peel and cut potatoes into chunks. Place in a large pot, cover fully with cold water, add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil. simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Drain and let the potatoes to dry few minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and mash, add butter and stir until incorporated. Add egg yolks and stir until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and chives.
Transfer the mashed potato into a piping bag fitted with a wide star tip. Pipe mashed potato mixture in a mound onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 150-20 minutes, until golden brown.
Note: When adding egg yolks be sure that the potato mixture is not too hot, otherwise the egg yolks will cook.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
