CARIBBEAN DELIGHT IN VALDOSTA What is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya History

Although the exact origin of jambalaya is unknown, it is most likely the result of multiple ethnicities mingling in the port city of New Orleans centuries ago. Jambalaya is similar to Spanish paella, which was brought to the area by Spanish explorers. Saffron, which is the main spice used in paella, may have been difficult to find in the new world and may have been replaced with tomatoes to create what we now know as Creole Jambalaya.

Influences of French, African, and Caribbean cooking methods and ingredients can be seen in the variety of jambalaya recipes across the region. The unique combination of cultures has created a delicious and versatile dish that will surely be a favorite for generations to come.

I finally found a Southern Caribbean Jamaican spot I can eat at every day. "Caribbean Delight". (They are out of business they were beyond Valdosta)

I visit them for my jerk chicken, rice, cabbage, and plantains. The owner, who is also the cook takes out the time to talk to me about her spices and recipes, and how she prepares her dishes. In terms of service, they are on the down to earth side, makes you feel like being in the islands. They are not in a hurry to rush you through the drive-thru window. I have not gotten out to eat on the patio, as I'd rather smell the food on the long drive back to the house.

I can't compare them to my West Coast, Breadfruit Tree, because this restaurant is not on the Delta. Won't be comparing them to my favorite Ethiopian spot in Oakland, California, where I would make a 90-minute drive just to have the ambiance.

But I can compare the service and the interactions of the cooks. I can say they are one of those places I will return to and remember because each experience has been good enough to make a special trip back. Valdosta is a 40-minute drive from Lakeland, now that I've found this place  Hardee's and Subway don't have a chance. The $5 dollar special is getting smaller than before but that's okay because there's just enough food for one serving. 

I use to drive by this place and say no, how good can they be, with all this going on. Don't judge a book by its cover, because I have been very pleased each time I've eaten here. 

Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Seasoning

 For those of you not familiar with Jerk, it is a spicy, sweet, tangy, and HOT seasoning for grilled meat, pork, and chicken particularly. This spice blend recipe will make enough for several batches, but remember, the idea is to put as much on the meat as you can get to stick.

1 tablespoon ground rosemary 

2 tablespoons ground thyme

1 tablespoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons sea salt

1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons onion powder

1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons black pepper

1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons ground cinnamon

³⁄₄ teaspoon ground nutmeg

³⁄₄ teaspoon garlic powder

³⁄₄ teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground scotch bonnet peppers (habanero)

12 bay leaves (finely crumbled)

¹⁄₃ cup sugar

3 lbs chicken (pieces, wings, halves, whatever)

1 lime, juice of

¹⁄₄ cup olive oil

Directions ( Caribbean Delight bakes it in the oven)

1. Combine all but chicken, lime juice, and oil in a mixing bowl and whisk to mix well.
2. Whisk together lime juice and olive oil.
3. Rub the chicken well with lime/oil mix. Do not marinate.
4. Coat chicken with dry seasoning/spice mixture. The idea here is to get as much as possible to stick to the chicken. We store our seasoning in a leftover spice container with large sprinkle holes and use that to season. This is not a rub, so it should not be applied in a rub fashion.
5. Refrigerate 1-3 hours, then remove from refrigerator and allow to come to near room temperature.
6. Prepare grill for direct/indirect grilling.
7. Grill chicken over hot direct fire. Don't worry about black, it's supposed to be there. In fact, 30-40% of the skin should end up black, but it will not be bitter.
8. Once seared, remove to the indirect heat area of the grill and cook to 165* internal temperature.
9. One quick dance across the direct heat before serving will help crisp it a bit.
10. Serve with plenty of napkins.

 

"Caribbean Delight"- Served up in a pineapple with shrimp

Creole jambalaya, which is also sometimes known as “red jambalaya,” includes tomatoes. This dish begins with the holy trinity of vegetables (onion, celery, and bell pepper) and meat being cooked together. 

                                                    Holy Trinity (onion, celery, and bell pepper)

The most common meat used for jambalaya is smoked sausage (usually andouille) and chicken. Once the meat and vegetables have cooked, tomatoes, stock, and rice are added to the pot. The entire pot is brought to a boil, covered, and cooked until the rice has absorbed all of the stock. The resulting mix has a slightly red hue from the tomatoes.

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter

8 oz Andouille sausage, or another spicy smoked sausage, sliced 1/4" thick (optional)

2 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup diced tomato, fresh or canned

1 large green bell pepper, diced

2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4" thick

4 green onions, sliced thin

1 cup of brown rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

PELEAU - OR PAELLA CARRIBEAN OR SPAIN

MENU

Chicken Shrimp Palau

Black Eyed Peas (vegetarian, no pork)

Accra (blackeyed pea fritter)

Apple/Mango chutney

Martini

Tom Collins

I woke up in Lakeland, Georgia, hanging out with one of my sons this year. (My eldest, TaShant, is in Fresno, California, and my daughter is in Baltimore, Maryland.) This is his second year back in the States after seven years overseas, and the first time we brought in the New Year or spent the holidays together since Kwanzaa in 2007, in Stockton, California, at his Raney Family-Annual Kwanzaa Party. I thought I'd make the healthiest dishes to start the New Year. "Imani" "Faith"

Peleau-

I learned how to make one of my favorite dishes by visiting the Breadfruit Tree in Stockton. The dish is from St. Thomas, and Chef Louis Bynoe attributes his passion and inspiration for cooking to his dear grandmother and his cherished Caribbean islands.

Rice stir-fried with fresh mixed vegetables and a myriad of spices to enhance your palate.

• Chicken
• Seafood
• Ital (vegetarian)
• Combo(seafood & chicken)

Rice stir-fried with fresh mixed vegetables and a myriad of spices to enhance your palate. Cabbage, onion,  garlic, chicken breast, shelled shrimp, Turmeric, Caribbean seasoning, Lemon-black pepper, and salt to taste.

Accara

I learned how to make Accara from Oluwatunji, an African Studies Professor at Fresno City College, in the '70s. We were preparing the dish for my first Kwanzaa Celebration, which was to be held at Ivy Community Center in West Fresno. Needless to say, over the years, I have only made this dish during the holidays, as it is time-consuming to shell green peas, remove the skin, and turn them into a meal.

Accara is crispy black-eyed pea fritters, a popular street food in West Africa. This recipe comes courtesy of Marie-Claude Mendy, a former Top Chef winner and owner of Teranga, the fabulous Senegalese restaurant in Boston. It is best served with Kanni, a zesty tomato sauce by Chef Mendy.

Ingredients:

1 pound dried black-eyed peas

4 cups water, or enough to cover the beans to soak overnight

¾ cup chopped shallots or onion

2 tablespoons chopped garlic (optional)

Salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil

Instructions:

Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in enough water to cover them (as they will absorb the water), then cover. The next day, drain them and remove their outer skins by rubbing them together with the palms of your hands. (The faster way to do this is to put the peas into a food processor, cover them with water, and pulse for a few seconds. Add a little bit more water and pulse it again. Then transfer the peas to a bowl. Add enough water to cover the peas; they should be foaming.) Rub the skins off the peas and discard the skins. This is done quickly by filling the bowl with water and pouring the water and the skins out.

Put the skinless peas in a food processor or good blender. Puree to a fine paste—not too runny, not too thick. Remember to keep adding water slowly while the processor is running. Add the shallots, onion, and garlic; pulse until they become part of the paste.

Season to taste with salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Spoon the accurate mixture into lemon-sized balls and cook in the oil, flipping the fritter once or twice until golden brown on both sides. (It usually takes 5-7 minutes on medium heat.)

Fry the accara in small batches until golden brown, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve at room temperature with accara sauce.



Sunday Dinner at the Bronzeville Artist Lofts, 2014 "Mango Chutney"

 MANGO CHUTNEY

3 cups distilled white vinegar

6 cups white sugar

6 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

5 small red hot chile peppers, seeded and chopped

2 large onions, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup raisins

16 cups sliced, semi-ripe mangos

1 apple cored, diced

Chef Tellez of Tippling Hall Makes Chicken Pot Pie on The Dinner Party

JD Events Supper Club Inaugural Event Reviewed by Charm City Beautiful-

Reposted by Alpha Bruton, for Charm City Beautiful, all rights reserved.

Image photographed by Jade Nicole

A Supper Club is a fabulous event that mixes supper, social ; style! If you are looking for an amazing night out with new faces, delicious food and an opportunity to explore Baltimore's foodie scene, check it out. Jazmin, owner and lead planner of JD Events also adds a bit of a personal touch to the event by giving each guest for the evening a personal handwritten note. I don't know about you but little personal touches speak volumes in terms of detail.

Quote from Charmed City Pretty

Jade Nicole, Jazmin Bruton Davis of JD Events

The next Supper Club will be held on Sunday, February 15th at Ciao Bella located in Little Italy. If you missed this inaugural event, I highly recommend you make the second.

Supper Club Meet-up at the Olive Room 

A SINGLE GIRL'S GUIDE TO THE CITY. GIVING YOU THE BEST OF BALTIMORE THROUGH FOOD, FASHION & FUN...Charmed City Pretty is 

Supper Club- How to Start Your Own

I'm proud to announce that my daughter, Jazmin Davis, has found her niche. She loves entertaining, cooking, and fellow-sipping with her friends. So she thought, "Why not open my own business?". If you are in the Baltimore area and need an event planner or want to join her for supper, give her a call, (410) 834-1534 or by email, JDEvents7@gmail.com. 

JD Events presents A Supper Club. Explore the delicacy that is Baltimore's food scene.

The first in a series of stops at local restaurants. Try local gems and hidden treasures. 

The Olive Room opens its doors for the first Supper Club gathering. Enjoy an exquisite culinary experience for $35 per person. Stay tuned for menu details

An underground restaurant, sometimes known as a supper club or closed-door restaurant, is a social dining establishment operated out of someone's home, generally (though not invariably) bypassing local zoning and health-code regulations. They are, in effect, paying for dinner parties. They are usually advertised by word of mouth or guerrilla advertising, often on Facebook, and may require references to make a reservation. An underground restaurant is also known as a GUEST restaurant, which is a hybrid between being a guest at a dinner party and a restaurant.

Underground restaurants are popular in Latin America, where they're known as either a paladar or a restaurante de puertas cerradas (closed-door restaurant). Depending on local licensing laws, they may or may not be illegal; either way, they've been built into the culture for decades, and often have higher standards than many licensed establishments.^[1] They are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S.^[2]

The attraction of the underground restaurant for the customer is the opportunity to sample new food, often at low cost outside the traditional restaurant experience,^[3] which can be expensive and disappointing—underground restaurants have been described as "anti-restaurants." They also generally provide a more intimate, dinner party-style experience. For the host, the benefit is to make some money and experiment with cooking without being required to invest in a restaurant proper. "It's literally like playing restaurant," one host told the San Francisco Chronicle, "You can create the event, and then it's over."^[4]

101 How to Organize Your Own Supper Club- Cooking Light.

Organize. Take a little time at that first meeting to agree on your club's basic structure. Will you rotate houses and have potlucks? Or will you cook all or some of each meal together? Remember to exchange contact information.

One idea is to have your first meeting on neutral ground: a restaurant or coffeehouse where you can relax together as you get to know one another. Early topics for discussion: How often to meet? Where to meet? Where will recipes come from? Talk about whether it makes sense for your group to cook together at meetings or to divvy up the work and each bring a course.

Plan to meet when you have more time to relax, such as a Friday or Saturday night. That way, you can relax and visit some. And keep in mind that anyone, regardless of skill level,l can join in the prep work.

Be flexible. All members may not make it to every gathering, so some meetings could be small, intimate affairs, while others will be bigger events. And although it's called a "supper club," consider other types of meetings, such as a Sunday brunch, a casual weekday lunch, or a weekend cocktail-and-appetizers fete. Less formal affairs may be easier to fit into some members' busy schedules.

Remember why you're there. What makes supper clubs most enjoyable is how supportive the members are of one another's cooking.

Tips from the Pros.
We checked in with long-running groups to find out their tips for starting a club.

Allow time for the group to click. It may take supper club members up to three meetings to feel really comfortable.

Keep talking. "I think communication is key, and the nature of a supper club makes it imperative that everyone has a functional e-mail," says Diana Wilder, a member of a club near Hartford, Connecticut.

Set standards. "It's important to have some nearly set-in-stone things to work around," says Wilder. "In the Hartford supper club's case, the second Tuesday of the month is meeting day, and as it approaches, people can start considering what to do."

Remember that dividends pay off. "We now all bring empty Tupperware dishes to each dinner so we can take home all the yummy leftovers," says Becky Molloy of her Cincinnati supper club.

The menu selection is a democratic process for Nicole Van Doren and her group in Annapolis, Maryland. "The host suggests three menus by e-mail, and we vote on our favorite."

Keep the overhead low, like Peggy Cawley's club in Rocky River, Ohio. "We share costs by keeping track of expenses and dividing evenly at each meeting," Peggy says. "This is less complicated than you might think and prevents any one person from absorbing too much of the cost."

Have fun with themes. Andrea Myers and her San Diego group allow the host to determine the theme. They've had French and Italian. "However, we're not limited to cultural choices. Other ideas include finger foods -where every course can be eaten with your hands -and things your mother used to make -but only if you can find a lighter version from the CL Web site, magazine, or cookbooks!"

Want to learn more about wine? Theresa Bober of Franklin, Massachusetts, and her group use their gathering to learn more about pairing wine and food. "We have all brought new wines, and I have found several new wines that I like," Theresa says. "Keeping track allows us to buy a new wine for other occasions."

Take a night off. "Our rule is that the host does not cook (unless she wants to)," says Elizabeth Fortune of Charlottesville, Virginia. "Typically, the host will provide beverages. It is enough work getting your house ready for guests without having to cook."

Thanks for the memories. Janie Vincente of Princeton, New Jersey, reports, "We take a group photo at every meal to commemorate our accomplishments. We're creating a memory book so when the year is up, we can look back and laugh at our menus, mishaps, and triumphs."

The Internet is a useful tool. "We use a website to manage the menu to make sure we have some of everything (appetizers, side dishes, dessert, and drinks)," says Alycen McAuley of San Francisco.

Crab Boil- Georgia Style - Lakeland via Sgt. Raney's House

Southern Style Shrimp and Crab Boil

8 andouille sausages, sliced

8 red potatoes

2 ears fresh corn, cut into halves

4 onions, quartered

1/2 cup seafood seasoning

4 whole Dungeness crabs

Shrimp

Southern Style Shrimp and Crab Boil

Ingredients

6 gallons of water
2 cups salt
4 (3 ounce each) packages dry crab boil
2 tablespoons hot sauce
4 bottles concentrated shrimp and crab boil (liquid crab boil)
16 red-skinned potatoes
8 ears of corn, shucked
12 bratwurst sausages
5 lemons, cut in half
4 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and quartered
4 heads garlic, halved horizontally
24 scallions, trimmed
5 pounds fresh whole shrimp
5 pounds crab legs
Preparation
Set the kettle with basket insert on high heat, cover, and bring to a rolling boil. Add seasonings.

With the cooking stock at full boil, start by adding the vegetables that will take the longest to cook: the potatoes and artichokes (optional). Cover the pot, bring to boil again, and cook for 7 minutes.

Add the corn, bratwursts, lemons, onions, garlic, and scallions to the pot. Cover and boil again for another 7 minutes. NOTE: It's best to precook the brats ahead of time for a lovely caramelized appearance--and to reduce grease in the boiling pot.

Add the crab legs and shrimp. Tuck the ingredients down into the stock with a wooden paddle and stir. Cover the kettle, and when the stock returns to a rolling boil and the shrimp turn pink, turn off the heat. (If the shrimp and crab boil any longer, they will be challenging to peel.) Remove all ingredients from the pot and serve immediately.




Sunday Dinner at the Bronzeville Artist Lofts- Phantom Gallery

Host Alan, Guest Roger, Lavon 

Wash Your Hands First is a monthly communal dinner invited guests are artists and curators in the Phantom Gallery Chicago Network. The dinner will be a place to discuss the relationships between local communities and their role in creating access to the arts. 

Cocktails 5pm

Appetizers- Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad

Savory Garden Crackers
Spanish olives

Dinner 6pm

Menu

Chicken Curried

Turmeric Cabbage Stir-fry

CeeCee Rice

Mango Apricot Chutney

Pineapple Slices

Mixed Bean Lettuce Salad

Bolo Espera Marido Cake 

Mixed Bean Spinach Romaine Salad 

Condiments:(chopped bell pepper, coconut, white raisins, black raisins, onions, peanuts, cilantro)

Chicken Shrimp Curry 
(omit shrimp for guests with allergies)
Stewed Chicken in the crockpot- until shredded
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion & garlic

2 tablespoon coconut oil

½ to 1 teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon pepper

3 cups hot cooked white or brown rice

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

¼ cup chopped stuffed olives

Cook stir onions in butter until onion is tender. Stir in curry powder, salt, and pepper. Stir into hot rice sprinkle with almonds and olives (4) servings.

DDA, Bill guest

Indian Pilaf

¼ cup uncooked regular rice
Chopped cabbage

1 small onion chopped about ¼ cup

2 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon turmeric or curry powder
Dash of pepper

3 ½ cups chicken broth

¼ cup slivered blanched almonds                                                                                                 

Cook and stir rice and onions in butter till tender. Stir in salt, turmeric, curry powder, and pepper, pour into a greased skillet, and stir till tender.

Heat broth to boiling stir into rice mixture. Cover and bake until liquid is absorbed for about 35 minutes. Stir in almonds 4 to 6 services.

Brown Rice Indian Pilaf: Substitute brown rice for the regular rice. Bake for about 1 hour 5 minutes.

Mango Apricot Chutney

MANGO CHUTNEY (Trinidad and Tobago)*

This condiment comes to the Caribbean by way of India. The indentured Indian servants who replaced the African slaves added their taste for the spicy to the Caribbean melting pot. The result was that curries and condiments became familiar and adopted by the African-inspired cooks as their own.

2 cups green mango, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 bird pepper–type chilies

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ cup apricot preserve

½ cup raisins

1 cup of red wine vinegar

½ cup Brown sugar

Guest Raven Bedenfield

DOCE DE COCO*

Coconut is the hallmark of many Brazilian desserts. The taste of the sweet meat of the nut is enhanced by the use of rum and, in many cases, a teeth-numbing quantity of sugar. Doce de Coco is typical of Brazilian desserts. The same principle can be applied to pumpkin, sweet potatoes, papaya, and other tropical fruits and vegetables.

Glaze- (set aside)

2 cups of sugar

1-cup coconut water

2 cups grated coconut

½ cup Coco Bay (Coconut Specialty)

Bolo Espera Marido Cake (Waiting for a Husband) Portugal/Brazil

I used a box of vanilla cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, Borden condensed cream, 3 eggs, and 1 cup of coconut water, baked at 350 degrees. This cake is wet, like a cheesecake. When it is cooled, spread apricot jam, pour hot coconut water, and rum glaze until soaked, top with shredded coconut. Plate with a scoop of whipped cream

Excerpts from * Jessica B. Harris, Iron Pots Wooden Spoons.

“APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS"

A Sunday afternoon garden party with all things Raspberry. You are invited to bring your favorite raspberry dish or volunteer to bring one of these tried and tested recipes from other food bloggers. I have even included a special raspberry wine from a California Winery, which you can order or find in a Chicago specialty shop. In addition, the winery suggests a rich Chocolate Pate' for those of you that which to bring something chocolate. By the way, I love April Flowers, so your entry gift to the garden party can be a potted plant that will become part of a living garden installation.

 MENU

Raspberry Topped Lemon Pie

Raspberry Champagne Punch

 Raspberry Party Punch

Raspberry Muffins with Yogurt

Raspberry Garden Salad
Red Raspberry Wine

Raspberry Champagne Punch

Ingredients:

• 2 (10-ounce) packages of frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed,
• 3 cup RealLemon, Lemon Juice from Concentrate
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1 (750 mL) bottle red rose wine chilled
• 1 quart Borden Raspberry Sherbet
• 1 (750 mL) bottle Asti Spumante or champagne, chilled

In blender container, puree raspberries. In a large punch bowl, combine pureed raspberries, RealLemon brand, sugar, and wine; stir until sugar dissolves. Just before serving, scoop sherbet into the punch bowl; add sparkling wine. Stir gently

Makes about 3 quarts.

Raspberry Party Punch

Ingredients:

• 13 cups boiling water
• 4 (3 ounce) packages Raspberry flavored gelatin mix
• 3 cups white sugar
• 2 (46 fluid ounce) cans pineapple juice
• 1 (16 ounces) bottle lemon juice concentrate
• 2 (2 liters) bottles ginger ale, chilled

Bring the water to a boil in a huge pot. Add the gelatin and sugar and stir vigorously until the mixture is dissolved. Next, stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice concentrate. Divide into 2 to 3 containers, and freeze until solid.

To serve, let the gelatin mixture thaw until slushy (takes 6 to 8 hours). Add to punch bowl and chop into pieces. Pour in ginger ale.

Raspberry Garden Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 medium mango, peeled and diced
• 1 6 oz container of raspberries, rinsed and chopped in half
• 1 jalapeno, washed and minced
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, washed and chopped

Step by Step Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and toss together

2. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow flavors to combine

3. Serve and Enjoy!!!

Raspberry Muffins with Yogurt

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (if you want to use blueberries, make it 1 1/2 cups)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tray with baking cups.
Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, beat together the yogurt Beat in oil and eggs.
Add the raspberries to the dry ingredients and stir to distribute. Add the ret ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin tins until 3/4 full (almost to the top of the muffin tin.)
Place the muffins in the oven and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until golden brown on top, 25-30 minutes. (I used larger than standard muffin cups, so my baking was 35 minutes.)
Allow cooling on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Raspberry Topped Lemon Muffins

Ingredients:

Yield: 14 large or 56 miniature muffins

• 1 1/8 cups sugar, divided
• 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel (from two large lemons)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 1/2-pint containers (about) fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 14 standard muffin cups (or 56 minis) with paper liners. Mash 1/8 cup sugar and lemon peel in a small bowl until sugar is slightly moist. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg. Beat in buttermilk, then vanilla and lemon sugar. Beat in flour mixture.

Divide batter among muffin cups (the 2/3-3/4 level worked well for minis). Top each large muffin with 4 raspberries (or mini muffins with one each). Bake muffins until lightly browned on top and tester inserted into the center come out clean, about 35 minutes (baking time was on the shy side of 20 minutes for mini muffins).

 Raspberry Topped Lemon Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen
• Red raspberries in syrup, thawed
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
• ½ cup ReaLemon Lemon Juice Concentrate
• Yellow food coloring, optional
• 1 (6-ounce) packaged graham cracker crumb pie crust
• Borden or Meadow Gold Whipping Cream whipped or whipped topping.

Preheat oven to 325, In a small saucepan, combine raspberries and cornstarch, cook and stir until thickened and clear. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with sweetened condensed milk, ReaLemon brand, and food coloring if desired. Pour into crust; bake for 30 minutes. Spoon raspberry mixture evenly over the top. Chill for 4 hours or until set. Spread with whipped cream. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 1 pie

Tomasello Red Raspberry

Made from 100% Willamette raspberries. The intense raspberry flavor from start to finish. There is a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. Tomasello Red Raspberry is the perfect compliment to chocolate and chocolate desserts. The edge of the Red Raspberry cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate, leaving your palette clean without being cloying.

Cultural Pleasures- Inspired by painter Aaron Douglas entrancing 1929

Appreciating fine art, fine music, and fine cuisine is a part of African American culture as back-breaking labor and liberating struggle. Inspired by painter Aaron Douglas entrancing 1929.

Crisis cover is shown here art connoisseur, and Gordon Bleu chef  Geneva Francais of New York and Atlanta imagined a frequent Harlem Renaissance event the rent party.

"What would the Harlem Renaissance writers serve at a rent party now?"

Francais wondered, "How can affordable fare- your basic, meat, and three staples: chicken  bread, gravy, and greens  be made to carry the ambiance of that period?"

The ambiance: Duke Ellington's satin sounds at The Cotton Club and in the air. And the profoundly cool insouciance of another Douglas painting, "Weary As I Can Be," that might have been torn from a magazine it illustrated and tacked to the rent party's apartment wall.

 And above all, the camaraderie of being young, gifted, black, and in New York only two generations after emancipation, when more than 90 percent of Aframs still lived hard in the South.

Here is Francais' answer to a tested and elegant meal that spans 70 years in the life of the Crisis and carries on its tradition of celebrating the broad spectrum of Afram culture and endeavor.

What is AFRAM? The AFRAM Festival celebrates African American life, music, and culture. This family-oriented event is filled with entertainers, children's activities, arts, history, education, health & wellness, and more. The Baltimore AFRAM Festival is presented by Baltimore City Recreation & Parks.

Harlem Savory Waffles with Fried Chicken and Gravy.

2 Servings
Waffles
1 cup milk
6 teaspoons butter melted
3 eggs beaten
3 cups flour all-purpose only
5 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons of your favorite early fresh and finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 10oz package frozen collard greens thawed squeezed finely chopped lightly sauteed
1 cup grated cooked carrots several drops of hot sauce

Lightly sauteed onions, mushrooms, and collard greens in 3 tablespoons of butter. Beat all wet ingredients. This includes vegetables and hot sauce in a large bowl. Mix all dry ingredients in another large bowl, pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and mix well until combined. Let batter rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for handling waffle iron. Retrieved batter. Stir. Pour batter onto greased waffle iron and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat.

Chicken and Gravy

8 boneless skinless chicken breast cut in strips
Some seasoned flour
1 cup of orange juice
1 cup good burgundy
1 cup canola or peanut oil

Coat chicken strips with seasoned flour. Saute in oil, then remove from the pan and keep warm. Add 2 tbsps of seasoned flour to the pan. Stir in orange juice and burgundy and cook for 5 minutes to deglaze the pan and thicken the gravy. Strain gravy.

To serve, put the waffle on a plate.
Arrange chicken strips atop a waffle on a plate and cover them slightly with gravy.

12 servings.
Garnish plates with orange slices that diners can nibble to clear the palate.

1998 pg 36 Crisis November