Happy International Pickle Day!

I'm pretty passionate about pickles — I’m talking sour, salty, tangy, spicy, garlicky — no sweet pickles for me (including relish! 😝) …Pickling’s been part of countless food cultures around the world for ‘forever’ …for centuries , thousands of years in myriad cultures as a traditional method to preserve vegetables and sometimes fruits for a long time using natural fermentation and/or vinegar, salt, and spices. Specific places that come to my mind include

Korea, China, Japan, India, most of Europe (incl. Germanic, Nordic, Eastern and Ashkenazi Jewish food cultures) …The list goes on. The continent of Africa, the culinary traditions of West Africa in particular is no exception. But is somehow almost always and conspicuously left out of the pickling picture and conversation.

Ironic considering that cucumbers (gherkins in fact — a primary pickling medium in America ) originate from the subsaharan African continent. Genetically related to watermelons. Furthermore, Black Americans (women in particular) were known for, lauded and awarded for their pickling prowess and ingenuity for centuries…

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For now enjoy these pickle pics i took at various sundry places including:

• A recent pickling workshop / demo i did at the Weeksville Heritage Center’s harvest festival …

• The New York Botanical Garden :

• My friend Kelly's kitchen counter (she’s always got some kinda fab food and/or drink project in progress lol..

*My friend Chef Carla Hall ‘s restaurant in Redhook Bklyn backk in the day (Carla Hall's Southern Kitchen) It was when i was working with Carla a few years ago and first learned about her knack for making a range of Southern chowchows (diced or shredded pickled “relishes” made from any veg) that I was also reminded how important pickling has always been in African American culinary culture. Which makes perfect sense: at its core pickling is all about preservation, harnessing your harvest and not letting ANYTHING go to waste…

As you can see, ‘Int’l Pickle Day’ won the random draw for today’s TFG calendar daily post —so look for Mimosa Day and BBQ Day content on my Patreon page

HAPPY MOTHER's DAY to MY AMAZING MOM and to all the Awesome Mommas out there in the world — Cheers, cheers and cheers again!... One of my absolute fave things to do in the kitchen or the home bar area is to make all natural multi colored concoctions (i.e., cocktails - with alcohol, mocktails - without alcohol…) and in this case MIMOSAS using a range of natural fruit juices topped off with a nice sparkling wine (e.g., Prosecco, Cava, Crémant, Champagne!…)

And Happy Birthday to my foodie friends Chef Carla Hall AND Chef Chris Scott!…

According to several mainstream ‘today’s holiday’ sources, May 8th is “Have A Coke Day”. With Mexican Coke decidedly on foodies favorite menus all across America (instead of the ‘original’ domestic US option) I decided it’s time to update the name of today’s faux food & drink “holiday” to acknowledge all the discerning Americans who’ve chosen (on many an occasion — for well over a decade now) to pay double the price of a locally bottled coke to consume Coke “hecho en Mexico” 🇲🇽 and not in America 🇺🇸 . I was in that cola camp once too, until … [read on to find out]

Regardless of brand, The bigger point to make here about American colas is that the DNA of all of all of them is actually West African. Each of the (original) primary Ingredients either came from there and/or arrived here via the transatlantic slave trade: Kola nuts, sugar… even the spice and citrus elements in their “secret recipes” can be attributed to beverage blending traditions of the African heritage people brought here who are the foundation of countless iconic American foodstuffs and beverages. Yet African-Americans have been under-acknowledged and egregiously excluded from the centuries of profit made from said products. Instead all the credit for “creating it” goes to a Confederate Army veteran / druggist. And all the profit to a corporation known to have intentionally excluded Blacks in every conceivable way at its conception (including from consuming it! More on that further below)... There’s indication that things are different today with some Black businesses & individuals incuded in the coke corporate web, hopefully that’s a good thing for all involved.

Anyway, It’s affirming to find online that Dr. Frederick Opie, professor of history and foodways at Babson College agrees with my empirical position on this:

“You can thank enslaved Africans for one of America's most iconic drinks: Coca-Cola: the base ingredient in Coca-Cola is the kola nut that’s indigenous to Africa," he says …

Falling further down the cola & race rabbit hole, I found a “fascinating” historic fact that Coke marketed “only to whites” (allegedly for “racist reasons”) straight out the gate back in the day; whereas when Pepsi came on the scene , they hired a "negro markets" department (See pics herein). Ok so i definitely gotta dig (or dive!) into this a little deeper... Patreon peeps: hit me up there in the days ahead if you wanna stay tuned on this part of the “Cola Wars & Color Lines” story…

I thought this post MIGHT be a fun, semi-frivolous “Have a (Mexican!) Coke” day. It ain’t always easy being me/TFG — once i start looking into iconic American food or drink topics it’s not long before some untold race-related drama unfolds…

Well that’s all for today/for now ….
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Why Mexican Coke, you ask?….

According to the ingredients listing on the bottles of Coca-Cola imported from Mexico, they use natural cane sugar instead of the (less natural, less ‘expensive’) high fructose corn syrup used to sweeten the beverage made here in US Coke plants and facilities. Picky people (like me) claim we can taste the difference in addition to preferring a less chemical-ized form of “sugar” that several studies show is even worse for our health than excessive amounts of real sugar. And if you’re old-school (like me) you’ll also appreciate sipping or serving it from the classic curvy glass bottles vs. enduring any metallic tastes that can come from aluminum cans. What about you? Do (or would) you pay extra for imported vs. domestic coca-cola? (e.g. $4 or $5 vs. $2 or $3)… Let me know in the comments below thanks!…

How do we even know for sure these imported cokes from elsewhere in the Americas are the real deal (or “The Real Thing” as goes that catchy old Coke slogan & song from decades past ) ? I have to ask b/c when i went to photograph a bottle of Mexican Coke I recently bought, I noticed it had a 2002 copyright. Then I saw a 2021 date on a another recently purchased bottle. Maybe that’s ‘normal’ or nothing to worry about but now that I’ve noticed, it’s enough of a red flag for me to seriously consider ending my embrace of this beverage boo (on the infrequent occasions I’m craving cola). Next time(s) I guess it’ll have ta be some kinda small-batch ‘craft cola’ for me. Makes sense considering my usual anti big brand stance…

Nonetheless, now I gotta wonder about Canadian Coke … or Coke from various & sundry Caribbean countries ? Do these geographically close non-US territories use high fructose corn syrup or cane sugar a la the Mexican Coke manufacturers (if indeed that’s the source— and not a basement in Queens) . Then there’s Coke’s all time arch rival: the makers of Mexican Pepsi also list cane sugar instead of HFCS on their labels (which I noticed had PRESENT DAY copyright dates at least). Oh and apparently we can all get Pepsi “made with real sugar” right here in America. No imports necessary. So if Pepsi still tastes better than Coke (according to the “The Pepsi Challenge” from back in the day— and still referenced in current day) then why all the import fuss?….[A virtually unanswerable q considering that there’s not a lot of logic when it comes to The Cola Wars, which I learned from first-hand experience once upon a time ⬇️]

I don’t drink Coke or Pepsi much anymore, but full disclosure I did work for Pepsi many moons ago (first as a marketing intern for a year at the Torrance California plant and later as an Account Executive on the Pepsi advertising account at La Agencia de Orci y Asociados (a Mexican-American owned ad agency) for two years (back when Pepsi ads were at their peak!) SIDE NOTE: yes, Spanish is a second language for me. One that I learned via studying it in American schools and abroad back in the day. I welcome whatever opps there might be to elab on that in the futre.

Anyway: I confess that I (and my family) have a default preference for Pepsi — hence its inclusion and shout-out on this otherwise “Coke” holiday. I’ve decided as I’m writing this that if/whenever i have “no choice” but to go big brand on the cola front, I’ll re-fan my ‘ol Pepsi flame — where possible that is, considering that rarely (actually never) are both Pepsi and Coke sold at the same dining establishment. You’ll find both sold at a grocery or chain store but it’s ‘either or’ when it comes to small businesses and restaurants.

I almost forgot / revisited while writing this post that I apparently was part of a long legacy of Black Pepsi-Cola marketing & sales peeps that preceded me by decades:

…And why am i NOT all that surprised to find Coca-Cola appears to have (or “allegedly has”) a more deeply rooted racist past than I’d originally suspected? ….

Crepes are some of my Mother’s favorite foods so I happen to have quite a number of snapshots of places i notice throughout NYC that either serve crepes or are outright crêperies like the one in the pic below (located in the Chelsea Market in Manhattan, NYC — which also just happens to be named Bar Suzette!):

For more previously "missing history" served up to you via food & drink stories + personal and cultural content — and for direct access for answers to your specific q’s and curiosities, you can support this work I do as an independent scholar via hiring or recommending me for paid projects and/or by becoming part of my Patreon platform. If you're already a Patreon Supporter THANK YOU and pls do utilize your perks there, thanks!

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May 5th is Cinco de MAYO … the slideshow above features screenshots from an IG post my sister sent me from @landonfranklin which laid out so clearly, concisely and colorfully “Why Black America Should Always Celebrate Cinco de Mayo”. [Oh plus a pic or two from a Cinco de Mayo Mezcal & Tequila tasting i did once upon a time at The Old Stone House of Brooklyn as part of a Seasonal Sipping Series I’d launched. Plus a special margarita toast at Chela of Park Slope, cheers-ing to the significance of Cinco de Mayo indeed…]
Anyway, so my sister found and forwarded this informative post after a convo we had on an early May (2022?) episode of my radio show, “Savory & Sweet Food History & Culture”, where I’d shared on air (in conversation with her as a Cultural Correspondent ) some of this serious American history behind Cinco de Mayo I’d learned back in 2016 and felt compelled to share b/c I couldn’t believe it wasn’t more commonly known. Neither could she — so she set out to learn more herself and stumbled upon this helpful post which I share with you here today ⬇️...

[Check back to see / hear an uploaded video clip from the show of my sister and I discussing this important yet egregiously under-taught part of Mexican and American (and French!) history]

And this is a link to the first Cinco de Mayo post I ever made way back in 2016 after I ‘discovered’ this hidden history when I did some research on this unusual American / Mexican holiday …which has nothing to do with Mexican Independence (as in liberation and freedom from rule of Spain — celebrated since September 16th 1810) …but perhaps much more to do with freedom for Black America (i.e. emancipation at the end of the American Civil War circa 1865).

That first post was before I knew i wasn’t the only one who felt strongly that Black America (and the world) needed to know why it’s important to celebrate this misunderstood, American-celebrated Mexican-originated holiday. ‘Cause it’s ain’t like I or anybody I knew had ever been TAUGHT it anywhere before, nor saw or heard about it in any documentary movie, nor seen it in a book or magazine article… Nada.

PS. i don’t what it is with the historic French army and the date of May the 5th, but is it just a cosmic coincidence that he same date of May 5th in 1789 marked the beginning of the French Revolution? 🤔…which lead to the rise of the first in a series of French military-based leaders named Napoleon (Bonaparte)…

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May 5th is also:

• Chipotle Day (the smoked Mexican culinary peppers, not the FF chain) :

Above: Dried smoked chipotle peppers for sale in bins at the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles. The ones in the bowl on the pic to the right I bought at the Park Slope Food Coop. I’m grateful they’re more accessible an ingredient to secure than back in the day b/c chipotle peppers bring so much amazing flavor and spice to a range of foods. Most often across America it shows up as a main ingredient in “chipotle mayo” — which usually is NOT spicy at all, nonetheless I am very happy whenever and wherever fries are on a table and chipotle mayo is too. And these days the only red salsa i’m interested in eating anymore is a red chipotle salsa. I have a thing for smoke and spice. As do many ppl from culinary cultures where smoke and spice are prominent players. More on that maybe some other time (probably via my Patreon).

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• May 5th is also National Hoagie Day, but this blog post is already too long. Luckily there’s National “EAT A HOAGIE DAY” on September 14th, so stay tuned for that

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For more previously "missing history" served up to you via food & drink stories + personal and cultural content — and for direct access for answers to your specific q’s and curiosities, you can support this work I do as an independent scholar via hiring or recommending me for paid projects and/or by becoming part of my Patreon platform. If you're already a Patreon Supporter THANK YOU and pls do utilize your perks there, thanks!

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It’s Kentucky Derby Day (first Saturday in May) …. DID YOU KNOW: “Black jockeys and horsemen dominated the sport of Thoroughbred racing, from the first Kentucky Derby in 1875 through 1903, right before the Jim Crow era…” ~ Yahoo Sports (May 2022)...

See Also Mint Julep Day…(official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1875). “Black bartenders across the South made the the Mint Julep a national sensation and along the way invented modern mixology” ~D. Wondrich…

May 4th is also:

• National Herb Day (first Saturday in May as well)… what better herb to showcase than MINT for today ?…

DID YOU KNOW: Most American mint originated on the continent of Africa ?… And that African-American culinary professionals were among the first to creatively use mint in all kinds of American cookery, confections and concoctions including muddling mint into cocktails and adorning drinks and iced teas with fresh mint leaves, and as a natural flavoring added to ice creams and chocolate confections ? … You’re Welcome America! I say on behalf of these amazing artisan Ancestors…

Below are pics of various herbs I’ve snapped during work-related trips to the New York and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Turns out that several commonly used culinary herbs are in the mint family — one of the largest herbal families (also known as the dead-nettle family) that includes several herbs used in the healing and culinary arts like Basil, Lavender, Mentha (Mint), Oregano, Rosemary, Sage and Thyme:

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• It’s also National Candied Orange Peel Day …

Above: a version of candied orange peels I made once upon a time — as you can see mine are more like candied citrus rings of mostly peel with some fruit….

Although candied citrus peels are mostly used by bakers, no surprise I made them to adorn a custom batch cocktail I created for a special family friend’s celebration and holiday toast…✨CHEERS!✨

For more previously "missing history" served up to you via food & drink stories + personal and cultural content — and for direct access for answers to your specific q’s and curiosities, you can support this work I do as an independent scholar via hiring or recommending me for paid projects and/or by becoming part of my Patreon platform. If you're already a Patreon Supporter THANK YOU and pls do utilize your perks there, thanks!

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A relatively new holiday (est. 2018) created by a bunch of beer enthusiasts, National Rotate Your Beer Day is all about trying unusual yet interesting beer styles and discovering delicious new brews:

Keeping in mind that new (to you) might actually be ancient in the scheme of things. Like some of the re-emerging African styles of beers (made from super grains like fonio, millet, sorghum, a range of rices — which all just happen to be naturally gluten-free* which works best for me) …thanks to the brilliance of brewmasters like my friend Garret Oliver and a resurgence of Black and African-heritage brewers at large, exciting stuff is bubblin up!

For the barely known, rarely told “African origins of beer” intel yours truly researched and wrote about, reach out to me on my Patreon platform if you’re interested ⬇️...

[*re: ‘gluten-free’ May happens to be Coeliac Awareness Month…]

For more previously "missing history" served up to you via food & drink stories + personal and cultural content — and for direct access for answers to your specific q’s and curiosities, you can support this work I do as an independent scholar via hiring or recommending me for paid projects and/or by becoming part of my Patreon platform. If you're already a Patreon Supporter THANK YOU and pls do utilize your perks there, thanks!

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As I mentioned in my Eid post from April 9th: “I’m culturally Christian and practice that faith (although not super-religiously) and I believe it’s important to respectfully acknowledge significant dates, holidays and major events of other world faiths for myriad and meaningful reasons. And to pray for and wish the best for each other, particularly at this excruciatingly challenging and traumatic time more than ever.”

Click here to see some pics & TFG commentary on IG from Seder dinners past (including me making matzoh balls for the soup!) with my dear friend Mr. Michael Twitty….

The pic below is from a very informative Passover Seder we did at my Christian Church some moons ago acknowledging the Judaic roots of Christianity…

One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access all sorts of intel, history, cultural commentaries , interviews and such on the topics they find interesting. And ones they might not even know they would fine oh so interesting - like foods related to religious holidays. Join my PATREON and i’ll see you there where I look fwd to share…(if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …

One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access all sorts of intel, history, cultural commentaries , interviews and such on the topics they find interesting. And ones they might not even know they might fine fascinating - like famous shrimp dishes! Join my PATREON and i’ll see you there where I look fwd to share…(if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …

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One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access more information or history on the topics they find interesting. if that sounds like a good deal to you (hint: it IS!) then join my PATREON and i’ll see you over there and looking forward to share…(if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar where you can explore more …

Which is fine b/c it needs more than just a day anyway! …

One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access more information or history on the topics they find interesting. if that sounds like a good exchange to you (hint: it IS!) then join my PATREON and i’ll see you over there and looking forward to share…

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …

Which is fine b/c it needs more than just a day anyway! …

One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access more information or history on the topics they find interesting. if that sounds like a good exchange to you (hint: it IS!) then join my PATREON and i’ll see you over there and looking forward to share…

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Perfect day to acknowledge the acclaimed work of Artist Faith Ringgold (b. October 8, 1930 – d. April 12, 2024) who transitioned to be with the Ancestors earlier this month on April 12th. She was 93.

Her vibrant work beautifully and colorfully celebrated Black life and culture through her quilts and paintings. I’m intrigued by the recurring picnic themes she portrays in different pieces:

For more on the controversial origin of the word ‘picnic’ as well as the significance of the (rare) portrayal of Black people having picnics in any art form or medium , I invite you to become a supporter on my Patreon platform. For existing Patreon supporters I look forward to engaging with you there on this and other topic(s), thank you.

Did you know that the the controversial tea shipped by and aboard the British East India Co that was unceremoniously chucked in the Boston harbor on December 16, 1773 in a striking act of protest to ‘taxation without representation’ aka the “Boston Tea Party”) …came from China 🇨🇳 — where tea (camellia sinensis ) originated and was first cultivated thousands and thousands of years ago. It would be well into the century that followed that far-reaching event when tea would start being produced in India 🇮🇳 (circa 1837) …

I figure I can’t be the only person who’s ever wondered “what kind of tea?” (and how much of it?!) got dumped in that historically significant incident. So, for our inquiring minds, I employed a few food & drink history sleuthing tactics to find out:

Several legit historical sources revealed that the bulk was a type of Chinese black tea called Bohea (pronounced “boo-hee” (see pic below 👇🏾) which is believed to be an English-language corruption of the name of the “Wuyi” mountains south of Shanghai. Bohea, which is quite smoky in fragrance and flavor, was so popular in Colonial America that “bohea” became a slang term for tea. Congou and Souchong were two other varieties of black tea also over-boarded and there were some green teas (Singlo, and Hyson) also amidst the rebelliously discarded cargo …

Oh and Boston, albeit the most (in)famous, wasn’t the only harbor where variations of “Tea Party” protests took place. (Key side note: the frivolous sounding term, ‘tea party’, didn’t get attached to these serious, treasonous incidents until the late 1800’s). Taxation protests via the rejection of / turning away (or downright ditched overboard a la Boston) of tea shipments were also orchestrated by the “Sons of Liberty” in that same time period in other Eastern seaboard ports: Charleston, Philadelphia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Maine. Don’t get me started about how many who carried it out “disguised” themselves dressed as Native Americans (or Indians as they were referred to then)…

So anyway — it was all loose-leaf tea (as was the preferred format then vs. compressed tea bricks — the other option). It most certainly was not in individual teabags (which would not come along for at least another 150 years). Lastly but not least, the estimated value of the destroyed tea would be equivalent to about $1.7 million today.

Not sure why i was surprised to learn while crafting this post that the only place in the contiguous United States where camellia sinensis tea planting & cultivation takes place is in South Carolina. That specific Southern state with just the right geographical factors including subtropical microclimates and such, where tea was first successfully planted in the early 1800's. Given this time period (i.e. when) and WHERE it was first planted, pretty sure that like ALL the crops and plantations of that region, the laborious work was fulfilled by enslaved Africans and/or African heritage Black people. Interesting side note that this is the same geographic place / state where our nation's first and most successful rice crops were able to flourish and generate the some of the greatest wealth ever amassed throughout the centuries of the American slave economy. That’s all i can say on this for now, otherwise I’ll be all up in this part of the post for forever…

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UP NEXT: For Chickpea Day the first pic is of Chickpea the chain — and not the bean, aka garbanzo, that today’s food calendar holiday is also celebrating. A legume with a whole lot going on (historically, culturally, geographically…) best known as far as I’m aware for it’s starring role in hummus, falafel and such.

Why am i mildly offended by Chickpea’s tagline? As if baked is always better (health-wise or taste-wise or other wise!) than fried?! I beg to differ. And even have some intel in support of my position …. but that will definitely have to be for a different post.

As for actual chickpeas, they’ve been part of culinary cuisines throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, India and Africa for over 7,000 years. In more recent years here in the US with growing interest in Veganism and plant-based eating, the versatile chickpea aka garbanzo bean emerges as a staple and key ingredient in wide range of product offerings from pastas to creative desserts … i’ve even noticed it listed pretty high up in the ingredients list of high-end cat food kibble (see photo carousel below for examples)….

original photos by @thefoodgriot

You know the drill by now for when you want to know more (e.g., why “herbal teas” aren’t true teas technically speaking, or insights into the various tea cultures and ceremonies around the world..…) — Well, the folks who support my work via Patreon can communicate with me directly to get the ‘more to the story’ bits and pieces on the topics they find of interest + access to exclusive content, and invite-only experience. Please consider joining them in that win-win way of supporting what I do, thank you!….

PORTAL TO TONYA'S PATREON

Garlic, glorious garlic! …

With limited resources, there ain’t enough time in the world rt. now for every single TFG calendar day to have full on well -written articles or blogposts. AND original beauty shots. So some days it’s just gotta be either or. This is one a those days . (At least there are words & info on some of the pics 😆 enjoy!)

Garlic does have a very interesting story . You know the drill --re: any narratives you don't see detailed here: for the people who are already supporting my work on Patreon , they can access and/or ask for ‘more to the story’ on any topic of interest. Consider joining with them in support, thank you!….

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PS. 🐾 It’s also CAT LADY DAY today! how can i resist celebrating that? ….Maybe I’ll post direct to IG, TikTok or FB day of… (naturally about the best kind of cat FOOD for your kitty babies.)._ Stay tuned.

Most Americans don’t realize there are more than a thousand banana varieties grown around the globe. No wonder considering that ONE variety has been the most popular and consistently available in the continental US. Countries and culinary cultures that consume the most bananas include: Uganda, New Zealand, India, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Cameroon and countless other Africana and South Asian nations…

With Hawaii being the largest US producer of bananas (followed by Florida, the only other place in our nation that grows them at scale…), it was there on the island of Kauaʻi, where they’re sold at farmer’s markets as local produce (duh) that during one family trip I was able to get up close and personal with a few other, more petite (and sometimes more sweet!) banana varieties:

Bananas have a BIG story — one that goes all around the globe impacting many diverse food cultures for way more than a millennium…. (Become a PATREON supporter for more in depth food history. If you are already I look fwd to you redeeming your perks!…Thank you!)

But for now, (🥁 🛢️ drumroll…. ) Here’s:

Madame Baker’s Banana BONUS CONTENT…

Joséphine Baker (b. June 3rd 1906 - April 12th, 1975)

World acclaimed performer, Counter-Intelligence Spy! (World War II ), and Civil Rights activist are just some of the titles to describe Josephine Baker’s magnificent multi-hyphenate career. Perhaps the most successful African American performer in France’s history, her life’s work exemplified the profound impact entertainers can have on positively impacting the world.

About JB’s “Banana Dance”: Josephine Baker's banana skirt is one of the most iconic pieces of costumed clothing in world history. As you can see from the few pics above, there wasn’t just one style (of banana varieties — made of fake bananas — although a few of the ones in that middle pic look kinda real) … There are a lot of contextual layers to unpack here… but for brevity’s sake for now: She danced in different banana skirts during her performances during the 1920’s in the Folies Bergère in Paris where it became forever connected with her name and enduring legacy….

I had the honor and pleasure of designing a beautiful and DELICIOUS custom cocktail for Mademoiselle Baker earlier this year at a special documentary screening of “Dear Josephine” held at the newly opened Crown Hill Theatre in Brooklyn…

Hit me up over on my PATREON if you want more on this nonfiction narrative — or to see and make the custom cocktail for yourself 🍹😋 … Heck I might even make it FOR YOU depending on what Patreon package you pick! 😆… Current Patreon Peeps message me there and & i’ll share it with you :)

THIS LINK takes you back to the current month calendar to explore more …

I’m lucky to live a few doors down from one of the best brunch spots in all the big apple: Stone Park Cafe on 5th Avenue in Park Slope Brooklyn — the main artery ave in my ‘hood that was recently crowned NYC’s Coolest Street by Time Out Magazine …🙌🏽🙌🏽…

Luckily for all of us, Stone Park Cafe (SPC) also serves up a delicious dinner menu, wonderful wine list (incl. by the glass!) + stellar craft cocktails and excellent bar service .

But back to EGGS BENEDICT, a dish you don’t want to order just anywhere by the way— “Why?”you ask:

1. Hollandaise is one of the five “mother sauces” of French haute cuisine, so it’s nice to order a dish crowned with it where you know somebody in that kitchen has classic culinary training, skills and technique to pull it off properly.

2. A) Skills not unlike those acquired and perfected by America’s first classically trained Chef de cuisine, James Hemings (b. 1765) who’s training of other enslaved chefs at Monticello and nearby Madison plantation positively impacted stewards of professional American cookery (primarily by Black cooks and chefs) for generations— and the development of fine dining throughout our nation.

3. Plus, poaching eggs ain’t easy. At all. See also # ! above…

4. There are special food safety standards applicable to both the sauce and the poached egg part. That’s all i’mma say on that…

   My Eggs Benedict at SPC were perfect, hence this post + my pics made the cut for today’s April food ‘holidays’! If you’re looking for more food history or intel behind this dish👇🏾 ⬇️

One of the perks for my paid PATREON supporters is the opportunity to access more intel including food & drink history on specific topics of interest like this. (And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming said perks!). See you there!

✨Cheers!✨

But Wait, There’s More! …It’s Mushroom Day too!…

“Day Of The Mushroom” shares this date too according to several “holiday today” sources…Mushrooms, amazing mushrooms, wow i do LOVE mushrooms so much — as you can see here from the many mushroom beauty shots below that i found on my phone to upload here lol. I’m also lucky to live directly across the street from the year-round Park Slope Down to Earth Farmers Market every Sunday 9am-2pm (& where I took most of the more ‘unusual’ and ‘interesting’ looking mushroom shots in the slideshow below…) which is a wonderful place for foodies to discover new vegetable and fruit varieties from local farmers and interesting artisanal items as well…

The innovative Shroomeats products you see were samples i secured at the Natural Products Expo East last fall in Philadelphia. i enjoyed trying them out in a range of dishes as a meat substitute — nice texture, nutritious, satisfying and filling. My only wish would be that they also come out with a product line with more palpable “mushroomy” flavors in the ‘shroomeats’ for us true ‘shroom lovers — vs. having an apparent appeal to (everybody?) approach that yields more of a ‘blank canvas 'on the product flavor front. *TFG TIP: To impart intense mushroom flavor into dishes i often rinse and rehydrate dried mushrooms (like those you also see in the packages in my photo line up) or use them to make an intensely opaque mushroom broths…

Mushrooms show up in every food culture the world over… known not only for their earthy, elegant and oft ethereal aromatic and flavor profiles but also adaptogenic healing properties or possessing powers to transcend states of consciousness and awareness …

Indeed, mushrooms are magical in myriad ways. One of the perks for my paid PATREON supporters is the opportunity to access more intel including food & drink history on specific topics of interest like this. (And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming said perks!). See you there!

• 📸 original photos @thefoodgriot
  

  THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …
  

Wishing the HAPPIEST of Birthdays to my multi-talented, multi-hyphenate, Super Hero sister friend fam member, Renaissance woman — LisaRoxanne! :

Performing Artist, Activist Actor, Attorney/Tax Specialist & Counselor, Amazing Cook! Fab Food Stylist, Awesome Sous Chef, Wordsmith!.. TFG’s "Savory & Sweet" Show’s Most Recurring Guest… + An All-Around Super Mom ⚡️🦹🏻‍♀️⚡ to her Chirrens…

Because your Bday's on a Monday this year, LRW (and ALWAYS on Tax Day!) you my darlin have carte blanche to keep celebrating this entire week AND rest of the month!

That said, I look forward to making a few fave dishes for YOU for a change and especially to toasting to your fabulousness ! In the meantime, enjoy this celebration slideshow! 😆 CHEERS! ✨🥂🍾✨

Erribody else: HERE’s the link to check out other days on the TFG ‘Du Jour’ Culinary Calendar

Highlights from NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) Bronx NY celebrating Dr. Jessica B. Harris’ impactful work there on establishing the African American Garden:

Highlights from other NYC gardens:

That’s right, two of Virginia’s Most Famous Foodies, separated by two centuries (but just a few miles geographically) share the same calendar birthday of April 13th. Thomas Jefferson (b, 1743) and Chef Edna Lewis (b. 1916). Of course there’s much more “interestingness” to this cosmic coincidence and yes, Chef James Hemings (b. 1765) is the bridge…

I pieced together these previously unrecognized and undiscussed bits of info a few years back while helping to co-found the James Hemings Society and being asked to research and write about Edna Lewis’ life’s work in NYC at the same time. It’s such an interesting slice of a much bigger uniquely American culinary layer cake of sorts. One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access not readily available information like this. Join my PATREON and i’ll see you there where you can get way more scoop … (And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

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It’s peach cobbler day too FYI…

#grilledcheese #comfortfood #grilledcheese #grilledcheeseday
#grilledcheesesandwich #grilled #cheese #sandwich #comfortfood #cheesey #meltedcheese #mozzarella #tomato #sourdough #pimentocheese #pepperjack #cosmic #coincidence #cosmiccoincidence #timingiseverything …#ENJOY!

For National Grilled Cheese Sandwhich Day!…Check out the dynamic version of this deliciousness on Instagram

Cheese has such an amazing and global history. One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access all kindsa intel, history, cultural commentaries , interviews and such on the topics they find interesting. Join my PATREON and i’ll see you there where you can get much more scoop — and of course sips!… (And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

I refer to a lot of resources to research topics for this cultural and culinary calendar and stumbled upon several different namesake days. Today for example is “James Day” and I decided that since we don’t know, James Hemings birth date nor his exact death date (a la Harriette’s — see March 10 post) why not celebrate him today in addition to his FREEDOM DATE from Thomas Jefferson which we now know happened on on February 5, 1796 …

James Hemings story is so significant to uniquely American culinary history. One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access all kinds of extraintel, history, cultural commentaries , interviews and such on the topics they find interesting. Join my PATREON and i’ll see you there where you can get much more scoop — and of course sips!… (And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

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PS. It’s national pet day too :) — and i just might launch the world’s cutest cat caterer channel on IG :)

Empanadas figure prominently in several Spanish speaking countries throughout the New World. No wonder considering they originated on the Iberian Peninsula (primarily in Portugal and Galicia, Spain) having first appeared in Medieval Iberia during the time of the Moorish invasions — after which time the African-heritage (and yes, Black) Moors* would rule that part of Europe for nearly eight hundred years. According to a Catalan cookbook published in 1520 , early empanadas were most often filled with seafood…

In present day Brooklyn, as a gluten challenged person i so appreciate that my fave place to order empanadas (among their other awesome dishes) is Colombia in Park Slope that makes these oh so satisfying Empanadas De Maiz (corn masa empanadas) — regular size or minis! — filled with deliciousness like well seasoned beef, potato or cheese…

Did you know that the country of Colombia has the second largest African descendant population in all of Spanish-speaking Latin America? Accordingly, African-heritage people have had a profound impact on the cuisine and culinary culture there historically and still in present day.

“Enslaved Africans were first brought by Spanish colonists to Cartagena, Colombia in the sixteenth century, to replace the lost labour on the plantations and mines which occurred as a result of the decimation of the indigenous population due partly to the harsh working conditions” ~ Minority Rights Group Int’l

• A little more about the Moors: I first learned of and saw images of the Moors who ruled Iberia when I studied abroad in Salamanca Spain one summer during college. Portraits of them in Spain’s National Portrait Gallery reveal that they were obviously Black African heritage people. (see also opener note above re ruling the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 8 centuries). You think maybe they might’ve greatly influenced Spain’s EVERYTHING (including their food? yup….). Including Spain’s most famous dish, paella. More on this in due time down the line….
  

Want to know the rarely explored reasons why African heritage people throughout the Americas were/are so masterful at and connected to making myriad variations of corn meal based quick or baked breads and other foodstuffs? …(which would become regional staples) almost anywhere they landed in the New World)? Well …when you become a PATREON supporter you have the unique opportunity to access me for answers along with other intel on topics like this food & drink history complete with direct conversations, access to dynamic media (audio, video) and such. (If you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks!)…Thank you!

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …

Did you know there wouldn’tve been much national beer in early America without the ingenuity of African Americans? … You’ll never learn that side of the true story, clicking onto mainstream food & drink holiday links …

Lucky y’all you have me and this much more culturally-inclusive culinary calendar that I created and toil over on the regular to upkeep and share meaningful info …

Beer has such an amazing ancient history. One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access more intel including food & drink history, cultural commentaries interviews and such on specific topics of interest — incl. at times written recipes and demos! So join my PATREON where you can get much more scoop — or the skinny!… (And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)

(📸 original photos: @thefoodgriot )

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …

Seems a little early in the season to me but according to the folks who create the “National Today” calendar today’s FRESH TOMATO day…

Wow what a wonderful story the not so humble tomato has! One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access more intel including food & drink history on specific topics of interest. So join my PATREON where you can get much more scoop — or the skinny!…

(And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …

Speaking of rainbows (a la yesterday’s April 3rd TFG calendar post), this is a snapshot I took of rainbow carrots i got from the Park Slope Food Coop back in the day (circa 2012). That’s right —this is a pic I took a dozen years ago when bunches of multi-colored carrots weren’t a common sight to see available for most consumers to buy. In the years since they’ve become much more prominent not only at farmer’s markets but also featured as festive looking foodstuffs at fancy events. What fuels food ‘fashions ‘ and trends have always intrigued me…

Do you know about the symbolism and significance of carrots that shows up in many food cultures the world over?… One of the perks for my paid Patreon supporters is the opportunity to access more intel including food & drink history on specific topics of interest. So join my PATREON where you can get much more scoop — or the skinny!…

(And if you’re already a Patreon supporter I look fwd to you redeeming your perks;)…

THIS LINK takes you to the current month calendar to explore more …

There’s something magical about spotting a rainbow — in the sky or anywhere including on my arm! Such a pleasant surprise to find more rainbows on my phone than I realized I had…

The connection to food of course is that (naturally) vibrantly colored fresh foods (a la fruits & vegetables) are a wonderful way to consume a range of healthy and delicious antioxidants and phytonutrients…