In this 250th Year of America’s Birthday…

A super special, barely known June food & drink related holiday date is JUNE 20TH: the anniversary of the Compromise Dinner of 1790, aka the Dinner Table Bargain—commemorating the night Thomas Jefferson hosted Alexander Hamilton and James Madison for a momentous, meal-based meeting that decided the fate of this once fledgling nation. Famously depicted in the Hamilton scene and song “The Room Where It Happened,” what is not widely known is that a still-enslaved James Hemings, America’s first classically trained chef de cuisine, is who made that multi-course, gargantuan, problem-melting meal actually HAPPEN!…

The meeting wasn’t just a casual (or even formal) conversation; but a high-stakes, meticulously orchestrated diplomatic event Thomas Jefferson hosted at his New York City residence on Maiden Lane. The idea was to explicitly and strategically use luxury hospitality to simmer down a boiling political crisis before a then young nation cooked its own goose. Jefferson’s big idea, made successful by James Hemings' exquisite execution that seasoned the situation perfectly, and turned what could’ve been a recipe for disaster into a more than digestable, even delightful deal.

James shoulda been (and still should be!) a character in Hamilton:

Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda; Directed by Thomas Kail; Choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler; and Produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, and The Public Theater, where the musical originally premiered Off-Broadway. The production’s source material is based on the biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.

And on the Music & Design Team There’s:

• Music Direction, Orchestrations, and Co-Arrangements: Alex Lacamoire

• Scenic Design: David Korins

• Costume Design: Paul Tazewell

• Lighting Design: Howell Binkley

• Sound Design: Nevin Steinberg

Why list all the creative talent in such detail, you ask? Well, because apparently every single one of these impressive innovators clearly missed the opportunity to put some shine on a main ingredient: the CHEF! Not just any chef —but our nation’s first ever formally, officially, classically-trained chef de cuisine in fact—the Founding Father of American Fine Dining, arguably. A BFD enough of a job title to be included as a supporting character in such an essential scene.

Despite James talents, accolades and accomplishments (including that he was fluent and literate in French and English) James was enslaved by and therefore the property of Thomas Jefferson. The “owner” of more humans than any . And it turns out that no real-life enslaved people are named, nor speaking characters with roles or lines in Hamilton — despite the show's diverse casting and such, for whatever decided reason, actual Black or Indigenous people of the era are not included in the stageplay. As for James’ conspicuous omission? We can credit Thomas Jefferson directly — who recalled the momentous meal in writing as actually having “saved the Union" by cooling passions enough for Hamilton and Madison to functionally communicate and strike a critical compromise (that traded the assumption of state debts for the relocation of the nation's capital to present-day DC) . Yet Jefferson completely erases James Hemings' name, labor, and presence from his documentation of the event and frames the entire evening as a meeting of white minds — solving problems on their own. As does the musical, even though they are depicted by people of color.

A CALL FOR COLLECTIVE, COLLABORATIVE ACTION:

Identifying the contemporary creative gatekeepers is just a first baby step in attempts to set the stage right. UP NEXT: I welcome YOUR HELP to change the script. Literally. So if you’re a producer, playwright, artist, or any other kind of Broadway industry insider with a seat at the table, message me directly so we can collectively strategize on how to get that key scene updated. Together let’s re-set the stage for roles of essential people like James to no longer left out — and collectively call for more complete, contextualized and inclusive narratives of our nation’s foundational history…

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND:

For Marketers, Cultural & Culinary Programmers, Food & Beverage Directors and Buyers looking to activate around America’s 250th, this isn't just a historical footnote—it's a critical opportunity for a narrative course correction at a time when audiences demand the truth about our foundational history.

So when you’re ready to unleash the power of hidden history applied to elevate your product, brand, or mission with real cultural relevance—let’s talk. 🥂

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🌟 📣 ANNOUNCEMENT 🍽️✨: Speaking of more contextualized, inclusive narratives—this Thursday, June 25th, I’m partnering with Producer Otis Gray for a ticketed James Hemings Homage Dinner in collaboration with Studio BUMI. He’ll be executing a 3-to-4 course French-American menu and I’ll be wearing my TFG DRINKS! History hat to craft a classic yet custom colonial era ‘welcome punch’ (with an without ABV %) to kick off and quench the night. Together we’ll tag-team on the savory, salty & sweet storytelling with real history in between courses. Space is extremely limited (20–26 seats total). [TICKET LINK]

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE —There’s a 4th Qtr James-Centered Calendar Date too !

No time like the present to also share this incredible international event I’m co-facilitating on THANKSGIVING!:

🇫🇷 An “African-Americans in Paris” Themed Dinner — Inspired by & in Honor of James Hemings, Curated by Yours Truly in conjunction with Founder & Travel Artist Gai Spann of SPANNing the Globe Tours (STG Tours).

WHAT: An immersive, multi-course dinner and story telling experience honoring James Hemings (b. 1765) — that examines his transformative years of apprenticing and cooking professionally in Paris France from 1784–1789 . Chef Hemings emerged as he first classically trained, American born and raised to serve as chef de cuisine at major diplomatic residences, masterfully weaving Virginian ingredients and traditions into elite French technique. thus developing an arguably uniquely American expression of cuisine….

WHEN: This November (2026), during Thanksgiving week & weekend

This dinner will be the culminating celebration of the Noir Et Rosé: The Bordeaux Experience — a first-of-its-kind luxury river cruise through France’s legendary wine region, led by Gai Spann of Spanning the Globe Tours. The Paris dinner itself is an intimate experience for approximately 20 guests. Space is extremely limited.

For information on the full voyage or the Paris dinner part, contact STG Tours directly gai@stgtours.com / (844) 784-8687 🇫🇷✨

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“Juneteenth is a time to gather as a family, reflect on the past and look to the future. Discover ways to celebrate this African American culturalv tradition of music, food and freedom.” ~ NMAAHC

Juneteenth recognizes & celebrates the day (on June 19th 1865) that the last (very large) group of an estimated 1/4 million enslaved Americans were finally and officially freed from chattel slavery after the Union Army marched into the port city of Galveston, Texas — the last of the Confederate states to surrender in their defeat to the Union Army … [THIS POST CONTINUEs HERE ] —

(Naturally-Colored!) RED Foods & Drink Rules! ….
Learn all about the historical and cultural significance of serving red-colored food and drink for Juneteenth in my upcoming SPILL TEA PARTY LIVE! complete with a drink demo or two…

As for the source of said red coloring and such, to each his own but I personally don’t cook or concoct with (nor do I condone the use of) artificial or synthetic flavors or colors in dishes or drinks — RED DYE #3 is a known carcinogen that still shows up in thousands of American food products --including some people’s personal recipes this time of year. Not in any of my recipes! I’m happy to share suggestions and tips to arrive at vibrant red hued food & drink in myriad ways — join me on my first SPILL TEA PARTY for starters…
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June 19th is also National Martini Day !🍸…

That’s all I have to say on this for now — but feel free to join my ‘The Food Griot Drinks!’ channel on IG as one of the ways to get more of liquid based TFG intel…

But MORE IMPORTANTLY Become a TFG Patreon Supporter for more! food (and drink!) history & culture CONTENT, interviews, digital documents, food & drink demos, menus, recipes , pics, videos, and more!… Thank you in advance for helping support my work

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For June 17th — EAT Your Veggies Day!

Theme: Returning to the Table + Food Justice Today (= PART 2 of yesterday’s post)

Since June is Fresh Fruit & Veg MONTH, we’re keeping our fridges, pantries, plates — and food stories as full with nature’s bounty as possible! Yesterday we celebrated Fresh Veggies DAY by honoring the deep cultural roots and ancestral foodways that center vegetables from the myriad food cultures of my heritage: Black American culinary traditions.

Well TODAY, June 17th is EAT Your Veggies Day — where I’ll shift the focus from theory and recognition to ACTION. Today’s not just about appreciating fresh vegetables — it’s also about … nourishing ourselves with the same ingredients our ancestors used to thrive. For centuries — until the late 20th century — Black elders were among the most prominent faces of American … [READ FULL POST ON my PATREON Platform. Join at any level, even for FREE ]…

[…👆🏾CONTINUE READING my PATREON Platform about a remarkable reality to let marinate in our minds — especially when we consider the opposite realities our ancestors endured… ] where I’ve also included a special bonus link to my convo with the brilliant Charla Draper, founder/creator of SOUL FOOD MONTH herself!

Today’s topic is Part Two of a two-day series (check out yesterday’s Fresh Veggies Day post) and today’s is all about action in addition to appreciation.

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For Fresh Veggies Day: Honoring Ancestral Foodways via Plant-Based Traditions (= PART ONE of TWO)

….Rooted Many Moons Ago

June is Fresh Fruit & Veg Month — and June 16th brings us Fresh Veggies Day, a great moment to reflect on just how deeply rooted fresh vegetable consumption is in Black American and Diasporic food traditions….

Before it was trendy, it was tradition!

Black Americans — especially prior to and during the Great Migration (1910 to 1970)— primarily followed what we now call “plant-based,” “seasonal,” or “farm-to-table” diets. Meals were built around fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains — which were also canned, pickled and preserved for consumption during long winter months. Not because it was fashionable, but because it was what was available, affordable, a way to not be wasteful — and passed down for generations

As the late comedian and food activist Dick Gregory once said, “We didn’t call it a vegetarian or plant-based diet — that’s just the FOOD we ate growing up.” Similarly, chef and culinary icon Leah Chase reminded us, “We grew and prepared what we ate. If it didn’t grow, we didn’t eat it.”

Those weren’t soundbites — they were truths. Long before mainstream America knew the value and benefits of farm-to-table seasonality, many Black communities nationwide already knew and embraced the power of plants, sustainability, and seasonal eating. I’d like to think that today’s growing awareness around food justice, wellness, and reconnecting with the land is, in many ways, a return to that wisdom.

🌿 Let’s Celebrate Fresh Veggies Day today and as many days as we can this season by honoring those roots — and the people who cultivated them. Whether you’re harvesting from your own garden or buying local greens, you’re participating in a legacy worth preserving.

Also check out EAT YOUR VEGGIES DAY which is tomorrow (June 17th) & serves as PART 2 of today’s post

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Do you love lobster? Well here’s a little uniquely American history on this (now) fancy crustacean :

Lobsters were so plentiful that Native Americans used them as fertilizer and bait for fishing in addition to a source of protein: they baked them covered with seaweed over hot rocks — arguably the origin the “New England Clambake” tradition ... Lobster were so plentiful, and LARGE and inexpensive in early America they were primary food sources for “lower level” people like: prisoners, apprentices and enslaved people of African heritage who were the most influential group that changed the trajectory of lobster’s role in American foodways which helped establish it on the highest tier of fine dining in along the eastern seaboard (esp. Boston and NYC)…

…By the 1880s lobster became so popular among the elite class and prices started to rise…

while I may not have many pics of actual lobsters in my phone (and therefore in the curated carousel line up above), notice that i do have pics of places where I one day can perhaps go GET some lobsta when the budget permits… Since time-traveling back to when lobster was in abudance and INEXPENSIVE ain’t a viable option 😆 ..

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First: a crisp bit of history:
…Genetically related to watermelons 🍉, cucumbers 🥒 ( gherkins, etc. ) originate from all over Africa…

And Black Americans (women in particular) were not only known for but lauded and praised for their pickling prowess for centuries …

Become a TFG Patreon Supporter for more [pics, videos, food stories, food history, menus and more]…

PS. SIDENOTE SECTION:

Aaaand it’s National Strawberry Shortcake Day — which my very first absolute fave dessert on the planet as a kid until my best friend’s Mother with even deeper Southern roots than my very “Northern Negroes” family rocked my world with a homemade BANANA PUDDIN’ — long before it found its way onto Pop Culture’s plates and the menus of high-priced bakeries in Manhattan — Nobody (other than Black people — Southern rooted Black folks in particular) had ever heard of let alone tasted a true one. And when I did, it was a game changer. But I digress…

What about you ?! What game-changer foods (or drinks) recalibrated your palate once upon a time to the point where you knew (or at least hoped!) it would have to be in your edile world for forevermore from that moment forward? …Do tell, do tell: When it was, where you were, how old you were —whatever context that might make it a good story.

Staying Tuned,

Tonya aka TFG

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I have much more of a savory vs. “sweet tooth” , I’m more of a cook than a baker, nor do i come from a family of bakers…

NONETHELESS today’s the perfect day to shout out to THE baker in my chosen/extended fam, the awesome amazing LisaRoxanne! Pictured here on the left with a big ol box of ‘way better than store-bought’ (gluten-free!) bday cupcake deliciousness (in assorted flavors no less) for my bday soiree some moons ago…

But wait, there’s more! i hope ya’ll are on a device that shows you captions to the photos in the carousel below b/c there’s a story for each & erry pic no surprise …. ENJOY!

How are YOU celebrating cupcake lover’s day today? HMU via comments below thanks!

& CHEERS TO ROSÉ DAY!

Here’s to the wine I most love looking at in my glass. Although these days amazing hues of Orange Wines’ve been giving Rosé some competition in terms of swirled loveliness in a stem glass…

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June is also Iced Tea Month… [See also June 1st ]

iced tea is/was one of the main beverages of hospitality made (traditionally freshly brewed) and oft served as “sweat tea” in Black American households at holiday meals, Sunday suppers, other special occasions — or made for and offered to visiting guests from the late 19th century throughout the 20th. Today iced tea is primarily ordered and consumed at dining establishments ( from fast food to fine dining) and/or purchased in single serve plastic or glass bottles from store shelves or the refrigerated sections of grocery and convenience stores. See also “National Iced Tea Day (June 10th)” ~TH/TFG

[Below are a few pics from that time i created a line of hospitality-rooted cocktails for an MLK Day event produced by a group called ‘Background’. The iced tea one I called the “Not-Too-Sweet Tea for Feelin' Free”]:

Today is also National Herbs & Spices Day —which very appropriately happens during Soul Food Month— since properly seasoning food with fresh and dried herbs and spices is of most importance in classic soul food cookery…

Surprised to see I have quite the collection of herb pics in my phone from both the NY and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens especially:

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OSH’s biggest party of the year is baaaack - and so is the “TFG Drinks!” Custom “ Cocktail Coloring Bar” by Tonya Hopkins aka The Food Griot — featuring an awesome array of all-natural, colors and flavorful add-ins for extra fun! Customize your own cocktail and bring the botanical tastes and tints of the great OSH Gardens straight to your glass!” 🌸🌿✨🌺🌷🪴🍃 Get your ticket now for this fab adults-only soirée — in a state of the art playground — and support the beautification of the gardens and park around the historically significant Old Stone House…

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Get your tix to OSH’s annual fundraiser, Rock the House! The “Early Bird” deal ends on Memorial Day Monday, May 25th — after then tickets revert to full price!

Either way — for the price of a fancy dinner, you get a gorgeous buffet meal by luna la mer, plus an open bar including drinks by Fort Hamilton, local favorite: The Gate, plus the above-mentioned naturally colorful cocktails by yours truly in collaboration with the always amazing, Eléctrico Mezcal Artesanal.

Plus live music by Brooklyn Music Lab. From the creators of Kids Rock for Kids, Brooklyn Music Lab is a non-profit offering young musicians performance opportunities, mentorship, and a community where they grow and connect with other musicians.

The party, presentation, music, and dancing all happen outdoors in the playground surrounded by the beautiful gardens. Funds raised go to the gardens and beautification of Old Stone House & Washington Park.

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BEE sure to get your tix so you too can experience a classic cocktail you get to customize further for for your own color and flavor preference! Last year’s classic cocktail featured was “The Eléctrico Garden Glow” 💐— based on the 1920s  classic cocktail “The Bees Knees”🌼🐝— updated with a ‘change of spirit’ for TODAY’s roaring Twenties — made with the always amazing (🏆⚡️Award-Winning!) Eléctrico Mezcal Artesanal, a subtly smoked traditionally crafted spirit from San Baltazar Guelavila, Oaxaca. Attendees were able to experience my “Bloom Your Buzz” Cocktail Coloring Bar where they naturally brought some of the botanical tastes and tints of the great OSH Gardens straight to their glasses (see pics below)”… 🌸🌿✨🌺🌷🪴🍃

CLICK ➡️ HERE ⬅️ FOR MORE INFO ON THIS AWESOME EVENT

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 June is said to be Frozen Yogurt Month, but June 7th is actually the SECOND National Frozen Yogurt Day, as the FIRST one takes place in February! (On Feb 6th, to be exact…). Now, I don’t know much about the ‘laws’ governing these declared ‘holidayS’… Alls I do know though is that two different “official” sources declared two different days—one in the peak of winter (for whatever odd reason) and another in late spring—today—before summer has even officially started. I guess neither is tryna compete with ice cream, which claims two entire months (both July and August) each year. As for me, for today, I’ll simply reshare my fab (if I must say so myself 😉) post related to the FIRST Frozen Yogurt day each year which is on February 6th… …

📣⚡️🚨 2026 POST UPDATE 🚨⚡️ Ok so Fro Yo is "All the Go" these days! That’s right—it’s officially having a major, retro-fueled resurgence. Say goodbye to the loud neon signs and crushed candy bins of the 2010s topping options. Today’s froyo is all about a sleek, minimalist aesthetic, serving up slightly sweet, super creamy, high-protein Greek-style yogurt topped with artisanal and nutrient-rich luxuries like pistachio drizzles, fresh passionfruit pieces, and pinches of flaked sea salt 🌊🧂. Driven by a mix of Gen Z nostalgia and wanting probiotic wellness — it’s tart, it’s tasty, practically guilt-free goodness, and officially the coolest food trend (so far) this year. A trend i’ve apparently been ahead of for over a decade now (see photo caption above & to the left 😉 😘. Images below are from more recent times in these very 2020’s that we find ourselves in right now…

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TODAY We’re Toasting to a VERY SPECIAL Birthday 🍹🥳🍰 and talkin ‘ bout a buncha food & drink topics including but not limited to:

• American Moonshine …

• Dougnuts!

• Veggie Burgers

• And the history of Gingerbread (in June?!)

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🎉Cheers to June 5th’s Quintuple Celebration Today — HOORAY! 🎂🥃🍪

🥳 First and foremost, it’s my beautiful baby sister’s BIRTHDAY — she's brilliant, bold, and radiates beauty both inside and out. Please help me wish Kenya! 💖 the happiest of birthdays today as I intend to continue to celebrate her (and WITH her!) through the end of this month. Stay tuned for more snapshots of celebration and — no surprise — lots of toasts!

Til then see more below on how today’s topics, including Kenya’s crucial role in one of my biggest food media projects ever hat took place in the not too distant past , where we collaborated from beginning to end to create content for an unprecedented online miniseries for the Food Network …

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Speaking of spirited activity and such— June 5th is also National Moonshine Day! 🥃✨
Ahhh yes — a spirited topic I look forward to going into deeper than time usually allows. This high-proof, low-fuss, homegrown elixir holds a complicated place in American drink history. From backwoods stills and juke joints to bootleg legends, moonshine evokes both rebellion along with economic empowerment plus deep cultural resilience — especially when examined through a Black vs. a (default) White lens.
I’ve got insights and analysis not often talked about and frankly not really known to many. Yes, I’ll share some in due time, but you’ll have to stay tuned… including until i FINALLY see Sinners  on the big screen 🎦—not only so i can connect some dots to this current pop culture phenom but b/c I’m told there are many moonshine-related moments packed into this motion pic that carry much historical and cultural weight. Perhaps that report-back, blended with the deep wells of analysis I’ve been amassing on the topic will uncork the jug. Likely on my Patreon Platform, where the deeper pours happen. Just sayin… 😉

….And finally… for some reason it’s also National Gingerbread Day?! In June. 🤷🏽‍♀️ … But cosmically, as you can see it does fall on my sister Kenya’s birthday — who just so happened to be the showrunner, producer, AND first guest of the very first episode of the Food Network series I hosted, The Kwanzaa Menu — where in fact ginger, a main ingredient in GINGER BREAD lol, was one of several spicy topics woven into a sweet and satisfying (yet very short!) segment.

Yup, in just 90 seconds, we packed in a lot — including a mini-lesson on reclaiming the power and purpose of once-colonized spices. We’re still exploring ways to honor the cultures that birthed them and to restore their stories to our tables….

🎁Check out the Patreon version of this post for deeper peek into the pathways that shaped global flavor — with a spotlight on ginger’s ancient journey through African, Asian, and Arab spice routes to medieval Europe, and eventually to the New World, into colonial-era kitchens and dining tables via African-descended cooks and cultivators throughout the Americas. 🍽️✨

As for Donuts and Veggie Burgers —well …

.. Enjoy the above eye candy for now - where you can click through for the post source on the retro pic in the middle — or better yet, you can DM me (AFTER you join my Patreon platform or subscribe to my Substack or newsletter if you’re interested in things like delicious grain free or grain diverse GLUTEN-FREE donut recipes or your own PDF copy of the Smoky Black Bean Beet Burger recipe above (one of 24 recipes i curated for Food.com’s Juneteenth Special)

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It’s National Cognac Day in the USA …and what i have yet to find on any mainstream site about ‘cognac day’ is how cognac’s most important and valuable consumer for decades (as in like a half century or longer) has been African Americans who’ve kept the category alive instead of on life support when mainstream America had deemed it too stodgy and old fashioned…

Lucky for you though I’ve saved you some sips from my new mini-Miniseries I’m calling “TFG’s TINY BITES & BIG SIPS,” where I share sifted gems from previous presentations and talks with relevance beyond their original context. This is the first in the lineup from my “TFG TINY BITES & BIG SIPS” FREE mini-Miniseries on PATREON.

Long Before Hip-Hop: Hennessy's Earliest Embrace by Black Americans Abroad

Hennessy is hands down the most popular cognac in the world—and honestly, they don't just lead the market; they practically are the market. To put it into perspective, if you round up the numbers (46%) Hennessy single-handedly commands almost half of the entire global cognac market. So their sales volume is larger than all three of their next closest competitors combined.

And it's not just a powerhouse on the balance sheets; it's achieved a remarkable permanence within Black America's cultural fabric, vocabulary, and vernacular. Arguably the most name-dropped alcohol brand in music history, Hennessy's been a known entity within hip-hop almost since the genre's inception. According to lyrical database tracking, the brand has been referenced in well over a thousand songs by major artists—from Digital Underground's "The Humpty Dance" and 2Pac to Snoop Dogg, Drake, and Kanye West. 🎶…

But here's the thing: while plenty has been written about Hennessy and Hip-Hop, far less attention has been paid to a much more interesting question IMHO:

How did Hennessy become so deeply embedded in Black American culture in the first place?

Most people—even many cognac drinkers—assume the story starts with hip-hop.

It doesn't.

Back in my former life as Lead Strategic Brand Planner on the Hennessy account at KB&P, I found myself asking a question nobody around me seemed able to answer: How exactly did a French luxury product become so deeply embedded in Black American culture in the first place?

What began as a marketing question eventually became a historical one.

The deeper I dug, the further back I went, I found myself traveling across time — not just decades—just over a century. Following clues across oceans, cultures, and generations, I found myself tracing a story that stretches from Black Americans abroad in France during and after World War I into the dazzling social, artistic, and intellectual world of the Harlem Renaissance.

Along the way I uncovered a much bigger truth: the relationship between Black America and cognac didn't begin with hip-hop. Hip-hop inherited it.

Want the full pour? Stay tuned. Parts of this story will resurface in France later this year. 🇫🇷

⬅️ Check out this blogpost i originally wrote re: my signature drink when I first got to New York at the end of the 90’s which was The Sidecar, featured in this photo and comprised then of: cognac, lemon juice, sugar — oh and maybe a splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier for the upgraded version) .

The post gives a glimpse into the MadMen era advertising agency world I was engulfed in when Hennessy Cognac was my main client and THE primary reason I moved from LA to NYC...

No surprise i’ve since adapted this classic and countless others with a spirit swap out for mezcal instead.

The more I've learned about mezcal, the more fascinated I've become by its own surprisingly deep history. To hear some people tell it, mezcal seemingly materialized out of thin air sometime around 2010. Au contraire.

In fact, my research and work has led me to refer to mezcal as "The New World's Oldest Spirit"—a phrase I coined to help capture just how much of its story remains overlooked, misunderstood, or simply untold. With roots stretching back centuries, mezcal's history runs far deeper than most people realize.

And much like the story of cognac in Black America, the version most people know is merely the latest chapter—not the beginning.

Which is precisely why an Eléctrico Sidecar feels right at home in my glass these days. Without further ado, let me present to you:

🍸 The Eléctrico Sidecar Twist

Ingredients

• 1.75 oz Eléctrico Espadín Joven Mezcal
• 0.5 oz Grand Marnier (or Cointreau)
• 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
• Orange or lemon zest for garnish

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with citrus zest.

The result retains the bright citrus structure that made me fall in love with Sidecars decades ago while introducing the earthy, smoky complexity of a spirit whose history I'm still happily uncovering one sip at a time.

June 4th’s also National Cheese 🧀 Day!…And as I hinted last year, THIS YEAR I’m providing a wee bit more cheese content 😁)…

🧀 Bonus: The Cognac Day & Cheese Day Pairing Twist

And while today's official pairing discussion centers on cognac (it is National Cognac Day after all), don't sleep on cheese alongside mezcal either. In fact, many of the same rich, creamy, and nutty cheeses that complement cognac pair beautifully with Eléctrico's smoky, earthy profile as well.

But on a day already doing double duty featuring Cognac AND Cheese, figured I’d at least provide some quick pairing tips for the two that cosmically go well together. And one primary reason is this: Aside from regional grape spirits like South American pisco, Italian grappa, and Bolivian singani, cognac—aka “brandy” when produced anywhere else in the world — basically outside the legally protected Cognac region of France—is the world's premier spirit distilled from grapes. The same genus species of grapes that make wines. and we all know how well WINE goes with cheese…. so without further ado:

The Rule of Thumb: Hennessy Cognac (both V.S. and V.S.O.P.) has a rich, slightly sweet, and oaky profile that cuts beautifully through high-fat foods—like cheese.

So what’s good in cheese world to pair with the world’s most popular cognac? No presh …(🥁 drumroll 🪘) Simple solution: Rich, creamy Blue Cheeses (like Roquefort) or something like a mature, nutty Gouda are two great options. The alcohol and acidity slice right through the dairy creaminess of each style, while the cheeses in turn tame the spirit's burn. And when consumed together, notes of dried fruit and vanilla emerge, culminating in a luxurious finish…

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Eggs glorious eggs! Critical to practically ever single food culture in every “corner” of the earth since the beginning of human civilization. I’m an ‘egg-centric’ person (a term I just coined to convey that I truly appreciate and utilize on the regular the versatility of eggs in cookery, baking and cocktail making! See also my iPhone egg pics in the nearby slideshow ). Of course there’s so much interesting ‘uniquely American’ history around eggs as well, (see below on ways to get more via subscribing to my Substack, Patreon and/or TFG Newsletter — you’ll see those links later below).… [ Cosmically timed SIDENOTE coincidence: i featured a timeless and tasty classic egg dish this same date a few moons ago — for the Les Dames d'Escoffier New York (LDNY) Panel: “Women in Cocktail Culinary Culture: The Past, Present, and Future” where my featured (Prohibition Era Harlem) cocktail (The Bees Knees) was paired with the classic hors d'oeuvres dish — the deviled egg! …]

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Next we’ll segue to that old-fashioned “Good Egg” metaphor to say 😇 Happy Heavenly Birthday 🎂 to someone who fits that bill — the awesome amazing Josephine Baker(b. June 3rd 1906 - April 12th, 1975) Cheers to you JB on this special day you graced the world with such an unprecedented presence ✨🥂🍾✨ — Raising a glass to you with that beautifully DELICIOUS custom Eléctrico Mezcal cocktail I had the honor and pleasure to create in your name and memory for a special documentary screening of “Dear Josephine” held at the newly opened Crown Hill Theatre in Brooklyn NY back in February.

Learn a little more about this incredibly pioneering woman from this previous JB-related post I did showcasing specific aspects of her creatively inspired and expressive life and work.

EXCITING 2026 POST UPDATE — & MARK YOUR 4th Q CALENDAR!

Because Josephine’s was the first global Black-American mega star, who came to fame a century ago in 1920’s Paris France 🇫🇷 — and paved the way for many talented Black artists thereafter — parts of her pioneering story will be included at this incredible international event I’m co-facilitating (🥁 drum roll 🪘:

🇫🇷 Coming This November: An “African-Americans in Paris” Themed Dinner — Inspired by & in Honor of James Hemings, Curated by Yours Truly in conjunction with Founder & Travel Artist Gai Spann of SPANNing the Globe Tours (STG Tours).

WHAT: An immersive, multi-course story telling experience honoring who was likely the first famous African American Artist in Paris, James Hemings (b. 1765) — by examining his transformative years of apprenticing and cooking professionally in Paris France from 1784–1789 . James emerged to became the first classically trained, American born and raised to serve as chef de cuisine at major diplomatic residences, masterfully weaving Virginian ingredients and traditions into elite French technique. thus developing an arguably uniquely American expression of cuisine..

WHEN: This November (2026), during Thanksgiving week & weekend

This dinner will be the culminating celebration of the Noir Et Rosé: The Bordeaux Experience — a first-of-its-kind luxury river cruise through France’s legendary wine region, led by Gai Spann of Spanning the Globe Tours. The Paris dinner itself is an intimate experience for approximately 20 guests. Space is extremely limited.

For information on the full voyage or the Paris dinner part, contact STG Tours directly gai@stgtours.com / (844) 784-8687 🇫🇷✨

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🔋 Subscribe to my Substack , join my Patreon platform (Existing PATREON members, DM me there to redeem your perks!) , and/or sign up for my periodic TFG newsletter… or that deliciously delightful drink recipe and extended storytelling narrative to help keep the currents flowing that help sustain my workflow and prevent any power outages! 🤪

Then be sure to DM me once you've joined — express your interests and claim your access!

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June’s got a lot goin on… It’s:

Black Lives Matter Month ✊🏾 👊🏾…

Black Music Month 🎵 (Initiated by President Jimmy Carter in 1979…)

African American Appreciation Month ❤️🖤💚 …( I can think of a whole LOT more reasons to appreciate Black people in America beyond those scant few paragraphs outlined in the link that started this paragraph 😆… )

Caribbean Heritage Month! 🇯🇲 🇭🇹 🇵🇦🇹🇹 🇻🇨 🇩🇴 🇬🇾…

+ And of course there’s JUNETEENTH (I know it ain’t all month long but still…)

Another Special June Date is JUNE 20TH: — is the anniversary of the Compromise Dinner of 1790 aka the Dinner Table Bargain — commemorating the night Thomas Jefferson hosted Alexander Hamilton and James Madison for a momentous, meal-based-meeting that decided the fate of this once fledgling nation. Famously depicted in the “Hamilton, The Musical” scene and song “The Room Where It Happened” what is not widely known is that a still enslaved James Hemings, America’s first classically trained chef de Cuisine is who made that multi-course, gargantuan problem-melting meal actually HAPPEN! …

JUNE is Pride Month 🏳️‍🌈…All month long!…

It’s also National Adopt “A”Cat Month 🐈 🐈‍⬛…

And Mango Month 🥭…

National Frozen Yogurt Month 🍦: see also the June 7th , 2026 post for Frozen Yogurt Day #2…

Pollinator Week takes place June 17 -23rd this year)- …🌻 🐝

Cucumber Month …none of the mainstream ‘holiday’ websites including the one hyperlinked here ever bother to tell you that cucumbers are genetically related to watermelons and that both originate from Africa including the areas where African-Americans also originate from. I discovered /learned this information on my own via my independent study, research and readings years ago and to my knowledge am one of if not ‘the’ only ‘food media’ person I’m aware of who freely and regularly shares that interesting info. You’re welcome 😊 … ~ Tonya

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month: In general compared to other segments of the population, Black Americans were way ahead of contemporary trends like consuming primarily “plant-based” ,“farm to table” seasonal diets with fresh vegetables and fruits at the forefront. A food tradition that began to ‘phase out’ after the Great Migration that dramatically shifted demographics and “less healthy” consumption patterns became the norm from the 1970’s onward. With increased awareness of food’s connections to health, the rise in veganism and resurgent interest in food sovereignty (incl. growing, gardening, cooperative farming etc.) broader, collective consumption patterns may again be changing for the better… ~ TH/ TFG

National Iced Tea Month: iced tea is/was one of the main beverages of hospitality made (traditionally freshly brewed) and oft served as “sweat tea” in Black American households at holiday meals, Sunday suppers, other special occasions — or made for and offered to visiting guests from the late 19th century throughout the 20th. Today iced tea is primarily ordered and consumed at dining establishments ( from fast food to fine dining) and/or purchased in single serve plastic or glass bottles from store shelves or the refrigerated sections of grocery and convenience stores. See also “National Iced Tea Day (June 10th)” ~TH/TFG

National Lemon Month : lemons are the main ingredient of the OTHER primary beverage symbolizing old-school hospitality (Southern or Northern)— LEMONADE — that was made (traditionally from hand-squeezed lemons and lots of sugar) in Black American households at holiday meal, Sunday suppers, other special occasions — or made for and offered to visiting guests from the late 19th century into the late 20th. From the 1980’s onward almost nobody was making lemonade from actual juiced lemons anymore but instead from powdered mix. Today a wide variety of fruit flavored lemonades in bottles of varied sizes (from single serve to family size) line the shelves and refrigerator sections of any American store that sells foodstuffs and beverages.

National Soul Food Month! 🧑🏾‍🍳 🥬🍠🥘...…. Friend and Culinary Trailblazer, Charla Draper founded National Soul Food Month in 2001 to celebrate the rich history of soul food. That first link doesn’t even bother to tell you that! SO i do so HERE on my platform but also am sharing an exclusive convo i had with the illustrious Ms. Draper on this very topic. Click the collage pic 👉🏽to check it out and ENJOY!

JUNE 1st is also: World Milk Day 🥛… National Hazelnut Cake Day 🥮 …

Click Here for MORE UPCOMING JUNE EVENTS You Can Attend Virtually or in REAL LIFE:

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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!…)

AKA the “King of Meats”…known for its rich flavor and “buttah” like tenderness, this high end cut of beef gained popularity in the late 18th/ early19th centuries in the UK and also in the US as a staple status symbol version of the "Sunday Roast" for the upper classes as it is still considered a luxury, indulgent generously cut portion of meat. Sorta old school these days but still sometimes promoted by regional restaurant establishments and also cooked at home —typically served with au jus or with horseradish.

TFG INTEL Connected to the American Beef Industry: Few people know that in the late 1800s, one in four cowboys was Black — OR, perhaps more importantly that several of the popular roping and cattle herding styles came from West African Fulani tribe herding techniques. This and other cultural practices are connected to how this country’s cattle industry came to be wildy successful. Every cut of beef — fancy or not — is connected to this truth…

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 …

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 , please do access and/or ask for ‘more to the story’ on any topic of interest. The rest of ya’ll — please consider joining them in solidatiry and support — thank you!….

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PS. 🐾 Hey i’s also CAT LADY DAY today! how can i resist celebrating that? ….time permitting, maybe I’ll post more on this directly to SPILL, IG, TikTok or FB (naturally focusing on the best kind of FOODs to keep your kitty babies healthy and HAPPY)._ Stay tuned.

✨Hungry for More?

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