By: Tonya Hopkins aka The Food Griot: “Sharing Savory Stories on the Makings of America’s Cuisines”…

Hot sauce is a great example of a big American food and drink industry (estimated overall worth between $2 and $3 BILLION) that would not exist had it not been for the Black and Brown communities and food cultures from whence hot sauces and pepper sauces not only originate but also have some of the highest consumption indices. Yet nearly ALL of the top seling hot sauce companies in America are NOT Black or Brown owned businesses…

Nor are most top selling food items born out of “ethnic” food cultures. A topic i’ve been fervently researching and writing about — for years now — one that’s ready to be served up in a spicy nonfiction book — underway with a working title I assigned to it long ago: “You’re Welcome America!©™️ “…

For now though let’s talk at least briefly about creative culinary uses of hot sauce — like as an accent ingredient in cocktails — and especially in MOCKtails — the tasty making of which challenges us high achiever mixologists everywhere to create immersive sipping experiences with fun, safe, physical effects without relying upon the multi-faceted reverberations of alcohol to impart both tactile feeling AND complexity of flavor). Hot sauce is a wonderful work around for that! But not just ANY ‘ol hot sauce now — nah! The kind you gotta find IS ….

[WANNA SEE WHERE I’M GOIN’ WITH THIS?….

WELL THEN HEAD on OVER to MY NEWLY SET UP 👉👩🏽‍💻SUBSTACK (SITE?) 👀👈….

where i’ll pair a range hot sauces with different flavor profiles — and with which spirits for when applying it to the making of cocktails vs. mocktails…

AND WHICH YOU CAN CHECK OUT FOR FREE FOR NOW (‘TIL I FIGURE OUT HOW TO START CHARGIN’ FOR STUFF THERE :)

You can also  Sign up to receive colorful copies of my newsletter and/or JOIN my Patreon for more fascinating scoop — or in this case sips! and GULPS of great under-discussed (and too oft outright MISSING!) American history…So many amazing options and choices….

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In the meantime THIS LINK takes you back to the whole month calendar aerial view to explore more food & drink ‘holidays’ [unfolding in real time]…‘holidays’ …

It make sense that the annual MLK Holiday would always coincide with CIVIL RIGHTS DAY ⬅️…

In the mid #1950s, "Club from Nowhere" founder Georgia Gilmore used her #culinarytalents to help to substantially fund and #feed the #CivilRightsMovement for over a year….

LINK TO MINI VID ON TIK TOK…

THIS LINK takes you back to the whole month calendar aerial view to explore more food & drink ‘holidays’

At The Stroke of Midnight A Century (Plus Six — 106!) Years Ago Today…

🕛 In January of 1920 — as the 16th 🥂 🍾 🍸 ✨ became the 17th 🕳️ — the United States officially entered Prohibition, marking the start of the driest January in our (then—and still) young-ish nation’s history. Well…the driest in theory at least, given that the amount of alcohol consumption that took place in the weeks prior likely outdid that of any entire January before then, as Americans of all races, creeds, colors, cultures, genders, regions, and such rushed to enjoy what they knew was about to be taken away—“forever,” as was the (wildly unrealistic) prohibitive plan. Talk about extremes —- two diametrically opposed half-month polar realities — within the exact same month: One drenched and drunkardly (no doubt) “wet”; and the other — democratically-decided to be super “dry” without a drop (theoretically) of inebriating “juice”of any kind to drink — without risk of going to JAIL if caught doing so. One two-week window wrought with splashy overindulgence; and the other two indicative of the imposed upon abstinence to be endured by every American — into eternity.….

This weekend’s a fitting time to ponder this dichotomy —and examine a shorter term, modern, normalized extreme. The self-imposed, usually temporary abstinence practice called Dry January: that time when otherwise socially spontaneous people decide (or at least state the goal) to stop drinking for the entire 31 days collectively called “January” — a month synonymous with terms like “Fresh Start" and “New Beginnings” set the stage for a behavior-altering decision further egged on this year (2026) by a barrage of new “science backed data” (that conflicts with previously accepted science backed data, mind you) now flooding terrestrial and digital airwaves everywhere to declare that alcohol of any kind or amount is… (clutching the invisible string of pearls at my neckline)…

[IF YOU WANNA SEE WHERE I’M GOING WITH THIS,

HEAD OVER to MY NEWLY SET UP 👉👩🏽‍💻SUBSTACK (SITE?) 👀👈….

WHICH YOU CAN CHECK OUT FOR FREE FOR NOW

(‘TIL I FIGURE OUT HOW TO START CHARGING FOR STUFF THERE :)

You can also  Sign up to receive colorful copies of my newsletter and/or JOIN my Patreon for more fascinating scoop — or in this case sips! and GULPS of great under-discussed (and too oft outright MISSING!) American history…So many amazing options and choices….

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In the meantime THIS LINK takes you back to the whole month calendar aerial view to explore more food & drink ‘holidays’ [unfolding in real time]… 

On this date 107 years ago, the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (Amendment XVIII) established the prohibition of alcohol—specifically its manufacture, sale, and transportation —in our nation. (NOTICE: how the word “consumption” was not included. But more on that later-ish). The amendment had actually been proposed by Congress back on December 18, 1917, and just over a year later, on January 16, 1919, it was ratified by the required number of states.

EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER …

On January 16, 1920—the night before the law officially took effect—widespread public displays of grief and final indulgences swept the country. Many restaurants and saloons famously draped their tables and bars in black cloth on that final night to mourn the end of the legal era of drinking in America.

Final Celebrations:

Crowds flocked to bars to consume their last legal drinks before the clock struck midnight—a moment many referred to as “The Funeral of John Barleycorn,” a folkloric name representing the personification of alcohol itself...

Economic Impact:

Thousands of business owners and workers—including: brewers, barkeeps, coopers, distillers,, inkeepers, malsters, mixologists, saloonkeepers, tavern owners, vintners, and waitstaff—were suddenly faced with immediate unemployment as their entire industry became illegal overnight. In this way, those public displays also represented the death and mourning of once-thriving livelihoods.

Curious to know which states dragged their feet and were not among the 36 required to ratify the amendment—and which two states outright rejected it, never fully enforcing Prohibition with state-sanctioned resources? Or what that year between 1919 and 1920 was really like as the country barreled toward that final night of legal drinking?

Curious to know which states dragged their feet and were NOT among the 36 required to ratify the amendment — and which two states outright REJECTED it, never fully enforcing Prohibition with state-sanctioned resources? Or what that year between 1919 and 1920 was really like as the country barreled toward that LAST NIGHT OF LEGAL DRINKING in Americah?

…Well then Sign up for my newsletter and/or JOIN my Patreon for more fascinating scoop — or in this case sips! and GULPS of great under-discussed (and too oft outright MISSING!) American history…

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And in the meantime THIS LINK takes you back to the whole month calendar aerial view to explore more food & drink ‘holidays’ [unfolding in real time]…

Up FIRST: it’s AKA Founder’s Day ! 🙌🏾🙌🏾…so you know we gotta CHEERS to that! 🥂🍾 🩷💚 (Yes, cosmically — Queen Coretta Scott King is an AKA Sorority Sister along with other amazing Ancestors connected to this phenomenal organization’s lasting legacy…)

Happy Heavenly 96th Birthday MLK! (b. January 15th 1929)

— although it is observed on the 3rd Monday in January each year as the annual Federal Holiday date that honors him (= Monday January 19th in 2026)….

Which means January 15th–19th provides an extra-long weekend full of opportunities for intentional toasts, thoughtful menus, pairings, and culturally relevant celebration! 🎉 🥂✨

TFG’s CUSTOM COCKTAIL CONNECTION:

Those who know me well know that I’ve long been creating custom cocktails for celebratory moments like these. Delicious drinks intentionally designed to deliver historically-informed, ancestrally-inspired, and culturally-rooted consumable content—where celebration, remembrance, appreciation, and JOY come together in a glass…

Where celebration, remembrance, appreciation and JOY come together in a glass — meant to be raised up high to honor amazing ancestors — and each other — with the option to also respectfully pour out a libation…

You’ll find featured in the photo sections of this post are my all-natural, ultra aesthetic pink and green drinks I designed for delightful AKA events including Founder’s Day (est. Jan 15th 1908), as well as a trio of MLK-inspired cocktails I created using deep research in tandem with creative culinary expression to yield fab, flavor-forward results…grounded in the fun fact I found out: that Dr. King had a really good palate, along with a genuine appreciation for good-tasting, high-quality food and drink…(Sharp eyes will catch a few stills from All the Way (2016) — perhaps my fave MLK portrayal (by Anthony Mackie! 😍), which isn’t drenched in respectability politics and allows Dr. King to be fully human — including pouring himself a ‘drank’!)

LUCKY YOU(s): I’m making this MLK cocktail collection 👉 available to select on-premise partners (i.e., restaurants, bars) as a way to add an extra layer of excitement and enjoyable conversation throughout MLK weekend—starting right here in Brooklyn with the January 15th Grand Opening of The Vaux Social —under the ownership of culinary power couple Leticia “Leti” Skai Young 🩷💚 and Chef Ray Young, also known for their now-legendary Lolo’s Seafood Shack in Harlem, which luckily for us all has since been relocated and re-imagined as Lolo’s On The Water at Pier 57 in Chelsea…and YES that pink & green heart you just saw indicates that Leti is in fact not only one of my amazing Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Sisters but also we hail from the exact same (Philadelphia City) chapter of Gamma Epsilon based at U Penn — Wow what a cosmically TIMELY Grand Opening on such a special date, giving us even more reason to gather, toast, and celebrate with intention!

🥂 So Much More to Celebrate—And Sip!—Ahead…

Consider all this ⬆️ a prelude to the slammin’, seasonal, TFG DRINKS custom-cocktail creations and collections that cometh — as soon as NEXT MONTH with a comprehensive Black History Month (BHM) series featuring lovely libations to honor a cosmic multitude of highly-accomplished, February-born Ancestors (launching with Langston Hughes on Feb 1st with my delicious twist on a super simple yet scrumptious CENTURY-old recipe he gives in a letter he wrote back in 1926!) …+ other key Feb dates like Chef Supreme James Hemings (b.1765) manumission from Jefferson on Feb 5th which gives us a great reason to raise a glass to FREEDOM…

I'll be culminating Q1 with wonderful ‘Women’s History Month’ drink designs inspired by ages-old wisdom so good it was once confused with witchcraft! … Then segue to delish sippers conceived for celebrating Spring’s Vernal Equinox …

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Bars and Restaurant Buyers interested in featuring any of these timely, seasonal creative cocktail collections are more than welcome to 👉reach out 👈…

＋SIGN-UP  to receive a colorful copy of my newsletter in your inbox periodically—where I share behind-the-scenes peeks, original research, and insights on food & drink trends, entertainingly TRUE stories, plus ANNOUNCEMENTS of all of my upcoming seasonal sippers.

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in the meantime THIS LINK takes you back to the whole month calendar aerial view to explore more food & drink ‘holidays’ [unfolding in real time]

PS. Whether you’re having a DRY JANUARY or NOT you WON’T WANNA MISS the next two TFG posts (Jan 16th & 17th) that shed light on the DRYEST TIME in American History — aka the PROHIBITION Era (1920-1933) — which started just as my Speak Easy-owning Great Grandmother Gertrude (b. 1900) was coming of age as a young adult …and you might be surprised by the myriad reasons why I don’t advise subscribing to such random extremes (as doing “Dry January”) and instead advocate for raising awareness that there’s a much better way to DRINK whether your beverages have booze in them or not!….

Random Reflections (+ Gratitude) on Two Otherwise Unrelated Food & Drink ‘holidays’…

These two things taking place on the same day together kinda reminds me of when i worked / lived in London as an intern once upon a time …. And as as often the case in any foreign country, the first few weeks were the toughest for getting adjusted to the food with more frequent than usual bouts of ‘hangry’-ness. I found solace in curried dishes (Indian, Jamaican…) and comfort from the deliciously spiced, amazingly aromatic, sweet & milky house made chai teas at Indian family-owned eateries there. This was all pre-smartphone camera ya da ya da , so all I have are fond memories to share on that front and gratitude for every single ethnic group that had immigrated to England and brought flavor to that nation. (Semi-related side note: one of the best Chinatown eating experiences I’ve had anywhere was there….)

Re: Curried Chicken specifically, what I have for y’all today on this topic today are these relatively more recent phone pics + commentary :

1. simmering up some of the most flavorful part of the chicken (dark meat) in prep for making a batch (of any kind of one pot chicken dish really … especially, as I’ve learned by observation and osmosis, for curried chicken.

2. A packet of flavorful “French” masala curry my super foodie friend Michele gifted me from one of her various & sundry excursions that she generously returns with fab food (or drink!) finds for me, and I am grateful!…

3. That third pic is me simmering up something with my newly gifted spice packet which might actually be curried chickPEAS & lentils L O L (a lovely alternative for the vegans amongst us on this day — When I use coconut oil instead of ghee of course)

4. And that fourth pic is from over a decade ago when I helped serve at a Profirma event in the Bowery & it was a featured dish …
The concept (and multifarious expressions) of curried chicken or curry in general is/are so global, if I were Asian Indian, S. Eastern Asian, East African, S. African or a West-Indian / Caribbean heritage Black person this curried chicken day post would be entirely different! A scintillating topic & portal to fascinating food history FYI’s from the domestication of the original yard birds to the ancient spice trade routes, I’d much rather explore the topic of curried chicken and it’s vast riches of cultural caches in a conversational medium (e.g., radio show, livestream, podcast, tv segment, panel discussion etc) with culinary cronies from those respective cultures more so than writing out a bunch of researched thoughts here. So perhaps that’s something to look forward to for curried chicken day next year!

RE: “Hot Tea” 🫖☕️
The topic of tea is also an entryway to a very expansive and deep well of food / drink history. a history that starts and flows across and through several far eastern cultures over the span of thousands of years. Way too much to cover for a two-day food holiday blogpost. Not surprisingly some of the most ‘interesting’ aspects of that history is how in more recent centuries European cultures (namely England) managed to steal the entire tea spotlight into the present. And how it spilled over into colonial American history (think Boston Tea Party) re: it’s most major conflict with it’s Mother Country (yes, England )… and the role of tea in “little girl culture” (mostly in the Western World I presume but perhaps “everywhere else” as well…

No surprise i prefer brewing up loose vs. already pre-bagged teas … one of the major perks of being part of a food coop. I love the assortments and options (and reasonable prices!) of loose teas (caffeine-full and herbal) from around the world available there…

Sidenote: i often brew up different kinds of teas to be a key ingredient in my mixology recipes (at room temp or iced of course )

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National Gluten-Free Day is observed each year on the second Monday of January. Going gluten free can be and usually is very beneficial for those of us with gluten-related food allergies.

Welcome to my world! A gluten “challenged” / intolerant one I didn’t even realize that I was part of until well into adulthood. Awareness (via diagnosis) of a lifelong, life-altering food allergy after an entire childhood and early adulthood life encumbered with congestion and needing to have a box of tissues on the ready at all times. Normalized affliction. For YEARS…

Rather than fall down a medical rabbit hole however, I coined the term “Grain Diversity” which I think is a much better approach than language that conjures up “sugar free” or “calorie free” — And I doubt this post is long enough to tell ya’ll all the reasons why. …

If you’re already part of my Patreon community, utilize your perks there for more of my commentary, narratives and to learn more on any particular topic. And if you’re not part of my Patreon here’s the link to JOIN thanks!

And/or HIRE ME if you appreciate my intel like this on a range of tasty topics. …

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in the meantime THIS LINK takes you back to the whole month calendar aerial view to explore more food & drink ‘holidays’ [unfolding in real time]

Cheers to Champagne & French Fries Day!

A perfect pairing indeed. There’s a ton of info on the internet re: the relatively recent origin of this particular #food & #drink (holi)day” (Including this 2 min youtube video that includes the origin of this particular “holiday”)…

But from my perspective as a co-founder of the James Hemings Society, the pairing has even greater significance:

“ [then enslaved] Hemings trained at the Château de Chantilly, which is considered the best kitchen in pre-Revolutionary France. While Hemings didn’t invent #frenchfries (aka pommes frites in French), he was the first American to make [introduce and thereby greatly help to popularize ] them in this country 🇺🇸 after returning from France🇫🇷.. He is also credited with introducing macaroni and cheese, meringue, firm ice cream, and whipped cream to America...” .”

~ Chef Ashbell McElveen & The James Hemings Society.

As the lead / executive chef for Thomas Jefferson (in Paris France, Philadelphia PA, NY NY and for windows of time at Monticello in VA) part of James’ overall duties and responsibilities would have also included wine service. ‘Properly’ storing, selecting and serving Champagne (the most famous sparkling WINE in the world) was most certainly in his domain of duties …

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Want to know more about Chef James, America’s first classically trained chef (while held in bondage by Thomas Jefferson) ? To learn more on his surprisingly profound impact on the development of American cuisine, watch this well done documentary (yup, yours truly makes a brief cameo) it’s called: James Hemings: Ghost in America's Kitchen…

If you’re already part of my Patreon community, utilize your perks there for more of my commentary, narratives and to learn more on any particular topic. And if you’re not part of my Patreon here’s the link to JOIN thanks!

And/or HIRE ME if you appreciate my intel like this on a range of tasty topics. …

SIGN-UP  to receive a colorful copy of my newsletter in your inbox periodically….

in the meantime THIS LINK takes you back to the whole month calendar aerial view to explore more food & drink ‘holidays’ [unfolding in real time]

FEATURED “KWANZAA MENU RECIPE” for the 7th (and final!) Day of Kwanzaa this Season : Pan-Roasted Cassava with Peanut Ginger Stew that I prepared on this final episode of The Kwanzaa Menu with my and Kenya’s amazing Dad (Dr. P!) on this last and final day upholding the principle of Imani (Faith) which is so important to African American inspiration, identity and culture…

The LAST day of kwanzaa always falls on FIRST day of the New Year. The last (green) candle is lit…Representing FAITH (Imani)

Here’s to and Cheers to YOUR inner & outer light staying lit all year long 🔥🕯️🙏🏾

January 1st is also Haitian Independence Day! 🇭🇹

Today and every January 1st Haiti celebrates its 222nd anniversary of independence, marking the culmination of the Haitian Revolution which started in 1791 and led to the independent nation’s declaration of freedom from France on January 1st 1804. The year 2026 holds special significance for the Haitian Revolution related to commemorative events for the "Age of Revolutions," coinciding with potential Haitian elections, and serving as a focal point for Black history discussions and broader Black liberation themes, linking past struggles to present-day African diaspora issues…

On New Year’s Day, Soup Joumou is the signature dish of Haiti—prepared and shared by Haitians worldwide as a living symbol of freedom, independence, and the triumph born of the Haitian Revolution.

Support A Local Fab Food Business: Haitian Independence Day Pumpkin Soup from Bonbon Lakay has become an annual tradition and Bonbon Lakay serves up Brooklyn's finest Haitian Independence Day Pumpkin Soup! Made with real calabaza squash, cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes, seasonal veggies, and pasta. Gluten free option does not include pasta… Place your orders ahead of time for pick up or delivery by or on New Year’s Day (or any day of the year after then)!

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The Kwanzaa principle for day 6 is Kuumba (Creativity) that not only coincides with NEW YEAR’s EVE 🥂🍾 but is also the traditional night for the big Kwanzaa #Karamufeast!…we light the last red 🔴 candle 🕯️ on the kinara tonight

🔥 TODAY’S FEATURED RECIPE: Yassa-Inspired Mixed Grill FEAST — a main course for the big Karamu feast night which is typically on this 6th day …

My SPECIAL GUEST for this #KwanzaaMenu Episode 6 Season 1: Chef Brittney “Stikxz” Williams!

Chef “Stikxz” joined me this special day to help celebrate creativity and ingenuity through cooking — oft referred to as the culinary ARTS for good reason! We set creativity ablaze in this episode by developing a new seasoning blend and technique that combines pan African and Caribbean marinades and spices with open-fire grilling 🔥

Special shout out to the amazing Mr. Micael Twitty @thecookinggene for being my creative muse behind this very original and collaboratively creative recipe...

Like my apron?! You know you do — go ‘head and get one for yourself or somebody else via @blackdontcrack ...

Learn more about bringing in the new year right by watching this and all 7 of the @foodnetwork Kwanzaa Menu episodes (it ain’t ever too late!) + look out for bonus content on my website and Patreon page — see link below…

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!! 🎁 …[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

👉🏿+ FIND MORE FREE TFG CALENDA

The Kwanzaa principle for day 5 is Nia (Purpose) when we light the second green 🟢 candle 🕯️on the Kinara (candle holder)…

TODAY’S FEATURED RECIPE: First Fruits Harvest Bowl (& Spirulina Smoothie!)

When I hosted The #KwanzaaMenu series for Food Network, my SPECIAL GUEST in Episode 5 Season 1, I was once again accompanied by my amazing sister Kenya!

That’s right == Beautiful baby sis joined me in the kitchen again for the 5th day of NIA as we connected this principle of purpose to moving through life with intention + restoration through healthy plant-based living while building our beautiful red❤️, black 🖤and green 💚 “First Fruits” Harvest Smoothie bowls

Watch the whole short & sweet episode to learn more [e.g., the cultural relevance of key ingredients — incl. the superfood #spirulina with deep roots historically cultivated and consumed by ancient peoples from near Lake Chad 🇹🇩 in Africa 🌍 AND the Aztecs of Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City 🇲🇽)...
Look for bonus content (like the connection to Wakanda Forever 😎) here on my website and Patreon page ⬅️ LINK BELOW…

pics in the carousel above also feature renditions of today’s recipe done by a dear friend/sister (from a different mrs. & mr.!) at one of our regular communal pot-luck meet ups where Kwanzaa was the theme & everyone surprised me by featuring one of the recipes I’d created for each of the 7 days & episodes for The Kwanzaa Menu 🥰 … )

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!! 🎁 …[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

👉🏿+ FIND MORE FREE TFG CALENDA

National Ugly Holiday Sweater Day falls on the third Friday of December each year—and in 2025, that’s today, December 19th.

“I Drink and I Know Things.”

… did I find the perfect sweater or what?! 😏

Yes, I did later learn it’s a Game of Thrones reference (a world I never quite entered—and probably won’t). But honestly? As a food & drink historian, beverage educator, wine & spirits professional, and spirited storyteller, it all but called out my name as I passed by it.

What made the sweater find even sweeter is where I ‘found’ it—at one of my neighborhood’s weekend pop-up vintage collector markets, diagonally across the street from my friend Heather’s wine shop, where I worked at the time (it was Fall 2021). Those mini market places where artisan-style vendors set up tables of beautifully curated, often one-of-a-kind finds—more treasure hunt or discovery than holiday shopping. No mass racks. No bulk sameness…—just thoughtful vendors who become part of the neighborhood fabric, and occasionally, that rare one who reaches “favorite neighbor” status—where this aesthetically challenged shirt showed up...(as if with ‘my name on it’ in ink visible only to me ;)

There it was: a singularly “ugly,” yet intriguing holiday-ish sweater—hanging outward-facing on a fence line in front of MS 51, among other unique finds that vary week to week. Freshly cleaned. In great condition. Apparently made of quality materials (seemingly impervious to “pilling up”). Not only my size, but also affordable (crucial for an impromptu, nonessential impulse purchase…) …Pleasantly (but also not surprisingly) it checked all the boxes that make this pop-up shopkeeper so nice to source specialty items from …

Not a classic Christmas sweater for sure — but a busy HOLIDAY pullover knit nonetheless with colors of deep red, with some white (from the repeating snowflake pattern) and bits of green trim here and there — it fit my pan-holiday, season-long celebratory personality perfectly—where libations, cheers, and toasting take center stage. At that point, it felt less like I’d found the sweater, and more like this omniscient sweater had magically found me!

📸 Shout-out to my sister-friend and culinary colleague / cronie LisaRoxanne, whose artsy “Merry Kissmas” Marilyn Monroe seasonal shirt’s a conversation starter at any cocktail party too 💋✨

📸 And as you can see in the slideshow—Simba & Sarabi understood the assignment too. Looking adorable in their teeny tiny holiday sweaters (via pic collage 😻😽… purrrrrfect! 🐾🧶🐾

Ugly ? Debatable. Definitely Expressive ...

🥂 Cheers to savvy sweaters that come with stories to share—and to DRINKin’ and KNOWin’ some thangs too! 🍷✨

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Speaking of pan-holiday, check out the article i wrote for FOOD & WINE Magazine’s “ Holidays Around The World” issue (2024-2025) showcasing holiday traditions from different cultures & ‘corners’ of the globe — including the seven days of Kwanzaa, which is what I wrote about — from a “holiday maximalist’s” perspective …

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY (VIA MY PATREON ) TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS YEAR ! 🎁 …

👉🏿+ FIND MORE FREE TFG HOLIDAY CALENDAR CONTENT HERE👈🏿

Happy Hanukkah!

While 2024 brought that rare holiday-season convergence — when Hanukkah actually began on Christmas Day (a handful-of-times-since-1900 situation!) — this year looks very different. In 2025, the first day of Hanukkah arrives today, December 14th, a full eleven days earlier.

Why the timing shift this year?

Because Hanukkah follows the Hebrew lunisolar calendar, which blends lunar months with a solar year. That rhythm doesn’t sync cleanly with the Gregorian calendar, so festival dates appear to “move.” Hence last year’s Christmas overlap… and this year’s earlier celebration.

Hanukkah, at its heart, is a season of light, resilience, remembrance, and food — from the oil-kissed classics to diasporic Jewish dishes shaped by centuries of migration, adaptation, and cultural exchange.

And speaking of Jewish foodways… I’m especially looking forward to this February’s premiere of Henry Louis Gates’ new Black–Jewish documentary on PBS, where my dear friend Michael Twitty (see photo carousel in this post) demonstrates his powerful Kosher Soul thesis: that Black and Jewish histories, migrations, struggles, and food traditions don’t just sit side-by-side — they braid together, shaping identity, memory, and meaning across generations. His savory (& sweet!) segment explores how the kitchen and dining tables become meeting places for these intertwined histories and cultures — reminding us that these connections aren’t theoretical; they’re lived, shared, and carried forward

Sending warmth, light, and joyful bites & sips to all who celebrate!

— The Food Griot

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY (VIA MY PATREON ) TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS YEAR ! 🎁 …

…[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

👉🏿+ FIND MORE FREE TFG CALENDAR CONTENT HERE👈🏿

While gingerbread is widely considered to be a “European invention” (despite the fact that ginger does not originate from nor grow there) with deeper roots in ancient Greek and Egyptian traditions, In Colonial America, particularly in Virginia, highly skilled enslaved cooks and bakers were the primary makers of complex and elaborate dishes, including pastries and things like gingerbread - cakes, houses etc. beautifully decorated for the entertaining tables of their enslavers….

👆🏽 As a food & drink historian with the focus area that i have, gingerbread shows up in text and books (as indicated in the carousel below) as it relates to research I’ve done and continue to do on Colonial American cookery, Chesapeake Bay plantation cookery, the culinary legacy of the iconic American chef, Edna Lewis, and so on. Interestingly it was also the featured graphic on the cover of the first Food & Wine magazine article i contributed to recently. And it was the featured desert that Chef Omar included in MOVAD’s first virtual event, “Harlem Rent Party “ that i created the cocktail for…

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!! 🎁 …[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

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It’s always surprising to me when food or drink holidays normally associated with warmer weather shows up on the cooler days part of the calendar — like today’s “food” ‘holiday’…

Join my PATREON platform at any level free or as a paid supporter to read my post: “A Sweet Spin: Looking at & Learning a ‘lil History on National Cotton Candy Day” [including video clips of it being made in real time]…. and you can look forward to learnin a lil sumthin while ENJOYing along the way…

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National Gazpacho Day: A Journey Through History and Connected Culinary Cultures…

Gazpacho’s history is deeper and way different than many might realize. First some way back historical context: It originated in Andalusia, the southern region of Spain, during the Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries) when the Iberian Peninsula was under Moorish rule (for 781 years — from 711 to 1492). A substantive and transformative time for the region’s culture and cuisine. The Moors are described as being: Arabic, Muslim, and African (yes, including Black Africans from the subsaharan region) who introduced a range of innovation to Europe including but not limited to on the food and drink fronts: agricultural innovations, spices, and culinary techniques that left an indelible mark on the Iberian kitchen.

I had no idea (and most Americans or people anywhere still have no clues) that Africans of all hues had a multi century highly influential presence in Europe pre-transatlantic slave trade. This intel got only my radar many moons (ok DECADES) ago during an undergraduate study abroad program at the Universidad de Salamanca, in Spain. I remember strolling through a Spanish national portrait gallery with my jaw-dropped looking at portraits of Black African nobles dressed in regal attire—an image that completely shifted my understanding of Europe’s history and the diversity of the Moorish interactions with and influences on that continent. …

Back to One of The World’s Most Famous Cold Soups:

The original gazpacho bore little resemblance to the chilled or room-temp tomato-based version we know today (& featured in my 2013 photo below of a DELICIOUS gazpacho I made once upon a time…). In the Middle Ages, tomatoes weren’t even part of the picture in Spain yet. Tomatoes are native to the Americas and didn’t arrive in Europe until well after Spain’s conquest of Mexico in 1521. Early gazpacho was a simple, resourceful dish made with stale bread, olive oil, vinegar, water, and garlic, all pounded together in a mortar and pestle. The name “gazpacho” is from an Arabic word for “soaked bread,” in fact…

Fast forward to today, and gazpacho is a vibrant, zesty concoction made primarily from New World ingredients: tomatoes, bell peppers (each with Mezo American origin) and cucumbers (from Africa). It’s fascinating to consider how much of the modern version of gazpacho owes its existence to the “Columbian Exchange”—a global reshuffling of foods, plants, and culinary cultures. …

That’s all on this saucy soup for now — Let’s raise a spoon to this soup’s rich history and the many cultures that have contributed to its story!

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS YEAR ! 🎁 …[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

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Oh Hey — Today’s Bartender Appreciation Day too! Great time to give a shout out to the legendary Tom Bullock (b. 1872) , a pioneering American bartender from Kentucky who just so happened to be Black. Mr. Bullock was the first African American to publish a cocktail book, The Ideal Bartender (1917), which preserved pre-Prohibition drink recipes that could have otherwise been forgotten. He’d risen from starting as a bellboy to become star mixologist at elite clubs and was well known and loved for his his famous Mint Juleps which for a host of reasons solidified his legendary status in cocktail history. They were so good in fact it was reported that Teddy Roosevelt sued Bullock for libel after Bullock implied Roosevelt enjoyed his Mint Juleps “too much”!…

• His book which broke racial barriers based on skill alone. As it remains essential for understanding early American cocktail culture, i proudly purchased my (still in print!) copy from a Brooklyn jewel purveyor of published materials BEM BOOKS & More

Lastly for now on this topic , enjoy this related IG reel of a fab (if i must say so myself!) mini vid i made for 🎥 World Bartenders Day 🍸 not too long ago shouting out some of the beloved bartenders i am grateful for today…

92 yrs ago today on December 5, 1933:

Constitutional Amendment Twenty-one : the “Repeal of Prohibition” was the 21st amendment to the US Constitution — ratified on December 5, 1933 — and in doing so it repealed a previous (Eighteenth Amendment implemented in 1919 — which had established a nationwide ban on the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol in America.) ….

Oh so wait, did that 18th Amendment NOT establish a ban on the CONSUMPTION of alcohol? For FOURTEEN YEARS (1919-1933) during that “dry” American period aka the “Prohibition” era?

… And if it DIDN’t why were bars and juke joints and speakeasies consistently raided and people arrested?

For the answers to these Q’s and MORE, join my PATREON to learn lots of un-taught “missing history” that’s more inclusive than you might’ve ever imagined American history could be….

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS YEAR ! 🎁 …[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

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“I present to you one of my most innovatively impromptu fritter fabrications ever!… (🥁 drumroll):

“Wakanda Forever” Black Rice Fritters! …🙌🏾🙌🏾

YES b/c they’re black and full of flavor… AND b/c I whipped them up right after we got back from seeing the movie! [the day after Thanksgiving , aka BLACK FRIDAY in Nov of 2022]

Made from lefter over black rice (a hybrid of long grain black Indica and Venus grains) that i'd simmered up as a side dish the day before as a T Day side). To make the fritters on the fly I folded in diced green pepper 🫑 & onion 🧅 , egg 🥚 , rice flour 🌾 , salt 🧂 pepper and other seasonings 🧄 🌶️ to taste. Then spooned out dollops into a cast-iron skillet with plenty of hot peanut oil to fry ‘em up for a few min on each side … [BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER TO GET THE RECIPE]

Regardless of whatever they look like to you, let me tell you, these fritters were supremely scrumptious! …Crispy and crunchy around the edges, softer and semi chewy towards the middle … The perfect accompaniments dipped into a deliciously saucy 🍅 slammin’ (and rice-less!) jambalaya dish my ‘Play Cousin Big Sister ‘ Lori made the day prior …😋 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Special shout-out to ‘Play Cuz Baby Bro Nephew’ Jamil for his excellent sous cheffing + videography skillz !…

Happy National Fritters day!” CHECK OUT any of the links below for even more

‘TFG FRITTER DAY FODDER :

Crispy Akara (Black Eyed Pea Fritters) mini vid

Crispy Ákárá Take TWO! mini vid

WAKANDA FOREVER FRITTERS mini demo & recipe in action

CORN FRITTERS Fry Up in Action

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🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS YEAR ! 🎁 …[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

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Eat an Apple a Day… 🍎 Choose a Red One Today 🍎 — and Get All

the History It Comes With!

By Tonya Hopkins aka @TheFoodGriot

It’s still technically fall, which means it’s still apple season — the real one — right up until those apples head into cold storage and become the same grocery-store standbys we’ll all be eating until next fall rolls around again — a whole year away!…

As ubiquitous as they may seem, apples didn’t start out everywhere all at once. Eve and a certain persuasive serpent aside, apples actually originated in Central Asia, in the region now known as Kazakhstan, then made their way around the world via ancient trade routes. ….

Over centuries, they were cultivated, crossed, grafted, and adapted — which is how we ended up with thousands of varieties historically, and still roughly 7,000–8,000 worldwide today, even though only a handful of those different types ever make it to the supermarket channel.

And yes — apples naturally come in a range of colors. Red, green, yellow, pink-blushed, striped — even russeted brown. Green apples aren’t “unripe”; varieties like Granny Smith are meant to stay green, prized for their tartness and structure — perfect for pies and baked desserts. Red apples, on the other hand, have long been favored in American marketing for their visual appeal — bright, glossy, and symbolically tied to abundance, temptation, and health — carrying cultural weight for centuries. Either way, especially as the Year of the Snake winds down, it’s timely to keep in mind: apples of all kinds have carried culturally rooted stories, symbolism, and sometimes even consequences in every bite….

Speaking of RED apples:

Fast-forward to a not-too-distant past. When I was growing up in the late 1970s and ’80s, there was pretty much one main apple variety available in grocery stores — the Red Delicious. And it was… not delicious. In hindsight, the fact that they had to tell us it was delicious should’ve been a red flag (pun intended). Its dominance wasn’t about flavor at all; it was a “big ag” (as in agribusiness) decision that was about uniformity, durability, and long-distance shipping. The return of multiple apple varieties in recent decades mirrors the rise of farmers’ markets, heirloom revivals, and a long-awaited renewed interest in taste over convenience.

Regionally Speaking…

Apples thrive in cooler climates with real seasonal swings, which is why they’ve long flourished in the Northeast and Upper Midwest — New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan — and later Washington State, now the country’s largest producer…

And wherever apples were historically grown in the now US, Black Americans were on the scene — planting, pruning, harvesting, pressing, and preparing apple dishes ranging from simple apple sauces to baking those all-American apple pies. But more than just eating apples — whether whole, sliced, peeled, or cored — early Americans were primarily using apples for drink:

Cider — and by that I mean hard cider (fermented apple juice with alcohol, typically around 4–8% ABV) — was one of the most common everyday drinks in early America. It was shelf-stable, safer than water, and deeply woven into daily life well into the 19th century. And wherever apple cider was being made, yes, Black Americans were making that too — not unlike American beer, bourbon, whiskey, rum… the list of imbibing liquids goes on — and on. These traditions didn’t happen by accident; they were powered by ages-old wisdom transported across the Atlantic, applied knowledge, skill, and of course, tireless labor that facilitated the seemingly magical alchemy of shape-shifting produce and grain into ancient elixirs.

Today, when we say “cider,” we usually mean sweet, oft-cloudy, unfermented apple juice — and this time of year, mulled with spices as we slide from apple-picking season into the holidays. Cozy and comforting, yes. And now, with food (and several sips!) for thought.

So eat a (red) apple today if you like — just know there’s a whole orchard of history behind every bite. 🍎

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it’s DRINKSGIVING DAY! the day & eve before the biggest American foodie holiday of all is all about the liquids apparently …. and this year just might just surpass last year (which was the biggest DrinksGiving on record 😶)….

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I’m stirring up some special Drinksgiving-Day treats for my PATREON Peeps …. in the meantime & for erry body else, enjoy the above carousel of drinks beauty shots i’ve amassed over the years. Beautiful beverages (and the multi-hued hands holding them) might just be my favorite thing to photograph…

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Become part of my PATREON for free or at a supportive paid level of your choice (high or low, all support is appreciated!) for drink demos and recipes!… YOU CAN ALSO GIVE THE GIFT OF MY PATREON PAGE to yourself or the favorite foodie (and/or drinks lover) in your life!…

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS YEAR ! 🎁 …[LEARN ➡️MORE ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE]

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National Cranberry “Relish” Day is Nov 22nd Each Year:

• LAST year i had never heard of “cranberry relish”and was perplexed as to why it has an annal holiday associated with it… but what a difference a year makes:

  • I am grateful to have learned what it is in a recent NPR story is about the late journalist Susan Stamberg, who passed away in October 2025. Susan was famous for sharing her mother-in-law's recipe for "Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish" every Thanksgiving for nearly 50 years, making it a beloved NPR tradition. The audio segment describes recipe as tangy and with a shocking (naturally) pink color from the combined ingredients of: raw cranberries, a small (red?) onion, sugar (?!), sour cream, and horseradish. 

    • Her widely shared tradition began in 1971 and continued for nearly 50 years until her death in October 2025.

    • The recipe, a family tradition, is a unique and tangy relish with a shocking pink color, often shared on air with guests to try.

    • The recipe: It includes raw cranberries, a small onion, sugar, sour cream, and horseradish. The cranberries and onion are ground together, and the other ingredients are mixed in before freezing. 

• For the longest time in my family for decades for Thanksgiving we just always had old school cranberry SAUCE but maybe i’ll get on the relish bandwagon this year — i dunno. the ingredient combo seems kinda cray to me (savor tooth that i am i know i’m not gonna want to add the sugar)…

And National “Eat a Cranberry” Day is always on the 23rd…

• I love the idea of exploring ways to eat cranberries in a variety of ways includingraw, cooked, in dishes, and of course juiced as a key ingredient in COCKTAILS!….

🎁 GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FOOD GRIOT’S CULINARY (& COCKTAIL!) CREATIVITY TO YOUR FAVE FOODIE and/or DRINKS lover THIS YEAR ! 🎁 …

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Toast To Dia de Los Muertos! #IRL

at a Special Eléctrico MEZCAL tasting in the heart of NYC❣️

Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with some very special sips of Eléctrico + an award-winning short film screening 🎥 about this mesmerizing holiday … oh and some gourmet style 🍿 too!

WHEN: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1ST …

WHAT TIME: 5-8PM

WHERE: PENN CELLARS ——> LIRR Level, 1 Pennsylvania Plaza Space 117, New York, NY 10119

Featuring a few VERY SPECIAL Sips of Eléctrico onsite….

[STAY TUNED FOR THE STORYTELLING ELEMENTS OF POST IN PROGRESS, ]

LEARN ➡️ ABOUT MY PATREON PLATFORM ⬅️HERE

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For the fascinating FOOD (& DRINK!) HISTORY behind Halloween — incl pumpkins, jack-o'-lanterns and other Spooky Seasonal foodtuffs, become part of my paid PATREON community where we can interact and you can inquire directly.

Or CONTACT ME HERE if you’re interested in specific culinary history project work or consultation…

“ SPOOKY SEASON “ PICS VIDS & CONTENT CONTINUE through to mid November …celebrating a time period i’ve recently rediscovered to be REMEMBRANCE SEASON: aka the Season of Grace & Guidance

so STAY TUNED For more on that 👆🏽

And join to find out whether and WHERE I’ll be co-hosting a VIP HALLOWEEN HAPPY HOUR — if anywhere — this yea a la the one uptown at Harlem Hops last year:

Happy Halloween 🎃👻!

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Believe it or not, it was BEER’S AFRICAN ORIGINS that breathed life into early AMERICAN BEER-making, via the ingenuity of captured and enslaved Africans who’s applied, ancient brewing wisdom, passed down generationally (and matriarch-aly!) since the beginning of time, seriously resolved the hurdles that European settlers kept encountering when trying to make beer the only way they knew how …but couldn’t crack the code…

Yes, beer does indeed have a global history. Nonetheless it’s earliest origins (and most diverse expressions via varied super grain-sources) were always throughout the continent of Africa — the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of brewing for humankind...

What does that have to do with AMERICAN BEER you ask? Well… if you wanna know more about my research, writing and work on this topic — you have at least two options:

• You could head up to Harlem Hops on the upper-upper west central side of the isle of Manhattan, NYC where you’ll find highlights of my commissioned work on this topic on a chalkboard column at the end of the bar ➡️…

• Or you can see a virtual version right here on the ➡️ Harlem Hops website⬅️

• There’s also a postcard version at their Pier 57 location (see postcard pic below)…

• AND/or you could Join my Patreon (EXCELLENT CHOICE! 😀) for access to the more detailed story…PLUS:

• One of the many benefits of joining my Patreon is you’ll also get the (almost unbelievable!) backstory on the pushback I got from mainstream food (& drink) media outlets who couldn’t quite wrap their heads around this truth nor shed their mythological beliefs that beer originated from Bavaria (or elsewhere in the Germanic part of Europe) when the truth is that it did NOT…

• As a TFG PATRON you’ll also stay in the loop as I continue to connect dots from past to present for myriad ways that you can experience ages-old and refreshingly different beer styles via contemporary BIPOC and Women Beer Makers…

In the meantime, ENJOY THIS link to HIGHLIGHTS from a conversation with friend/colleague/client Kim Harris one of the co-owners of Harlem Hops and Other BEER HOLIDAYS from TFG Calendar Posts

National Beer Day:

National “Rotate Your Beer Day

Beer Lover’s Day

Beer & Pizza Day

International Beer Day

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Happy PUMPKIN Day!…

[carousel above ⬆️ = various & sundry Park Slope pumpkin pics i’ve snapped over the years — this time of year…]

Pumpkins (originally cultivated by indigenous peoples throughout the Americas…) are a member of the gourd family — as are zucchini , and cucumbers, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, watermelons (originally cultivated by indigenous peoples throughout Western and Central Africa )… And all of these foodstuffs are actually fruits, not vegetables by the way…

For 🇯🇲Jamaican Jerk Day!...

Enjoy this curated carousel of pics (& picks!) featuring well-seasoned Jamaican Jerk-related selections from my iphone. Become part of my PATREON community for the multimedia culturally rooted history & storytelling parts, pieces - and perks!

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But Wait, there’s MORE!.. 🍗 🔥🥩

Oct. 26th is also Chicken Fried Steak Day & guess what?! I happened to share the history behind that decadent southern dish in this ➡️ Food 52 video featuring a delicious cooking demo (& recipe!) by the talented Chef Millie Peartree… [you can also access the episode via linked photo below]

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Today’s Food & Drink ‘Holidays’ Include:

World PASTA Day
National GREASY FOODS Day!…

For the fascinating FOOD (or DRINK) HISTORY behind any or all of today’s topics, become part of my paid PATREON community (where you can also see videos & hear commentary of hand rolled pasta onsite at a uniquely New York pasta bar….) [CONTACT ME HERE if you’re interested in specific culinary history project work or consultation]

FOR NOW, ENJOY A PHOTO SHOW from my phone…. [It’ll be obvious that some of the pasta pics qualify for the greasy foods category too 😆]:

This post was made using original photos (full of stories) from my iPhone: T. Hopkins aka @TheFoodGriot…

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