Join the Center for Brooklyn History and Kinfolk Tech for this National Oyster Day celebration featuring historians, entrepreneurs, community organizations, and artists: Dominique Jean-Louis (Center for Brooklyn History), Ben “Moody” Harney (The Real Mother Shucker), Tonya Hopkins (The Food Griot) and Jeremiah Ojo (Community Memory Fellow, Kinfolk Tech).
OSH’s biggest party of the year is back - get your ticket now for this fab adults-only soirée — in the playground! Enjoy delicious food and drinks at this annual “Rock the House” fundraising event that supports the beautification of the gardens and park around the historically significant Old Stone House…
Spirits industry leaders, influencers and buyers are very welcome to learn more about the Eléctrico Mezcal story and sample our award-winning expressions at Bar Convent Brooklyn, June 10-11, 2025, at Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, NYC. Find us at Stand #EB40 in the Emerging Brands Pavilion and meet Eléctrico’s Brand Representative, Tonya Hopkins @thefoodgriot/IG…
Join me and the fab folks at the Weeksville Heritage Center (WHC) for an all-day Community Gardening festival and celebration of Spring !A day of family-friendly activities centering food justice, and collective well-being reconnecting to nature and the bounty it can yield when we cooperate respectfully with Mother Nature…
On Friday May 23rd, Tonya Hopkins aka “The Food (&Drink!) Griot” will be serving up and showcasing an amazing 🏆Award-Winning expression of the New World’s OLDEST spirit: Eléctrico Mezcal Ancestral, at Brooklyn’s oldest and longest running private social club, The Montauk Club founded and built in 1889-91 …
Join Prospect Park Alliance, Rashid Littlejohn, and Tonya Hopkins, a.k.a. “The Food (& Drink!) Griot,” for an educational and entertaining evening focused on the actual history of Black History Month…
Friday, December 13 · 6:30 - 8:30pm (& 8:45-9:45pm) EST
Part 1 6:30 - 8:30pm : Paperback Release + Listening Party at The Old Stone House of Brooklyn (OSH): 336 3rd Street Brooklyn, NY 11215
Part 2 8:45-9:45pm: Cocktails & Conversation at Stone Park Cafe : 324 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215
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PART ONE: Join Us for an Evening of Food, History, and Spirited Stories at the Old Stone House!
Come celebrate the paperback release of Sarah Lohman’s “Endangered Eating” and step into the world of culinary heritage with a panel discussion featuring food historians Lohman, Tonya Hopkins, and Gravy podcast producer Otis Gray. Delight your taste buds with sampling tastings of an amazing artisanal mezcal called Eléctrico, Also sample a historical real wild rice dish from Sarah’s Book, and enjoy other storied snacks like peanuts and popcorn.
Upon arriving, savor stories and spirits as “The Food Griot” Tonya Hopkins guides a mezcal tasting intertwined with the fascinating historical connections to Endangered Eating.
The evening then kicks off with a listening session of Gravy's podcast episode, ““America’s Lost Peanut and the Price of Bringing it Back,””, which delves into the revival of the Carolina African Runner Peanut—a story inspired by chapter 8 of Sarah’s book Endangered Eating — particularly Sarah and Tonya’s conversation in that chapter. Following the episode, Sarah, Tonya, and the episode’s producer Otis will discuss the complicated intersections of food, history, and preservation, inviting the audience to join the conversation for a lively Q&A.
Don’t miss the chance to purchase Sarah’s book (great holiday gift!) , have it signed, and celebrate the release of its new paperback edition with new exclusive content, including an interview between Sarah and Tonya.
Sustainable snacks and samples of a dish featured in the book will be served…
We can’t wait to see you!
➡️RSVP HERE ⬅️ for Part 2: Cocktails & Convo taking place at Stone Park Cafe 8:45pm -9:45pm…
PART TWO:
But wait, there’s more! We’ll continue with Part 2: A ‘Cocktails & Conversation’ Hour diagonally & directly across the street from the OSH grounds (a stone’s throw away!) at Stone Park Cafe (8:45pm -9:45pm) for an opportunity to ‘Experience Eléctrico’. Be sure to RSVP to me (Tonya/TFG) to secure your space and a complimentary craft cocktail [limited spots available so act fast!]. Learn a bit about mezcal’s connection to the ideas behind “Endangered Eating (& Drinking!)” e.g., why it’s nice to know the cultural significance behind many foods & drinks……. [write or copy & paste this: “RSVP for cocktails at SPC 9/13” in the “How Can I Help You” box when you RSVP for part 2 … ]
The ‘Spirited Storytelling & Sipping’ part of the paperback release & listening party at OSH will be facilitated by Wine & Spirits Educator Tonya Hopkins aka “The Food (&Drinks!) Griot “ featuring a mezcal tasting with history on its connection to the concept of "Endangered Eating (& Drinking!) ….
Join us for Part 2: Cocktails & Convo directly across the street at Stone Park Cafe (8:45pm - 9:45pm). Be sure to RSVP to secure your spot to ‘Experience Eléctrico’ via a complimentary full-size craft cocktail! + we’ll Cheers to SPC’s Anniversary of TWENTY Years! 🥳🎉🥂✨
View this event on the Food Griot Website
More about Tonya Hopkins: https://www.thefoodgriot.com/
More about Sarah Lohman: https://sarahlohman.com/endangered-eating-book/
More about "Gravy" Podcast: https://www.southernfoodways.org/gravy/americas-lost-peanut-and-the-price-of-bringing-it-back/
Thursday Nov 7th we’ll be serving up one of the best expressions of the New World’s oldest spirit, mezcal — Eléctrico Mezcal Artesanal to be exact — at Brooklyn’s oldest and longest running private social club, The Montauk Club . FEATURING: Guided artisanal mezcal tastings of Eléctrico’s awesome line up; a special screening of Eléctrico‘s Award Winning Short Film: “FESTIVAL OAXACA” ; Cocktail demos; + Toasts to Remembrance: The Season of Recollection & Reminiscence…
Judges include:
• Ben (Moody) Harney of the MotherShuckers,
• Yours truly, Tonya Hopkins, aka The Food Griot,
• and Tremaine Wright, Chairwoman of the NYS Cannabis Control Board.
Anyone who attends get to sample these sandwiches but are also encouraged to bring your own, which you can ‘kick up’ at the “Sauce Bar,” curated by the Brooklyn Made Store.
Surrounding this incredible event visitors can also experience Historic Lefferts House’s landmark Ancestral Whispers exhibit by Artist in Residence Adama Delphine Fawundu as well as the Long Live J'ouvert! Pop Up Installation by JouvayFest…
👇🏾CHECK OUT THIS BK READER ARTICLE ALL ABOUT IT! 👇🏾…
HALLOWEEN 🎃 at HARLEM HOPS! Hang with me "The Food Griot" & Get to Know ELÉCTRICO Mezcal Thurs on October 31st
On Saturday August 17th Brooklyn. Black. Utopia. (via @GROWHOUSEBK ) is hosting an “ASHÉ Ancestral Dinner” (6-9pm) [NEW LOCATION DETAILS FORTHCOMING]. (Note that there now. will be no Ancestral Dinner taking place on August 3rd nor the 10th dates at the burial ground site — see more info below re: August 10th) …
I invite you to snag a $44 , $66 or $88 ticket soon for the extra special August 17th family-style dinner co-curated by GrowHouse NYC, Kit an' Kin, and Pelah Kitchen with Yours Truly / me / aka The Food Griot on the host committee and I will also be sharing ‘Food for THought’ on the ancient African-centerd and Diasporic wisdom woven into the menu design, the dishes and the drinks served at the dinner event.
Stay tuned for the new EVENTBRITE LINK that will provide an event description, registration and link to purchase tickets to the dinner…
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RELATED EVENT: On Sat August 10th, Brooklyn. Black. Utopia. via GrowHouse NYC (Est. Brooklyn 2017) is hosting a very special event about “reclaiming Black spaces and honoring our ancestors while imagining new futures together”. This all day event (2-6pm) takes place at the Flatbush African Burial Ground (Flatbush at Church Ave). (Note that the Ancestral Dinner is now on August 17th at a new location and NOT taking place on August 3rd nor the 10th ) Here’s an overview at a glance:
Come join Brooklyn. Black. Utopia. on Sat Aug 10th 2024 at 2:00 PM at the Flatbush African Burial Ground for a day of celebration and empowerment. This event is a gathering of the Black community in Brooklyn to honor history, culture, and resilience.
Experience a day filled with music, art making, panel discussions, and more. Connect with fellow community members and celebrate the beauty and strength of Black culture.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to come together and create a vision of a better future for our community. Let's build our own Utopia right here in Brooklyn. See you there!
Organized by: GrowHouse Community Design + Development Group
SATURDAY 27 JULY • AFRO-AMERICAN WEEKEND • PARIS SUMMER OLYMPICS
Save the Date for TFG's Public Food History Talk / Lecture on June 26th at OWG
Date: Mon, Jun 17 202
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Address: 10 Grand Army Plaza , Brooklyn, NY 11238 Get Directions
Location: Central Library, Trustees Room
Taking place at The Brooklyn Public Library’s main branch at Grand Army Plaza, upstairs in the Trustees Room on the 3rd floor. [So you know you’re in the right spot: The Trustees Room is a distinguished, wood-paneled room with sturdy wood chairs with a view from the windows that look out over the Plaza….]
Join me and BPL for an evening of seasonal, 'uniquely American' food stories!
“Food is a central part of any reunions and holiday celebrations. Learn from Culinary Historian Tonya Hopkins aka The Food Griot about the food (& drink!) associated with Juneteenth and the key role red-hued foods (& drinks) play that distinguishes this early Summer holiday from other gatherings, barbecues, park parties or picnics.” ~ BPL Website
By now everyone’s heard of ‘Juneteenth’ our nation’s newest federal holiday that was signed into federal law on June 17, 2021. The holiday’s name is short for June 19th, 1865 when the Union Army marched into the Confederate state of Texas (via the port city of Galveston) to announce the end of chattel slavery and enforce the Emancipation Proclamation that had declared their freedom 2 1/2 years prior in 1863 — resulting in joyous eruption among an estimated 250, 000 held in human bondage there and marking a beginning of hope for equality and freedom. The immediate focus for many was to reunite with family that had for centuries been forcibly separated. It was still another 2 1/2 years later (December 6th, 1865) that the 13th Amendment was ratified to end slavery nationwide.
“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 cultural tradition of music, food and freedom.” ~ NMAAHC
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Tonya Hopkins, aka The Food Griot, is a culinary historian, food & drink media personality and show host featured on a range of broadcast networks, digital and print mediums (e.g., ABC, Belgian Public Television, FOOD 52, Food Network FORBES, HBO/MAX, Milk Street Radio, New York Times, NPR, Oxford University Press/OUP, PBS, and Variety)…
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Here’s the link to this event description on the BPL Site: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/celebration-foods-for-central-library-trustees-20240617-0630pm
The Old Stone House of Brooklyn’s biggest party of the year returns! Check here for ticket info…
Rock the House is an annual fundraising event that supports the beautification of the gardens and Park around the Old Stone House. Enjoy delicious food and drinks from local restaurants, live music and dancing around the Park.
Mark your calendars for June 6th 2024 for a Fireside Feast with Historic Wyckoff & Lott house Museums featuring yours truly, @TheFoodGriot, creating a signature cocktail (mocktail option) along with a guided mezcal tasting complete with spirited, historically-rooted talk on the oldest spirit of the New World and it’s connections to 17th & 18th Century New York….
On Tuesday June 4th I’ll be part of a panel taking place at Les Dames d'Escoffier of New York's annual “The Next Big Sip” event . The topic is “Women & the Cocktail” moderated by Nicola Nice, author of the Cocktail Parlor: How Women Brought the Cocktail Home . “This panel will explore the historic connection of women and the cocktail, a retrospective look at the cocktail party – how it got started, why it came in and out of style, and the essential role that women have played…”
Background Ino: Prospect Park Alliance presents a Pinkster celebration in the yard of Lefferts Historic House, an 18th century Flatbush farmhouse that serves as the park's historic house museum. Chief Baba Neil Clarke and the Pinkster Players and friends, will lead this family-friendly event, which will feature music, history, performances, storytelling, demonstrations, games and FOOD related to this historic celebration of Africans in New York….
Pop Pairings Presents: Craft Spirits Renaissance Experience at the Brooklyn Navy Yard…
On Thursday May 2nd, I’ll be serving up and showcasing one of the best expressions of the New World’s oldest spirit, Eléctrico Mezcal Ancestral, at Brooklyn’s oldest and longest running private social club, The Montauk Club founded and built in 1889-91 (yes, the time period known as The Gilded Age). In fact, several scenes in Season Two of HBO’s The Gilded Age show were filmed onsite at The Montauk Club….
Join Good Wine on Thursday, March 21st to explore a diverse selection of wines made by women, paired with recipes inspired by iconic female chefs such as Julia Child and our friend Chef Carla Hall! In fact some of the recipes prepared for class will be from “Carla Hall’s Soulfood: Everyday and Celebration” — Carla’s latest cookbook, the one I worked with her on as lead culinary historian! (see slide show pics).
With wine education by Good Wine assistant buyer AK (Akinsheye Brunson) showcasing six delicious wines by women wine makers plus six appropriate food pairings created and curated by shop owner/chef Heather Johnston — via her talented take on above-mentioned recipes — this class is guaranteed to be so delicious and so much fun! (Please let he Good Wine team know in advance if you have dietary restrictions).
Reserve your seat now! There’s a discount if two or more people sign up together. [Use code WINECLASS for 2+ tickets at checkout] Click on the “save my seat” button to register.
For more info email: goodwineon5th@gmail.com, or call 718-499-2392
Featured guests for the evening include yours truly — '“Culinary and Drink historian, Tonya Hopkins aka The Food Griot”, creating custom Electrico Mezcal cocktails, Terra Renee, founder of African American Women in Cinema, director Amber Monet treating event goers to a screening of the award-winning Josephine Baker mini-documentary “Dear Josephine”, Houston-based origami master, Kyle Fu, unveiling his life-sized origami sculpture of Josephine Baker, and New York City’s own Cake Diva, showcasing her “Fantasy Flowers” - Josephine Baker inspired headdress.
In celebration of Black History Month, Good Wine’s hosting a delicious class on Feb 8th at 7pm featuring Black Winemakers and Vineyards! Venue location: The Old Stone House of Brooklyn. Six (6!) incredible wines from around the world (including from vintners pictured here, will be sampled and paired with an inspired and festive menu that fits the theme. And yours truly will be in he mix droppin historical contextual knowledge as well. Be sure to stay tuned for more details about this special event!
You won’t want to miss this! On Saturday 11/11 aka Veteran’s Day (formerly known as REMEMBRANCE DAY join me & a brilliant line up of culinary , distillery & history colleagues from 5:30 -8:30pm for a fabulous event featuring artisan foods, an award-winning short film screening+filmmaker and amazing drink brought to you by Eléctrico Mezcal Artesanal!
Celebrate The Season of Remembrance! Spirited Storytelling + Flavorful Food, Drink, History & Cultural Connections: Strolling & Sampling Through The Slope…Join me on Wednesday November 8th starting at 7pm at the Old Stone House.
Hosted by Tonya Hopkins, aka “The Food Griot,” Brought to You by Eléctrico Mezcal Artesanal and Featuring Ashbell’s Premium (Artisanally Smoked Meats & Seafood). Join me on Wednesday November 1st starting at 7pm at the Old Stone House. From there we’ll sip and snack our way down 5th Ave while being regaled with relevant culturally-rooted narratives: the theme of this night’s tour is “Dia De Los Muertos”.
FEAUTURES:
• BOOK READING & SIGNING by Claire Bellerjeau, Author of: “Remember Liss: The Remarkable True Story of One Woman’s Enslavement and Freedom in New York
• Cider & Wine tastings
• Food Sampling/Pairing (Ashbell’s Premium All Natural Applewood Smoked Duck Breast)
• Relevant Food (smoking) & Drink (cider, etc.) History from Tonya Hopkins aka “The Food Griot’
There’s an exciting event series I’ve been simmering up in collaboration with local Brooklyn businesses based primarily in the neighborhood of Park Slope called "Spirits Storytelling Strolls in the Slope" during what I consider to be the “Spooky Season” between October 28th and November 11th at and around the time of Halloween, All Souls Day(s), Dia De Los Muertos / Day of The Dead, and other historical and multi-cultural Remembrance Days worldwide.
This all new Autumnal series is comprised of food, wine & spirits-centered tasting tours, sampling strolls, immersive storytelling, short film screenings and other spirit-lifting, food-paired programatic events within this two-week time frame designed to celebrate the many multicultural holidays of remembrance:
"Electrico Presents: Get Ready for Remembrance!" The Season of Recollection & Reminiscence…
With A Handcrafted Spirit Ancestors Would Approve! …#SparkofLife
Date: Thursday October 26th 7pm to 10pm
Location: 390 5th Avenue in Park Slope Brooklyn, NY 11215
Cost: FREE! Compliments of Eléctrico Spirits
FEAUTURES:
Artisanal Mezcal Tastings (of Eléctrico Mezcal Artesanal)
Award Winning Short Film Screening: FESTIVAL OAXACA*
390 Social Club’s Craft Cocktail Specials featuring Eléctrico Mezcal
Free Food Pairing (Ashbell’s All Natural Applewood Smoked Duck Breast)
Eléctrico-only “Lucky Hours” Specials til 9:30pm ! [5pm -7pm? normally…]
![Special Eléctrico Mezcal Tasting Friday May 23rd at the Historic Montauk Club [Members & Invited Guests Only] 7:00-10:00PM](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62ac978b80be5838a58db017/1712990348278-CBXG1M9ROGGKDO3L8SRW/Montauk+Electrico+pic+collage+IMG_1101.JPG)
![An Eléctrico Experience: Mezcal Tasting & Film Screening Nov 7th at the Montauk Club [Private Event]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62ac978b80be5838a58db017/1712990347367-74YKSBA0KK42ZG40AWM7/Montauk+Electrico+pic+collage+IMG_1099.JPG)
![Celebrate the Season of Remembrance! Spirited Storytelling + Flavorful Food, Drink, History & Cultural Connections: Strolling & Sampling Through The Slope [and Beyond]...](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62ac978b80be5838a58db017/1693872923418-XSO809YD2PCX89J5ZHFT/IMG_9284+2.jpg)
