The Pan African Family Cooking Show

01/14/2021

Once our new tripod comes in, with a light, I will resume filming episodes of The Pan African Family Cooking Show.

Upcoming recipes will feature some of the things you’ve seen me posting these past few months so stay tuned. There’s about 15 full or quick bite episodes and a couple of special home design tours up in the YouTube channel now if you have caught up on those!

01/12/2021

Make sure you’ve got a good floor game. These are some of my favorite pieces of art. In particular, if you can believe it, the 2 triptychs I created into a composite picture of NYC night life in the 80s all of them on chromogenic prints on a plasticine paper the most prized among them is a young Basquiat. Similar to a print I gave as a birthday gift to a family member, my smaller version of a Grace Jones image from the 80s us printed the same way but I combined it with other 80s nightlife images. But king among them is a more recent addition of an archival print limited edition (mine is number 75 of just 100 made) of Horace Ové’s “Psychedelic Black Woman) this C print of the black and white painting is one of my favorite pieces of art that I own and I’ve given alternative copies of it as gifts to very imported friends and family members (2 of them) in the year since I purchased this piece in London. So I will spend some time figuring out exactly how to arrange them is that I’m redecorating the great room for winter/spring. is what makes a well designed space YOUR well designed space.

01/12/2021

Make sure you’ve got a good floor game. These are some of my favorite pieces of art. In particular, if you can believe it, the 2 triptychs I created into a composite picture of NYC night life in the 80s all of them on chromogenic prints on a plasticine paper the most prized among them is a young Basquiat. Similar to a print I gave as a birthday gift to a family member, my smaller version of a Grace Jones image from the 80s us printed the same way but I combined it with other 80s nightlife images. But king among them is a more recent addition of an archival print limited edition (mine is number 75 of just 100 made) of Horace Ové’s “Psychedelic Black Woman) this C print of the black and white painting is one of my favorite pieces of art that I own and I’ve given alternative copies of it as gifts to very imported friends and family members (2 of them) in the year since I purchased this piece in London. So I will spend some time figuring out exactly how to arrange them is that I’m redecorating the great room for winter/spring. is what makes a well designed space YOUR well designed space.

01/12/2021

Wall prep. Tomorrow I sand and tape and paint.

01/11/2021

Bookcases as room dividers provide an opportunity to store books, highlight the things that matter to you and provide visual interest to your space but be sure to design the front and back of open shelves.

12/05/2020

Episode 11:

A special episode down in Columbia, MD teaching my expectant niece to roast a chicken. (Since this video was shot she welcomed a healthy baby girl, the next generation of our family into the world!)

A special episode down in Columbia, MD teaching my expectant niece to roast a chicken. (Since this video was shot she welcomed a healthy baby girl, the next ...

12/03/2020

Folks have asked so here’s my standard on hand-pantry and fridge/freezer items:

spice cabinet includes the following (all dried either ground or seeds and I have a coffee grinder):

Sea salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Coriander
Fennel or anise
Cumin
Tarragon
Thyme
Sage
Rosemary
Caraway seed
Yellow (Jamaican) curry
Red curry (Thai or Indian)
Chinese five spice
Crushed red pepper
Cayenne pepper
Chili powder (any kind of Mexican chili from chipotle to ancho I keep at least one on hand)
Parsley
Dried vegetable soup mix

I keep fresh:

Celery or parsley leaves
Minced or whole garlic
Lemons (NEVER BOTTLED)
Onions
Bell peppers in any or all four colors
Pickles

The following condiments oils and acids:

Wine (either sherry or white)
White vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Ponzu sauce
Mirin
Olive oil
Canola oil
Mayonnaise (vegan or regular)
Vegan cream cheese (it has no taste but is excellent additive to anything abs everything you want to make creamy.)
Ketchup
Hot sauce
Sriracha
Cocktail sauce (usually just horse radish and I make cocktail sauce with ketchup and hot sauce)
Relish (which I use to make tartar sauce among other things)
Vegetable stock
Raw blue agave (instead of sugar)
Honey
Instant espresso powder (cafe bustelo usually)

I keep these proteins:

Eggs
Cheese (extra sharp white cheddar and recently cashew vegan cheese)
Frozen shrimp
A wild caught fish (fresh or frozen whichever is available, wild abs not tilapia!)
A plant based meat product like impossible burgers
Thee types of dried beans (I like black small red and white/Tuscan but switch it up sometimes)
A whole chicken
Canned wild salmon
Canned tuna
Canned sardines in water

The following wheat/grains:

Brown rice
Whole wheat spaghetti or fettuccine
Farro or an exotic rice (black or green)
Soft tortillas
Whole wheat Bread
All purpose flour
Vermicelli or glass noodles
Grits
Cream of wheat
Cold cereal

The following fruits/vegetables:

Cucumbers
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Spinach or kale
Onions
Broccoli (frozen)
Green peas (frozen)
String beans (fresh or frozen)
Bananas
Grapes
Apples

Canned goods:

Tomato sauce and
paste
Crushed and/or peeled tomatoes
Marinara sauce
Corn (occasionally)

Other:

Unsweetened Coconut milk and/or cashew milk
Ice tea mix
Potato chips
Dark chocolate
Nuts

09/10/2020

The reality of black life throughout the diaspora is frustrated by poverty and it’s indicators like food insecurity and poor food choices or lack of healthy options and knowledge about what options are healthy.

Compounding this is the way health is messaged in popular food culture, which is governed by white mainstreams. An example of this is the choice between fresh and prepared foods. While “fresh is best” is the prevailing wisdom, such statements are reductive. For low income families and individuals, fresh seafood is a luxury. But one of obvious health and flavor benefits.

The good news is the canned food aisle is a treasure trove of affordable and even decadent healthy seafood options. Most of us know about tuna fish and sardines (both of which are fine options) but few consider canned salmon. But the truth is for about a dollar or two a can, you can have pink or red Canadian wild caught salmon on your breakfast lunch or dinner plate. Look for options with low or no salt and packed in water or olive oil (avoid any palm or hydrogenated oil varieties at all costs).

Like this red cooked salmon (which includes the edible collar bones that are loaded with calcium) packed in water and with all the flavor and tenderness as well as omega threes of any other wild caught fish. While it’s not going to plate up a beautiful crispy skinned fillet or steak, it’s great in salads, sandwiches, as a topping for toast or avocad or even like this - seasoned with Caribbean spices lime and smoked paprika. This brand includes the skin which isfull if essential fats and flavor even if it does not provide the same textural component as fresh.

Lastly, for folks on neutropenic diets or otherwise severely immune compromised, it’s also good because fresh seafood and even veggies can pose a problem for them that canned foods avoid through the processing and pasteurization they go through.

Fresh may be best but it’s not always practical. When it’s not don’t be afraid of the canned food aisle. With a little knowledge you can be healthy and on a budget!

09/09/2020

When plating - which you should do for yourself as much as for guests because you’re worth it - look for layers. Use symmetry and even shapes and amounts for part of the portion then add on less uniform more haphazard layers for the remaining portion and especially sauces. This gives a nice presentation and also imitates the layering of flavors you’ve taken the time to develop in cooking. Here, spicy citrus shrimp surround a mound of brown rice layers with a warm salad of onions mushroom and spinach cooked with a fair amount of nutmeg and smoked paprika.

09/09/2020

A great way to get kids acculturated into cooking is to given them support roles in the process. Depending on their age, assigning chopping duties or - our favorite - stove/oven management duties is easy and helpful.

For example, having them listen for the boiling point of rice (assuming a steam release top, otherwise visually) and turning the flame down to low simmer and then off thirty minutes later is a good way to teach them rice making as well as free you up to do other things! The same with turning off (and if they’re old enough removing the item) the oven when the pizza or bread or other baked good is at the cooking time limit.

They’re learning to be attentive and aware of the time (and patience) cooking can require.

09/07/2020

Brown rice, mushroom stems and broccoli in a black bean sauce with black beans soy and sriracha.

09/03/2020

We have lots of uses for grits. Check us out on YouTube. This particular day, we took plain white grits and amped up the healthy by mixing them with garlic black bean purée for “purple” grits which we topped with soy lime grilled shrimp and an egg!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CErjw2BD4IG/?igshid=8hvevlbhufqj