James Hemings Society

03/30/2022

Let’s get to 2,335 signatures by the end of today - can you add yours?

03/10/2022

08/25/2021

In honor of the Black Business Expo, Ashbells Premium Smoked Meats and Seafood is offering 20% Off AND Free Shipping.

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07/24/2021

Learn how to make like Chef James Hemings! Watch and enjoy James Hemings Society founder, Chef Ashbell Mcelveen's historical talk & ice cream demo (at the Free Library of Philadelphia Culinary Literacy Center once upon a time for WURD Radio's fab Founders Day). It's inspired one of James classic recipes from his training in France 1784-1789. To this day, vanilla’s the most popular ice cream flavor throughout the US. Chef James Hemings was the first to introduce and popularize this fave flavor via one of the most famously attended tables in America at the time — Thomas Jefferson’s — in VA, PA, NY…. So let's shout out a "Thank you James!" And additional Thank Yous!! to all the known (e.g., Augustus Jackson, Alfred Cralle...) and UNknown Black artisans, confectioners, inventors and entrepreneurs — city by city in the centuries that followed — who were instrumental in the scientific developments and technological innovations that made American ice cream what it is today AND available/accessible for EVERYONE to enjoy. (Not just for slave holders or wealthy whites post emancipation. I digress). There's so much more to this story (surprised?), for now though enjoy THIS scrumptious scoop! ~ The Food Griot
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_zNZWLbsyM&feature=youtu.

07/13/2021

TODAY! Watch livestream of Chef Ashbell McElveen's video documentary on James Hemings at the Cannes Film Festival

Did you know that James Hemings, the enslaved chef of Thomas Jefferson's homestead of Monticello, excelled at his craft because of the training he undertook in Paris?

Learn about his amazing story by watching Chef Ashbell McElveen's film called James Hemings: Ghost in America's Kitchen as it is screened in real time (1:30 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, July 13) at the Cannes Film Festival! You can view the documentary for free by signing up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movies-a-different-way-and-james-hemmings-ghost-in-americas-kitchen-registration-162950379973

I was privileged to watch a preview of this EXCELLENT film. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

Chef Ashbell and Monique in Paris
Image by Discover Paris!

06/30/2021

Check out these ten rising black sommeliers!

Obtaining the title of a Sommelier is one of the highest achievements in the wine industry, and sommeliers of color are just a handful. Continue reading to learn about the 10 Rising Black Sommeliers.

06/20/2021

I so happy the screening of the James Hemings documentary at the Roxbury international film festival went well. Connecting to two amazing black women with restaurants in Boston, begging for more conversations. To finish the day with Chef Keith Wallace, talking about the Assumption Dinner that James Hemings cooked in NYC on June 20, 1790.
Chef Keith took the original dessert, warm pastry stuffed with vanilla ice cream.
To see his detailed recipes, please like the James Hemings Society or DM. Happy Father's Day.