Cuisine Noir

What a year. Never in a million years would I have thought we would be in the middle of a pandemic. But here we are. Many describe the events of 2020 and 2021 as heartbreaking, dark, lonesome and life-changing. Others I have talked to have shared the words and phrase pivotal (yes, that one), awakening, discovery and a time to focus on what matters. All definitely resonate with me. Our last print issue was in 2017. At that time, the media landscape continued to be challenging to navigate. Black-owned media companies such as ours were tirelessly advocating for advertising and sponsorship dollars from brands that many Black consumers support. This work continues today. I took a step back to see how we can continue to pioneer stories about and with…

A thick slab of tangy baby back ribs smoking on the grill. Tender baked beans drenched in grandma’s secret sauce. These are just some of the dishes you look forward to at family cookouts. With the yearly debate about which auntie makes the best potato salad heating at the spades table, you survey the ample spread. Reaching for the plump, crispy drumstick staring at you, your mouth begins to water as your favorite “yoga-loving-save-the-animals” Millennial cousin proudly shares, “It’s vegan fried chicken,” with a smile. “It is from Don’t Be Chick’n and it is plant-based.” Plant-based? It may not be poultry, but trust, once that burst of fried goodness hits your taste buds, it’s every bit like chicken and it is delicious. THE PANDEMIC WILL NOT STOP A DREAM The…

The sizzle of chicken wings being lowered into hot oil is the beginning of Kimberly Ellis’ award-winning “sticky wings.” The tasty, sticky sauce she covers them in has made the wings the most popular item on the menu of her restaurant, Breaking Bread (@breakingbreadnation). The Baltimore native and her team have come back to the city’s only boutique art hotel, Hotel Revival, to show what it was like being able to use the hotel’s kitchen to keep her business going during the height of the pandemic. Hotel Revival (@revivalbaltimore) is located in the tony, historic arts district of Mt. Vernon, just a stone’s throw from the United States’ first Washington Monument. As Ellis and her son and sous chef, James, plate her perfectly prepared wings, salmon and lamb chops, she…

For Christopher Viaud, owner and executive chef of Greenleaf and its sister restaurant Culture in New Hampshire, collectivity paved the way for prosperity in the culinary industry, as well as his learning odyssey. Viaud's adolescent memories involve him in the kitchen with his Haitian mother crushing herbs and spices in a wooden pilon for aromatic stews and sauces. “Food was the root of what brought us together," he says. Before entering the culinary industry, the chef's path began in Randolph, Massachusetts, a city right outside Boston and home to many Haitian people. Viaud’s parents, born in Haiti and later making a home in the United States, prioritized their children knowing Haiti's rich history, values and pride. "It was important for my parents to enforce what it means to be a…

CAJUN DEVILED EGGS WITH CRISPY BACON Servings: 12 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes INGREDIENTS 6 jumbo eggs¼ cup mayonnaise1 tablespoon sweet and hot mustard2 tablespoons sweet relish¼ teaspoon Tony Chachere’s More Spice Creole Seasoning3 strips bacon, cooked and sliced PREPARATION 1. Add eggs to a medium pot and completely cover with water. Turn heat to high. After water begins to boil, cook for12-14 minutes.2. Drain and rinse eggs with cold water. Peel eggs and slice half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bowl and arrange egg halves on a plate.3. Mash warm yolks with a whisk and stir in mayonnaise, mustard, relish and Tony Chachere’s More Spice Creole Seasoning. Add ingredients a little at a time, using more or less mayonnaise depending on…

Tia Mowry is at it again. This time the multitalented actress, producer, author and entrepreneur has inked a mega-licensing deal with Kin and TV One's sister network, CLEO TV, to bring “Tia Mowry's Quick Fix” to cable television for the first time beginning in October. This is a rare cable syndication deal for a web series. With a strong social media presence and over 21 million followers between all her social media platforms, Mowry is the epitome of embracing the power of social media. According to Kin, Mowry’s channel is its fastest growing to date, and the deal gives the franchise an opportunity for expansion by reaching a new audience. Launched in 2017, CLEO TV plans to roll out 80 of the more than 150 episodes that can be found…