#blessthisfood

[blessthisfood]

The Bastardization of Jerk Chicken

No it is not Barbecue

At the most recent "Sister Circle" event, there was a pan of Jerk Chicken waiting for me when I arrived. I mean it was for all of us, but I planned to eat more than everyone at the event. I normally avoid Jerk Chicken because sometimes the heat of the seasoning is too much. I recall ordering Jerk Chicken at the Gary's Jamaican Hot Pot in Harlem on Adam Clayton Powell in the early 2000's. I took one bite and realized I was out of my depth. My Trini Dad introduced me spicy Caribbean foods but nothing on this level. Needless to say, I did not finish my meal, got it to go and it still found its way to the trash. And yes, I was sad about it.

I generally avoid "Jamaican-esque" restaurants or "Caribbean style" places because disappointment is normally the result. But I find more often the Jerk has become "Jerk Barbecue" and those two things are not the same. Most people miss that "Jerk" is a style of cooking not an actual flavor or seasoning. When you "jerk" meat there is a certain type of seasoning that is required. If the wet marinade or dry rub does not contain Scotch Bonnet peppers, then it is a fraudulent recipe calling itself "jerk". There are a very easy ways to find these false meats and meals. If you see or speak with a person from the Caucus Mountains who is not born and raised in a Caribbean, Latin American or spicy food country and they say "I love Jerk whatever", it is not real Jerk anything.

Am I being a bit discriminatory? Yes, I am, but some of this people moved to Mexico and told them their native food was too spicy. Excuse me? It does not go unnoticed that lots of them associate Jamaica with Bob Marley, beaches and weed. Of course, they want to eat the food of their favorite island, but make it palatable. And this is how those "Jerk Barbecue" recipes came to be. If we are sticking to semantics, barbecue is also a style of cooking. With that in mind, "jerk barbecue" should not really be a thing. Most people think of barbecue as grilled meat, i.e., ribs, chicken, steak, etc. eaten with a sweet sauce/glaze. "Jerk anything" should never be sweet. To my Jamaican friends out there, has "Jerk" ever been sweet?

In an effort to make "Jerk" more mainstream, I've experienced menu items called "jerk" with little to no heat in the flavor. My flabbers were gasted. Now that the flavor profile is starting to shift, I am seeking those who want to protest this outrageous adjustment. Am I now required to vacay in Jamaica to get real "jerk"? I mean that is not a bad idea, but I am sure that there is restaurant in ATL/Metro ATL that can give me what I crave. Can you all list those recommendations for me?

[blessthisfood]

My Repast Review

I don't want another piece of fried chicken

Recently I took a trip home for my uncle's home going. I loved seeing my family, but I wish the circumstances had been very different. My Uncle Jerry was the person in the family that roasted everyone, cracked the good jokes and would spill all the family tea at the most inopportune times. He was a hoot and a time was always had when he was around. He will be missed but he was celebrated beautifully by friends and family. I could go on, but today we are here to discuss the repast.

A repast is" a formal or old-fashioned term for a meal, a quantity of food, or the act of taking food. It often refers specifically to a gathering or reception held after a funeral for sharing food, comfort, and memories." The repast for my uncle took place at my mother's house and that meant no rest for me because people were continuously stopping by. And they were mostly dropping off fried chicken by the pound.

When I left Virginia in 2000, the fried chicken that I love the most was homemade. It did not matter who made it, as long as it was a family member. If there was a family gathering and we were forced to purchase fried chicken, Farm Fresh Groceries was the go-to. I was aware of the goodness of that chicken, but that store no longer existed. So, I was unsure of where all of this new chicken was coming from.

From April 14th until April 17th, I ate fried chicken from Kroger, Harris Teeter, Golden Corral, Food Lion and possibly some homemade church chicken. After a while, it tasted the same but I drowned my sadness in chicken to a point of fullness. I don't want another piece of chicken (bone-in) for a long time. Yes, I've had nuggets, strips and wings since the funeral, but all breasts and thighs need to leave me alone for about sixty days.

Aside from chicken, I indulged on every pound cake every created, some cabbage, some of the most delicious green beans, rolls from Texas Roadhouse and Golden Corral, potato salad, pasta salad, cabbage, ham and Fanta Orange. Comfort foods at the most uncomfortable times are so clutch. Did I mention I was an emotional eater? And based on that spread, my grief was overwhelming.

Uncle Jerry, you and your lessons will remain with me as I fondly reminisce.

[blessthisfood]

Food is in the Family

And we eat good ...

Most people ask me how I stumbled in the world of food stories. And I was literally born into it. I have written before about being a farm to table girl before it was popular with the gentrifiers. It was a way of life for Black communities in the south.

My childhood was picking strawberries, gathering peaches from the tree in my grandmother's yard, and crabbing with raw chicken at the beach. My palette was trained early to appreciate good cuisine. So, it was inevitable that food would play a large part in my life. I didn't know that it would involve me writing about it and not just eating it. But at this point, I'm doing a bit of both.

It didn't dawn on me until I chose the food freeway, that most of my family was driving ahead of me. I counted the number of relatives worked/were connected to food in some way and was shocked to know my life was laid out for me unknowingly. Let's talk about my lineage.

My Maternal Grandmother: This was where I learned how to cook. Not because I was fascinated but my grandma was my playmate. She was the person who occupied me when my undiagnosed ADD was too much for my older cousins. I was an observant child and have a somewhat photographic memory. Recipes are imbedded for life in my mind.

My Fathers: Both of these men were in the kitchen making me meals as long as I can remember. The Bio Dad made me Steak and Eggs for breakfast before I was school age. It has since been one of my favorite brunch meals. My Trini Dad exposed me to the flavors of the Caribbean and now I am a Doubles/Bake N Shark babe. These two men were my first example of men being able to cook meals for others and themselves. I understood the extent of male capability.

My Mother: Her first job was at Krispy Kreme and that is probably the reason they are my least favorite doughnuts. She met my Trini Dad while working in the kitchen at the Naval Officers club. While pursuing my second Master's, she began a catering business prior to her retirement. Also, it is her recipe that I use to make the famous Rum Cakes that everyone loves.

The Aunts: My late great Aunt Velma made the perfect the chocolate chip cookies, unfortunately I did not get that recipe, but my goal is to perfect it. She was also a public-school cafeteria manager for 20 plus years. My Aunt Bobby (Barbara Jean) worked with my mother at the Naval Officers Club, but when she managed the old school Pizza Hut it was epic. Free buffet privileges during my middle school years were great for bragging rights. Anyone who knows my love for Pizza Hut, knows this where it originated.

Uncle Dixson: I will eventually make an entire post about this man. I learned to make fried rice in a Magnalite from my uncle. He taught me so much more in life, but his cooking skills were impeccable. He never cooked anything that I did not love. I watched him make a meal out of very little and the entire house loved it.

So, my career path was laid before me and I had no idea it was right there. Maybe I would have attended culinary school or started a home meal prep business. But now I cook for fun, love to feed others and relish in the pleasure people get from my version of my mom’s rum cake. I also get to write about my love for my family and food. My hope is that you all love to read it as much as I love to write it.

[blessthisfood]

Eyes Bigger than Your Stomach

This weekend I was with my family and having a Saturday morning Brunch, when my sister repeated a particular phrase to me.

"Put it back."

I laughed and I put the crab cake back. My mother had been talking all week about the pound of crab meat that was in the freezer and I knew that meant she was going to make something. Salmon cakes were Friday's breakfast, so that meant the crab was going to shine on Saturday. Our flight was late that afternoon and my mother always does something to make me miss home. This meal was no different. But I tend to fill my plate with more food than my tummy can handle.

If you have been following me for a while, you know that in October 2019 I had bariatric surgery. I had a Vertical Sleeve Gastronomy where 70-80% of my stomach is removed. So, I am physically unable to eat large amounts of food. If I choose to stuff myself, the food will see the light of day again. In the 6.5 years with a stomach smaller than a banana, I have only regurgitated twice. Clap for me!!!

Because I was raised to finish all the food on my plate, that has been my biggest issue as my relationship with meals has changed drastically. My new identity is the Queen of Leftovers because who am I to deny myself a full restaurant meal that I only take three bites of. That is the running jokes amongst my circle. I will order something that I cannot finish and will make sure that everyone at the table gets to taste the deliciousness.

This lifestyle change was more psychological than anything else. I have found a few fast-food kid’s meals that are perfect to accommodate my small stomach, but restaurant kid’s meals are awful. Lots of mac and cheese and chicken nuggets, not a green vegetable in sight. I think the kids need to eat healthy too, but they are the perfect portion sizes. My favorite places have small plates or tapas. I can order two items and be full and happy.

Having all of this knowledge and different options, I STILL order too much food at restaurants. I am still working on that portion of my food journey. If we go out to dinner, don't judge my large plate of pasta. This meal is going to last about four days in my home.

[blessthisfood]

Why I hate Grass Walls ...

My favorite traveling buddy came to town from DC and wanted to have brunch. I did not suggest any restaurants because I live here and I wanted him to choose a place that interested him and his friend. He made the reservation and when it was time, I begrudgingly showed up. Why was I reluctant? Because he chose a grass wall restaurant and he knows I hate those places. The food was good, but the ambiance reeked of short shorts, fur boots, and lemon drops.

I was told that grass walls reminded people of twerking over Chicken and Waffles. And yes, I laughed hysterically. There was no twerking during my restaurant stop, but the police officers did get called on a thieving waiter that afternoon at my 4:00 PM brunch. My hate is not random; I do have my reasons and hopefully it will help you all understand.

Loud Ass Music - Most of the grass wall locations come equipped with a DJ. And these people play all genres of music at the loudest volume allowed. The servers dance toward the tables and as the mimosa flutes vibrate from the bass. Please understand that no meaningful conversation will occur while you are in that space. I enjoy talking to my friends and discussing if the food and drink taste good during brunch. But alas, the fifth spin of "Back Dat Ass Up" was much more important.

No Food Variety - If there is a grass wall, you can guarantee a Lamb Chop, a Shrimp & Grit and a Chicken and a Waffle on the menu. If they are really in their bag, the syrup for the waffle will come with Hennessy or Don Julio. I just want an omelet that is not smothered in New Orleans inspired etouffee jambalaya cream sauce. My preference would be an egg over easy with a medium steak and a butter biscuit. But I cannot even get that without a hot honey spice sauce drizzled over my bread. I pray for the days of regular breakfast meals and menus.

Automatic Gratuity - The photo above is the only automatic tip rule that I like. If there is a large party of diners, servers are working harder, thus they need a sizable tip. Some people are cheap and do not do right with the employees. The idea that a solo eater is automatically billed for a tip regardless of the level of service bothers me. Some of the folks do a half ass job because they know they are already getting some money. I went to breakfast with a friend and after our meals came to the table, our server disappeared. Cups empty, no checking in to see if the food was good, we had to flag her down to get the check. Zero out of ten would not recommend.

Aesthetics over skill - I have never worked in a restaurant, so I am not sure if Pappadeaux's has open calls for their servers or if they just post a job listing. What I do know is that a lot of the grass wall spots have open calls for servers, like bottle girl style. And most times that means if they look good, they will have a job. Not her server skills, but if she has a thirty inch "buss down middle part special" and has received a faja following a medical procedure, they have a winner. Not all grass wall spots operate in this manner, but 85% of them absolutely do. I mean I do live in Atlanta.

Honorable mention goes to the 90-minute time limit set with each reservation.

If you ever want to take me to dinner, please check for grass walls and know I do not want any part of that.

[blessthisfood]

Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Frosting

This is a picture of chocolate cake according to Google, but if I ask my sister she would say the picture below is also Chocolate Cake.

I have been fighting for my life on social media trying to determine why people refer to the second picture as Chocolate Cake. Since I live with someone who refers to it as Chocolate Cake, I asked her to explain the distinction. She explained to me that if she sees this dessert and it is not yet sliced and no one knows what flavor cake is under the Chocolate frosting. So, she would call it Chocolate Cake. I understood that, but some of the people on social media felt that the cake flavor did not matter.

Let me tell you something, if I ask for Chocolate Cake and I get YELLOW Cake, I will be angry with the world. After reading the reasons and taking into consideration that it is likely a Black Southern reference, I had a better understanding. But because I believe that I am a tad bit on the spectrum, I needed to apply this philosophy to other cakes. By this logic, Red Velvet Cake would be called Cream Cheese Cake. Someone told me that the first picture would be called Double Chocolate Cake, which made sense but again the spectrum in me had more questions.

We keep saying CAKE, but we really are talking about FROSTING. At least that was the point I was making when someone pretty much told me I did not read and did not know the definition of words. What a rude heifer! Either way, I will continue to raise this argument any time that I can, for shits and giggles. At the end of the day, I would eat either slice.

What would you call the YELLOW CAKE with CHOCOLATE FROSTING? Let me know in the comments.

[blessthisfood]

H Mart - A shopping pleasure

On the Clock App there has been some recent discourse regarding people shopping in H Mart that may not have the best intentions. Because I am Filipino adjacent, the conversations found me. I never saw the original post, but it devolved into a battle between East Asians and Southeast Asians then somehow Asians and Black people. So instead of me researching the original drama, I decided to take a trip to H Mart myself.

Of course, my trip had nothing to with the issues because I stay shopping at an International Market on Buford Highway and eating at all the good Asian restaurants in the Atlanta Metro area. My sister needed some herbs and dried fruit for a tea that would alleviate inflammation. We have been following a Chinese medicine doctor on social media, and we were finally going to pick up the recommendations.

Virginia Beach has always had a large Filipino population, so I do not know a life without Filipinos or Filipino food. So, when I moved to Atlanta, my first search was for my people and the food of my people. I continued to search while indulging in Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Cambodian, Korean, and Japanese food. I ventured to different grocery stores searching for the food of my youth. There are several places to go, but H Mart is the pinnacle.

H Mart is the largest US-based grocery store chain that specializes in Asian-style products and caters to Asian American shoppers. The store started in the early 80's in Queens New York but now has locations in Canada and nineteen states in the United States. Obviously, there was a need and that need has grown over the past few decades. The variety of Asian items that I have been able to purchase has been astounding and necessary for my flavor palette as my favorites lean more toward Asian than any other style outside of my native Soul food roots.

I will always shop at H Mart because I have a respect for the food and culture of the Asian community. It is not trendy to me, it is not a fad that I saw on social media, it has been a part of my life since childhood. I am only seeking out what I am familiar with and what I enjoy wholeheartedly. Does that mean that people should not gatekeep their sacred spaces? Because food is sacred and culturally rooted in certain spaces. And yes, you should gatekeep from those that are disrespectful to what is inherently yours.

As for me, I will be back for more Shin Ramen and Oyster Sauce in about two weeks.

[blessthisfood]

Rihanna said it best ...

"You know I got the sauce, you know I am saucy."

Okay so that song is not exactly about food or sauce. But it was the best way to discuss my need to make sauces for my food. If there is a flavor that appeases my palette, I will buy a similar sauce or create my own version of it for future meals. With the help of Goggle and TikTok, I have mastered some of my favorites in my kitchen.

Living on Atlanta, you get wrapped up in the chicken wars: Chick-fil-a vs. Zaxby's. I cannot include Raising Canes because they just arrived about three months ago and I do not LIKE them at all. Raised on the good Truett chicken since my youth in Virginia, I did not encounter Zaxby's until after the year 2000. I avoided it because of my dedication to the Red and White Chicken spot. I had a few go to meals, but the nuggets with Polynesian sauce had me in a chokehold. Then one day I had a Zaxby's tenders against my will.

I believe my sister at already eaten at Zaxby's, so it was not new to her. She offered me a tender, but there was only "Zax Sauce" in the black Styrofoam container. I proceeded to dip the chicken in the sauce, and my life was forever changed. The Christian Nationalist chicken had a sauce that was supposed to be comparable to Zax Sauce, but they just did not compare. My addiction became evident when I found excuses to get Zaxby's so I can get the sauce. My habit was getting too expensive in this inflated economy, so I needed to figure out how to make this sauce in my home.

Quick google search and fridge check to see if I had all the ingredients and of course I did NOT. Who knew that "What this here Sauce" would be so instrumental in so many sauces. It was clear that my sauce journey was just beginning. I had mastered the Asian flavors, but these creamy sauces with mayo were going to be my biggest challenge. I am not a fan of mayonnaise, so the fact that I even attempted to make these sauces is bewildering to me.

My first batch of "homemade Zax Sauce" was perfect and caused me to go out and buy some frozen nuggets to dip. But after that, I could not achieve the flavor that I loved so much. I was not sure if I wanted to try anymore for fear of disappointment. But I would no longer need to sweat while I hand mixed items for a small amount of sauce. The lovely people at Zaxby's started selling the sauce at the grocery store and I could just keep some in my pantry.

Now I just need to convince them to make small travel size sauce that I can always carry with me. If you have never tasted the goodness of Zax Sauce, I command that you ingest some very soon. It is best with some nuggets from the opposition, so it will require two fast food trips.