Thanks to the Seacoast African American Cultural Center for inviting us to help them host a thoughtful and delicious fundraiser on Soul Food. Thanks also to Suzanne Laurent of the Seacoast Online, The Portsmouth Herald, and Katherine Bouzianis of The Port's Mouth for their glowing coverage of the event. You can find links to the coverage below.
Until next time, be well!
(Suzanne Laurent, Seacoast Online)
Samples for a pop up at a New York City club. Recipes from Fillet of Soul: AfroVegan.
Join us this Thursday to celebrate Black History Month with New Jersey high school students and the New Jersey State Bar Association.
2013 Black History Month Celebration
The Minorities in the Profession Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association is pleased to announce its annual BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTEST. The purpose of this competition is to showcase and share the knowledge of our youth and encourage excellence in writing by New Jersey high school students.
This year, New Jersey high school students were asked to write a letter to the United States Supreme Court advising the Justices whether or not race should continue to be a factor considered in the admission process of public colleges using 1,000 words or less.
Entries are closed.
280 essays were received.Click here to read the winning essays.
Students who submit an essay will qualify for the opportunity to compete in a Black History Trivia Contest on Thursday, February 21, 2013 at the New Jersey Law Center to compete for the following cash prizes:
First Place $250.00 Visa Gift Card Second Place $150.00 Visa Gift Card Third Place $100.00 Visa Gift Card
Each contestant will also receive a certificate of merit for their participation. All prizes will be presented to the students on February 21, 2013 at the New Jersey Law Center.
Black History Month
2013 Program and Trivia Contest
Thursday, February 21
6 - 9 p.m.
New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick
Featured Presentation Slavery to Freedom at the Kitchen Table: a Historical Look at Soul Food from 1830-1975
by Chef Wheeler del Torro
Chef del Torro will present a lecture and cooking demonstration. The lecture will encompass a historical and anthropological look into the study of soul food as an American cuisine. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample dishes featuring traditional soul food ingredients and learn the history of each dish – its historical roots, cultural significance and a healthy method of preparation.
Featured Visual Artist
Creative Force Inc.
Trivia Contest Host
Steven G. Hockaday, Esq., president-elect, Garden State Bar Association, housing attorney, Essex-Newark Legal Services
If you are in Maine tomorrow, come join us for soul food and jazz at the University of Southern Maine. Here's a preview of one of the dishes from Maine 207: collard greens.
I am looking forward to spending Valentine's Day celebrating Black History Month in Portland, Maine. Thank you for sharing the event Avery!
Vegan soul food served in celebration of Black History Month
Friday January 18, 2013 | 11:56 AM
Posted by
Do your heart some good when Chef Wheeler del Torro comes to Portland on Valentine's Day to dish up vegan eats as part of the free "An Evening Celebration of Soul Food and Jazz Music." The owner of the micro-creamery Wheeler's Frozen Desserts in Boston, a sought-after caterer and the author of "The Vegan Scoop," del Torro is interested in food justice and how food connects us with our heritage. He's also a proponent of obtaining health through food.
On Feb. 14, del Torro will show how to make a soul food inspired vegan menu of bourbon candied yams, black truffle mac and cheese and Southern braised greens, composed of beet, collard and dandelion greens. Audience members will get to sample the dishes.
A musical performance by jazz and blues singers Lorraine Bohland and Olivia Crupi and pianist Terry Foster will follow del Torro's cooking demonstration.
The event is presented by the University of Southern Maine's Office of Multicultural Affairs as part of the school's Black History Month celebrations.
The cooking demonstration and concert takes place at 5:30 p.m., Feb . 14 at the Wishcamper Center on the University of Southern Maine's Portland campus. A reception will take place during intermission. For more information, call 780-5798.
Visit us in Rhode Island at the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson and Wales University for a celebration of food and African American culture. The event is free and open to the public.
Lecture by Chef Wheeler del Torro at the Culinary Arts Museum:
“Slavery to Freedom at the Kitchen Table:
a Historical Look at Soul Food from 1830-1975”
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — January 2013 —The Culinary Arts Museum is pleased to announce that Chef Wheeler del Torro will be on campus to deliver a lecture which encompasses a historical and anthropological look into the study of Soul Food.
Wheeler del Torro began his investigation study of food while growing up in Jamaica. Whipping up hot chocolate “tea” and other Jamaican specialties with his father, he observed the associations between food, relationships, and imparting cultural heritage. “I have always been fascinated with the concept of food as a vehicle to prompt connections between people and to communicate history, values, and relationships,” says Wheeler.
Since leaving Jamaica, del Torro has lived in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, London, Paris, and many places in between. His passion for cooking and lifetime of experiences around the world inspired him to host dinner parties, create an innovative gourmet non-dairy ice cream line, open a café and dessert bar, and write his first book The Vegan Scoop, currently available in bookstores world-wide.
In addition to running his businesses, Wheeler del Torro is sought after for motivational and informative lectures, as well as consulting businesses and authors. During his appearances, del Torro shares his inspiring story, unique perspective, wealth of experience, and insight into building innovative green businesses. Del Torro particularly enjoys bringing his message to students and entrepreneurs, encouraging them to create their own paths to success in the ever-changing business world.
This lecture is free and open to the Johnson & Wales community and the public. Due to limited seating, it is a first-come, first-served event. The lecture will be held in the museum theater on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 and will begin at 6:00 pm. Please call the museum at 401-598-2805 with any questions. For more information about Chef Wheeler del Torro, please visit his website, www.wheelerdeltorro.com.
Location & Directions
The Culinary Arts Museum is located at 315 Harborside Boulevard on the Providence and Cranston city line, in Rhode Island. From I-95, take Exit 18 and follow the sign to Allens Avenue. At the traffic light, turn right onto Allens Avenue and go straight for one mile. The street name will change to Narragansett Boulevard; continue straight. Turn left after the Shell gas station at the traffic light onto Harborside Boulevard. The Museum is located in the first building on the left. Parking is available in front of museum.
Johnson & Wales University (JWU), founded in 1914, is a nonprofit, private, accredited institution with campuses in Providence, R.I.; North Miami, Fla.; Denver, Colo.; and Charlotte, N.C. An innovative educational leader, JWU offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs that inspire professional success and lifelong personal and intellectual growth by integrating arts & sciences and experiential education with leadership and personal development opportunities. For more information, visit www.jwu.edu.