Getting down to Southern roots
Ashley HopkinsonWelcome to The American South!
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This week we revisit Chauvin, Louisiana, an area Chef Melissa Martin described as a "disappearing bayou" in her book on Cajun recipes. In this Q&A, Melissa reflects on change and the meaning of home, after Hurricane Ida hit the area.
In health news, we have a story about promotoras, community workers who help to deliver vital health care information to hard-to-reach areas. There is a renewed interest this year in supporting organizations dedicated to hiring promotoras, as they bridge a gap in healthcare through language, culture and community access.
In a journey through art restoration, Maria Clark tells the story of a boy who was almost erased from an 1837 painting. He now has an identity and is part of an ongoing conversation on what it means to restore images, once erased.
Finally, in the true spirit of the holidays, I'm rushing forward to Thanksgiving planning. We have a delicious selection of stories from Southern Kitchen, including a piece about Chef Rene Johnson who brings Southern soul to dining tables across the country.
Thanks for reading!
Take good care.
Ashley Hopkinson (Editor, The American South and Southern Kitchen)
Prize-winning 'Mosquito Supper Club' cookbook honors a Cajun village in peril
When Martin, who runs the Mosquito Supper Club restaurant in New Orleans, wrote her book, “Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou,” Chauvin was in danger from rising sea levels and the effects of climate change.
She could not have foreseen her hometown would soon be devastated by Hurricane Ida, which struck Louisiana in late August. In October, “Mosquito Supper Club” was named best American cookbook and cookbook of the year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
Martin spoke to The American South about the damage to Chauvin and the future she sees for her hometown.
How 'promotoras' could help bridge health gap in underserved communities in Georgia
The pandemic made it clear that healthcare access is not universally guaranteed and that some communities face greater barriers to care.
In parts of Georgia, organizations serving Hispanic/Latino communities, have deployed community health workers or promotoras, to reduce some of these barriers.
Promotoras, are typically members of the community, who serve as a bridge in providing accurate preventative health information and resources to populations that have limited access to health services due to language barriers or underinsurance.
The boy who was almost erased from an 1837 painting now has an identity and a story
Paintings often tell a story. Some hide secrets beneath layers of paint.
Like the circa 1837 painting that Jeremy K.Simien, an art collector and consultant with a focus on Creole Louisiana, recently acquired.
For much of its history, the painting showed only the figures of three young white children dressed in antebellum clothing. At some point, a fourth figure standing behind the children was entirely painted over. A shadowy imprint of the person remained.
The painting was donated by descendants of the Frey family to the New Orleans Museum of Art in 1972 and kept in storage for more than 30 years.
It was sold in New York at auction in 2005 to an antique dealer and soon after it was restored to reveal the image of a young teenage boy of mixed race standing prominently behind the other children, Simien said.
Chef Rene Johnson's vegan soul food is perfect for the stars, and your Thanksgiving table
Rene Johnson has cooked for Vice President Kamala Harris, actor Danny Glover, author Dr. Cornel West, Governor Gavin Newsom, and multi-platinum-selling musical group, Tony! Toni! Toné! In this story she shares her secrets to making classic soul food vegan.
Since leaving a career in finance to launch Blackberry Soul Fine Catering, Rene has become known among prominent clients for her heart-healthy Southern soul food.
"That's because I kept the soul in it and took the bad fats out," Johnson said. "I think my red beans and rice is a classic example of how you can still eat soul food, keep the flavor and still have it be vegan."