Sustaining a southern heritage

This transplanted Texan explores her cultural and culinary roots as she embraces her close family ties during the holidays.

When Monique Wells followed her dream of living in Paris, France, the last thing the Houston native thought she'd miss was home, let alone the food of her childhood. However, after having "wallowed in the wealth of French cuisine for several months," Monique had a revealing experience.

Ten years later, she clearly remembers that defining day. "I woke up one morning and realized that I didn't want a croissant for breakfast. What I wanted was grits. In that moment my mind was flooded with memories of food from home, such as fresh biscuits and cane syrup," she says.

Monique decided to turn her longing for home into an opportunity to connect with others. She was one of the first members of a group of African American women in France called SISTERS. Started as a vehicle to discuss life in Paris from shared perspectives, the meetings inevitably turned to reminiscences of food. Monique began to work on a book of recipes for the group, which evolved into a cookbook that pays tribute to her Texas and Creole Louisiana roots. In 2000, she published Food for the Soul, a collection of Southern, largely soul food, recipes.

Monique realizes that our Southernness is always connected to the foods we ate as a child-good or bad. "Fortunately, mine are great memories," she says with a smile. "Food and family are the essence of life. As long as one takes meals with one's family, the two are irrevocably intertwined." SCOTT JONES

CHOCOLATE QUAD

MAKES 12 TO 15 SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN.; BAKE: 15 MIN.;

CUT butter into flour with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans. Press mixture onto bottom of a 13- x 9-inch pan.

BAKE at 350 deg for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 cup whipped topping at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread mixture over prepared crust.

WHISK together pudding mix and milk 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Chill 10 minutes. Spread remaining whipped topping over pudding mixture. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Cut into squares.

HOPPIN' JOHN

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN.; STAND: 1 HR.;

BRING dried black-eyed peas and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven; remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain.

REMOVE skin from ham hocks. Chop meat from ham hocks, reserving bones.

SAUTE meat in hot bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until slightly browned.

COMBINE peas, meat, bones, 4 cups water, and next 8 ingredients in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, 1 to 11/2 hours or until peas are tender. Remove and discard bones. Serve over rice.

FRIED CABBAGE

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

COOK bacon in a large skillet 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.

ADD cabbage to hot drippings in skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute cabbage over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with bacon.

DOWN-HOME CHICKEN AND ONIONS

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

SPRINKLE chicken evenly with salt, pepper, and, if desired, seasoned salt.

MELT butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken; keep warm.

ADD onions to skillet, and saute 10 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to skillet; stir in 1/2 cup water, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until sauce thickens and chicken is done. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Nov 2002
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