Creole Feast + Crêpes II
Welcome to the second book in the Culinary Cookbook Celebration of Black History! Today I’m sharing with you my next pick which is Creole Feast by Chef Nathaniel Burton and New Orleans civil rights activist Dr. Rudy Lombard. On the cover it’s described as “15 Master Chefs of New Orleans Reveal Their Secrets” and I must say this book is beyond phenomenal! As we all know, New Orleans is a place like no other in the United States and the world, especially when it comes to its Black impact on food and history.
The 15 chefs featured in this book have cooked in, lead, and as well as owned world-renowned restaurants that shaped the past, present, and future of Black culinarians. Also, those who had the privilege of owning their restaurants were a critical force in the civil rights movement. An example is featured chef Leah Chase, who was the co-owner of the uber-famous Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. In order to create systemic changes in society, you need to eat and have a safe space to create the blueprint. Dooky Chase was that space! Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, and many more congregated discreetly in this historic restaurant to plan and execute historic movements like the Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides that we all benefit from today.
Creole Feast is more than a classic cookbook. It is an accurate lens and record of Creole cooking, which was majorly impacted by the Black hand in the pot. I feel so blessed to have found this book and it felt like divine intervention when I did. Let me tell you how it happened…
A few years ago when I was living in Durham, North Carolina, I kept passing by this little house far off from the main road and it had a sign that said “Patterson’s Mill Country Store.” I finally decided to stop by one day and as soon as I stepped inside, it became an instant adventure! I was taken aback because this little place was much, much bigger than what it seemed from the outside. I took a deep breath, smiled big, and proceeded to explore! I saw old candies, jams and jellies, old school sodas and the list goes on! As I was perusing the antique dishes, I noticed a section of vintage cookbooks and I lit up with delight! The first book that caught my eye was In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs and I was thrilled. I tucked it under my arm and I kept perusing. Shortly after that, I came across this beautiful merlot-colored book cover with a distinguished Black chef on the cover. He resembled an elder who could be in my family or a family friend. I stared at this book for a moment and my spirit said “Shari, put down Julia and pick up this book.” I’m so glad I listened!
I honestly did not know what I had in my hands until years later. We moved to Japan and one night we were watching a documentary called The Writer in America: Toni Morrison. There was a part where you see Toni walk into a building and there’s a New Orleans Jazz band playing along with a chef cooking for an audience. The narrator stated that during her time of doing promotional appearances for her new book Song of Solomon, Toni made extra time to go to New Orleans so she could edit Creole Feast! Y’all… I couldn’t believe it! I instantly flew down the stairs so I could find this book and confirm if I really had the same one. Lo and behold, it was true because of this excerpt below from the acknowledgments page…
“In New Orleans, it is customary to end a gourmet experience on a sweet note, so we do that here by recognizing the invaluable assistance rendered by our “no-nonsense” editor Toni Morrison. More than anything, this book is a reflection of her energy, patience, and commitment.”
-N.B. - R.L.
Next, I looked at the Copyright Page and another exciting detail was revealed. I have the first edition from 1978! This was a monumental moment and I’ll never forget it. I feel so honored to have this gem in my possession. Yay! Below is the documentary video and it starts right at the Creole Feast part!
Creole Feast is broken down into two main parts. The first part is a biography of each chef that goes into detail about how they started their careers, places they’ve worked as well as their favorite dishes and techniques. The second part is a compendium of their recipes. What’s interesting about this section is that below the title of each recipe is the name of the chef who cooked it. Also, 1 recipe can have 2-3 different versions by different chefs. An example is Stuffed Flounder I by Nathaniel Burton (one of his most famous dishes) and Stuffed Flounder II by Raymond Thomas, Sr. This gives you the opportunity to try a dish in multiple ways by truly vetted masters in the kitchen. This is fun for cooks who enjoy experimenting with wide ranges of flavors and techniques to make the same dish in a different way.
One of the most important parts of this book is the Introduction. It truly breaks down the historical influence and unfortunate erasure of the Black experience in New Orleans, especially in the culinary arena. When it comes to the professional side of Black cookery in the past, many Black chefs were masters of their restaurant kitchens but they did not get the recognition they deserved on the grand stage of culinary arts. Early on, when we were captured and brought to this new land, we were not allowed to read and write. Now think about who had the ability to document the recipes, processes, events, and stories of the restaurant kitchens? Most times, the contributions of Black chefs were left out of the cookbooks and historical records, as well as the credit for their work, was stolen. In the times where they weren’t left out, they were described as second class and inferior in the kitchens that were run by them. And don’t forget the made-up stereotypes with regard to the abilities of Black people in general. An example on the second page of the Introduction outlines this fact perfectly…
“Yet the role of the Black chef remains grossly underrated, and quite often references to it are patronizing. It is not uncommon to find Black chefs referred to by first name only, and it is frequently implied that they lack originality and come upon the creation of an original dish by accident rather than by inventiveness.”
It is stated that necessity is the mother of invention. Because of this, trusting your own intuition, learning from experienced culinary masters, and having inherent top-notch skills were vital in cooking and creating genius dishes without the knowledge of reading and writing. Measurements and more were executed instinctively through the five senses to create perfect dishes. Examples are knowing the distinct smell of perfectly baked bread, the ability to see if those beignets have browned just enough to take them out of the pot, the tasting of balanced flavors or knowing when something is a bit off, being able to hear the correct crackling sound of oil when you’re frying catfish, and lastly, being able to touch and feel if those green peppers, onions, and celery you bought are firm and ready for chopping into the creole holy trinity. When you’re able to season food to perfection by just feeling it with your fingertips and tasting as you go until it feels right, thank your ancestors. They were masters in their kitchens and are living through you!
Creole Feast is a cookbook I’ll always cherish and it’s been so fun sharing it with you! I made a mean gumbo from this book and I recently made Nathaniel Burton’s Crêpes II, which are the best crêpes I’ve ever had!
So...I’m going to take these crêpes and make something new that will knock your socks off! I sincerely hope you enjoyed the second book in the Culinary Cookbook Celebration of Black History series. I look forward to your thoughts here in the comments below, email, and on social media. With that, take care of yourselves, love each other and I’ll see you very soon with a tasty recipe featuring Creole Feast Crêpes II by Nathaniel Burton!
-Shari :)
