The Kids are Alright

Roast Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Spiced Couscous and Yogurt by Sanura Weathers of "My Life Runs On Food."

Among my circles of friends, I straddle two styles of communication between older and younger adults. The difference in their communication approach is their perception of social media. My older friends avoid it, but they use it for networking purposes to benefit their careers. My younger friends over expose their personal lives on social media. And, when both groups discuss social issues, the divergence of opinions are apparent, but they all agree the Civil Rights Movement is evolving.

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Parade Magazine’s Community Table: Celebrate Kwanzaa with Senegalese Chicken Thighs with Red Palm and Coconut Rice by Pierre Thiam

Chicken Thighs with Red Palm and Coconut Rice from "Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bow"l by Pierre Thiam with Jennifer Sit
Chicken Thighs with Red Palm and Coconut Rice from “Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl” by Pierre Thiam with Jennifer Sit. Photo Credit: © Evan Sung.

I first learned of Kwanzaa after graduating from college, when a Nigerian-American friend invited me over to her family’s dinner to celebrate the occasion. Years later, I would celebrate Kwanzaa in my home and use it as an opportunity to explore cuisines from the African diaspora: Caribbean, South American and Southeast Asian while contemplating on one of the daily principles. This year, our Kwanzaa could be influenced by Senegal because of the beauty of Pierre Thiam’s cookbook, From Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl.

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Parade Magazine’s Community Table: A Globally-Inspired Southern Rice Pilaf and an Interview with Nicole Taylor of The Up South Cookbook

Nicole Taylor's The Southern Rice Pilaf from her "The Up South Cookbook"(Photo by ©Noah Fecks)
Nicole Taylor’s The Southern Rice Pilaf from her “The Up South Cookbook”(Photo by ©Noah Fecks)

Nicole Taylor’s The Up South Cookbook is a direct challenge to rethink the definition of Southern cuisine. As a proud southern belle in New York City, Taylor’s expanding knowledge of cultural food influences her to adapt traditional recipes. She also shares classic recipes seldom recognized outside their region, such as the Southern Rice Pilaf (see recipe below). Her recipes are globally diverse, but they’re undoubtedly Southern. In the following interview, Taylor discusses New Yorkers’ perception about Southern food and global influences.

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Parade Magazine’s Community Table: A German Chocolate Cake Soulfully Revised for the Modern Cook by GrandBaby Cakes

Jocelyn Delk Adams German Chocolate Cake
Photo © Jocelyn Delk Adams

In the back of my mind, Jocelyn Delk Adams, author and founder of GrandBaby Cakes blog, is family. I’ve never personally talked with or met her, but we’ve communicated via email or social media on several occasions. Her messages are as sweet as her blog, which is full of comfort, down home, Southern desserts with a few savory dishes between the cake recipes.

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