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Cuisine Noir
Tips for Planning the Ultimate Foodie Road Trip
If food is your love language, make your next long weekend a trip where you drive to a relaxing destination and aim to find the next best meal. Think “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” but you are the host, and your Instagram followers are your audience. If you and your friends enjoy the small town food scene, imagine eating your way through Newberg, Oregon, one of USA Today’s 10 best small town food scenes. To top it off, this beautiful town in the Willamette Valley is the gateway to wine country. Stop drooling and grab your driving partner. With these helpful tips...
Janelle Hopkin Leads Spice Island Beach Resort Grenada’s Luxury Legacy
A devotion to first-class hospitality guides Spice Island Beach Resort Grenada through life’s storms. Most recently, the island’s AAA Five Diamond destination made it through the fury of Hurricane Beryl largely unscathed. Janelle Hopkin grew up weathering the ups and downs of the hospitality business at her family’s luxury property on Grand Anse Beach. “I am a third-generation hotelier. My dad actually grew up in a 10-bedroom hotel, so it’s running through my blood,” says the president and managing director of Spice Island Beach Resort Grenada. Hopkin spent her summers and school holidays working at the 9-acre property her father...
6 Wedding Reception Etiquette Tips for Guests
The wedding reception traditionally follows the wedding ceremony. The reception is where the bride and groom are afforded the opportunity to interact with guests and show appreciation by providing a meal and entertainment. With the rising cost of hosting a formal post-wedding event, many couples are being compelled to streamline their guest list to minimize expenses. Consider it an honor to be an invited guest at a wedding. As honored guests, it is important to adhere to these wedding reception etiquette tips. Wedding Reception Etiquette Tips First, send your R.S.V.P. in a timely manner. How embarrassing to receive a call from the couple...
Soul Food Restaurants in Paris Celebrate the Flavors of the American South
France is renowned for its delectable cuisine, but the African American influence has made people search for soul food restaurants in Paris more than ever before. The first time Robin Bates, founder and CEO of Café de la Soul and founder and executive director of Maison Noire Américaine, saw Paris was during a study abroad program in 1989. The experience impacted her tremendously and shaped the foundation of her illustrious career for over three decades. “For the past 35 years, I’ve been in a never-ending love affair with African American history as it pertains to France. I’ve made it my mission...
4 Reasons Why You Should Make Eating Breakfast a Priority
Eating breakfast boosts energy, improves focus and concentration, controls weight, and provides important nutrients to start your day right. For many of us, breakfast is the least of our concerns in the morning. We wake up, rush to get ready, and run out the door with our coffee. This often leads to us skipping the most important meal of the day. However, starting the day with a healthy breakfast is essential to maintaining a balanced diet and setting a productive tone for the day. Here are the benefits of eating breakfast and why this meal should become a priority part of...
The Creole Food Festival Unifies Through Culture and Taste
Six years ago in New York City, Fabrice Armand and his partner, Elkhair Balla, launched the Creole Food Festival to spotlight diverse Creole food fusions. “We focus exclusively on restaurants, chefs, spirits and cocktails,” Armand says. “You won’t find art or paintings for sale. Our festival celebrates chefs of color, providing a platform for them to showcase their creativity and talent, putting culinary artistry at the forefront.” The annual Creole Food Festival has since expanded to Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans and Washington, D.C., becoming a resounding success. What is Creole Food For many Americans, Creole food is synonymous with New Orleans and Haitian...
Taste Your Origins Through N/UM Artisanal African Salts
A sprinkle of salt can unlock a world of flavor, and N/UM artisanal African salts’ co-founders, Kudzai Bingepinge and Awa Kone are using this culinary essential to spark conversations about African cuisine and challenge preconceptions. United by their shared passion for food, Bingepinge and Kone, former colleagues in the financial industry who met in Zurich, Switzerland, forged a new path together. The Birth of N/UM Artisanal African Salts Over the years, Kone became Bingepinge’s enthusiastic collaborator, lending her taste buds to his innovative culinary creations. Fueled by their love of food and a desire to celebrate their heritage, they embarked on a...
Nondumiso Pikashe Introduces Ses’fikile Wines to South African Wine World
In a sense, this story speaks to that contentious old chestnut, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” Not to knock the special teachers who inspire lives in this most worthy of professions. But read on. Perhaps you will see why the oft-quoted line — from George Bernard Shaw’s 1903 play, Man and Superman — came to mind when I spoke with gutsy South African wine woman Nondumiso Pikashe. Pikashe is a former high school teacher. A veteran of 13 years in the classroom. That was before she stepped out of her comfort zone and into the world of wine....
Comfort and Healthy Fast Food in Miami Come Together at Soulfly Chicken
How does one bring a traditional food style and its tastes known for generations into a present-day urban neighborhood attuned to change and healthier choices? Well-seasoned and perceptive chef Troy Tingling took on that challenge over the past year and found an audience and home for his culinary inspiration Soulfly Chicken, a fast-casual concept in Miami’s district of Wynwood. A Global Journey Leads to Soulfly Chicken The journey that brought Tingling to his current location for healthy fast food in Miami is also an unusual one. He is a first-generation Jamaican American who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu. He then took...
Selassie Atadika and Midunu Put African Food Culture on the Map
Selassie Atakika is doing her part to preserve Africa’s culinary heritage. Bringing indigenous ingredients to the forefront and experimenting with flavor profiles have been the backbone of chef Selassie Atadika’s success. The Ghanaian chef has been offering African cuisine to global audiences since 2014 via nomadic dining experiences at her restaurant Midunu in Accra. Born in Ghana, Atadika was raised and went to school in America. Her family still resides in the U.S. while she has moved back. After finishing graduate school, she worked for the United Nations before completing coursework at the Culinary Institute of America. “I know the flavors of...
The Essence of How to Cook Southern Style
Admit it, we all have an idea of what Southern cuisine is. Visions of traditional soul food favorites like collard greens, creamy mac and cheese, cast iron cornbread, crispy fried chicken, and blackened catfish never fail to whet our appetites. But the heart of how to cook Southern style is really less about specific recipes and more about the individuals whose hands stir the pots. “Southern-style cooking, at its essence, reflects the masterful hand of the Black cook who creates flavorful, time-honored cuisine that is instinctive, resilient and celebratory,” observes Tarsha M. Gary, the executive chef/owner of CRAVE Gourmet Catering based...
Hernâni Miguel Creates Space for Culture and Food at Tabernáculo
On any given night, Bossa nova bands, copious amounts of wine, African food that spans the diaspora, and a rotating guest list that includes all of Lisbon draw crowds to the wine bar Tabernáculo by Hernâni Miguel. Miguel is a cultural steward of sorts and his career details his personal philosophy to bridge the African diaspora through art, culture, food and music. For most people, Europe is a major travel destination, but for now, the global pandemic has halted most of our travel. Portugal has emerged as one of those destinations that have increasingly landed on many people’s radar. In central...
Craving Good Vibes’ Shani Brown Merges Food and Fashion
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade – or, if you’re Shani Brown, create a fashion line that celebrates the zest for life. That’s exactly what the Chicago-based designer did when she launched Craving Good Vibes, a clothing brand that draws inspiration from the world of food and delivers a fresh perspective on what it means to express yourself through what you wear. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in the Windy City, Brown’s journey to fashion entrepreneurship has been as diverse as her designs. Her passion for style, coupled with her love for culinary adventures and travel, culminated in...
Sonoma’s Tasting Diversity Initiative Honors Patriarch of Wine Mac McDonald
With over 25 years in the wine industry and mentor and advisor to so many following in his footsteps, Edward Lee “ Mac” McDonald was so deservingly honored last month for his pioneering spirit and contributions to making wine. Born and raised in Texas, McDonald has long been the catalyst in Sonoma County wine country, encouraging African Americans to claim leadership roles in the wine industry. In 2002, he co-founded the Association of African American Vintners with Black winemakers Vance Sharp and Ernie Bates in 2002, which now has over 200 members. McDonald is now the subject of a Visual Oral...
15 Ways to Experience the French Caribbean Culture of Guadeloupe
Time after time, whenever we survey Cuisine Noir readers about their travels and what the deciding factors are when it comes to selecting a destination, culture and history always top the list. Personally speaking, this is true for myself, especially as I continue looking at my own roots and learning about those who came before me as part of my family tree. Travel to Africa and other countries of the African diaspora continues to be on the rise. As Black travelers, we not only want to travel to countries that make us feel safe and welcomed but those that speak to...
Where to Experience Black Culture in Paris
Paris, the undisputed capital of art, cuisine, and romance, cradles an emerging gem: a thriving Black cultural scene brimming with creativity, history and resilience. Often overshadowed by the city’s traditional offerings, Black Paris boasts a rich narrative waiting to be explored. Whether you’re a cultural connoisseur or a travel novice, this article delves into where to experience Black culture in Paris, intricately woven into the very fabric of the City of Lights. Where to Experience Black Culture in Paris From those escaping oppression to the diverse African diaspora that continues to shape the city’s character, the historical presence of Black communities has...
3 Recipes for Busy Moms in 30 Minutes or Less
Nurse, coach, therapist, transportation driver, referee and cook. As mothers, we do it all and quick dinners help ease the rush of the week. I asked the winner of “The Great Soul Food Cook-Off,” private chef, caterer and owner of Fuller Food LLC, chef Razia Sabour, what are some practical recipes for busy moms on a school night and she provided us with a few of her favorites that get the job done with time to spare. Sabour explains, “The recipes I share are practical for busy parents because they are kid-friendly and picky eater staples made simple by reducing...
Homebrew Master: Tips for Successful Homebrewing
If you want to start brewing and become better than ever before, then you need to listen to these tips for becoming successful at homebrewing. Homebrewing is a lot of fun and a great way to pass the time and get something out at the end. However, it takes a lot of time and knowledge to get good at it and make some really good brews. But you can always try to learn more tips about successful homebrewing to get a leg up on the hobby. Work in a Clean Space As it is with all food and drink creation, sanitation and...
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James Beard Award-winning culinary lifestyle media outlet connecting the African diaspora through food, drink and travel. Telling our stories since 2009.
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