Want more scoop on the almost UNBELIEVABLE but true story (stories!) behind how Icecream even happened in America?! … how the majority of Americans might not have ever known this now ubiquitous (once ‘exotic’) ice-cold, creamy sweet treat the way we do today had it not been for the ingenuity of enslaved African-originated people across the centuries from both here and abroad?.…

Join my Patreon community to get the whole scoop! Take advantage of the myriad ways to get the full story, interact with me directly, ask your burning (or ice cold !) q’s about your fave food (& drink) history & culture subjects. Expand your mind AND your heart as you gain a better understanding, foster greater appreciation and gratitude for your own and “other” cultures that brought and continue to bring so much to this vast American table. ‘Not knowing’ (as many ‘powers that be’ prefer) only contributes to the widening divide among us. Choose inclusive intel over ignorance, and be an ambassador for what you believe in…I look forward to continuing the convo with you there!

The Patreon hyperlink is above and here it is again, out in the open , for anybody who’s old-school (no judgement!) : https://www.patreon.com/thefoodgriot/membership

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There are FIVE (5!) fun and important things we’re celebrating today so let’s get started:

1. Hot Dog Day falls on the 3rd Wed in July each year….

No more pity parties when we gluten-challenged folks get famished on the fly — and wanna partake in classic NYC food traditions too…Frankie’s has a g-free bun! 🙌🏾🙌🏾…

Check out and enjoy this mini vid I made for National Hot Dog Day once upon a time and have a Happy one !

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2. FOR CORN FRITTERS DAY TODAY: (visually) enjoy these corn & okra fritters i fried up inspired by a recipe in “The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks”, co-authored by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock.

3. And For FRESH SPINACH Day !…

4. HOORAY for “CHERRY DAY”!

July 16th, 2025, is ALSO National Cherry Day - yes an annual celebration dedicated to this versatile antioxidant small seed fruit… The food historian in me can’t help but wonder why certain foods get chosen for fun optimistic sayings like “life is a bowl of cherries!” and “pretty please— with a cherry on top?!”…. But i digress,..
Cosmically Cherry (with the “ch” pronounced like “sh”) is the childhood nickame of my amazing sister Aunt Cheryl Hopkins aka “Cha Hockey” (yes the Ch is like a Sh here too ;) … who left this world way too soon. I celebrate her TODAY and EVERY DAY!….

Last summer I learned that Cheryl shared/still shares a birth day with the amazing Ida B. Wells! Almost to the exact year a century apart! … I was not at all surprised to learn this fascinating fact and here's why:

Not unlike our collective and iconic elder Ida, Cheryl was a natural born activist and advocate for equality, equity, civill rights and justice. She was and continues to be a beacon for me having shed so much light and having shared so many books and resources on the truth of American History, essential African American history and intel, the wisdom of the ancient Africanic culture(s) from which we originate... I am forever grateful for her profound influence on me as a human being and on the nature of the very work i do…

On this special day, July 16th, I am comforted by the belief and evidence of sorts that her positive energy lives on in alignment with our ever-present Ancestors, with their timeless boundless leadership…

“Juneteenth is a time to gather as a family, reflect on the past and look to the future. Discover ways to celebrate this African American culturalv tradition of music, food and freedom.” ~ NMAAHC

It’s Juneteenth time! aka “Black Independence Day” that recognizes & celebrates the day (on June 19th 1865) that the last (very large) group of an estimated 1/4 million enslaved Americans were finally and officially freed from chattel slavery after the Union Army marched into the port city of Galveston, Texas — the last of the Confederate states to surrender in their defeat to the Union Army … [THIS POST to CONTINUE HERE ] —

(Naturally-Colored!) RED Foods & Drink Rules! ….
Learn all about the historical and cultural significance of serving red-colored food and drink for Juneteenth in my upcoming SPILL TEA PARTY LIVE! complete with a drink demo or two…

As for the source of said red coloring and such, to each his own but I personally don’t cook or concoct with (nor do I condone the use of) artificial or synthetic flavors or colors in dishes or drinks — RED DYE #3 is a known carcinogen that still shows up in thousands of American food products --including some people’s personal recipes this time of year. Not in any of my recipes! I’m happy to share suggestions and tips to arrive at vibrant red hued food & drink in myriad ways — join me on my first SPILL TEA PARTY for starters…
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June 19th is also National Martini Day !🍸…

That’s all I have to say on this for now — but feel free to join my ‘The Food Griot Drinks!’ channel on IG as one of the ways to get more of liquid based TFG intel…

But MORE IMPORTANTLY Become a TFG Patreon Supporter for more! food (and drink!) history & culture CONTENT, interviews, digital documents, food & drink demos, menus, recipes , pics, videos, and more!… Thank you in advance for helping support my work

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I’ve mentioned before that I had a Japanese step grandmother who was often my babysitter and the food she made was so satisfyingly delicious*… People have often asked me if she ever made sushi. Nope. Not for this young Black American child (in the late 70’s) at least. As much as i love sushi today, i can only imagine that i (and the rest of my family) would have thought she’d lost her mind had she served me or any of us some uncooked fish —even if neatly wrapped in rice and seaweed. Honestly , as a person who studies food fads and trends across historic timelines, i am fascinated by the fact that sushi became as ubiquitous as it is…

Fast forward to present day:

Good sushi really does pair well with good sake so good thing Good Wine always has a well-curated selection of sakes that are great for pairing with nearly any of the many sushi spots dotted all throughout Park Slope (on fab 5th Ave especially) …

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For June 17th — EAT Your Veggies Day!

Theme: Returning to the Table + Food Justice Today (= PART 2 of yesterday’s post)

Since June is Fresh Fruit & Veg MONTH, we’re keeping our fridges, pantries, plates — and food stories as full with nature’s bounty as possible! Yesterday we celebrated Fresh Veggies DAY by honoring the deep cultural roots and ancestral foodways that center vegetables from the myriad food cultures of my heritage: Black American culinary traditions.

Well TODAY, June 17th is EAT Your Veggies Day — where I’ll shift the focus from theory and recognition to ACTION. Today’s not just about appreciating fresh vegetables — it’s also about … nourishing ourselves with the same ingredients our ancestors used to thrive. For centuries — until the late 20th century — Black elders were among the most prominent faces of American … [READ FULL POST ON my PATREON Platform. Join at any level, even for FREE ]…

[…👆🏾CONTINUE READING my PATREON Platform about a remarkable reality to let marinate in our minds — especially when we consider the opposite realities our ancestors endured… ] where I’ve also included a special bonus link to my convo with the brilliant Charla Draper, founder/creator of SOUL FOOD MONTH herself!

Today’s topic is Part Two of a two-day series (check out yesterday’s Fresh Veggies Day post) and today’s is all about action in addition to appreciation.

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For Fresh Veggies Day: Honoring Ancestral Foodways via Plant-Based Traditions (= PART ONE of TWO)

….Rooted Many Moons Ago

June is Fresh Fruit & Veg Month — and June 16th brings us Fresh Veggies Day, a great moment to reflect on just how deeply rooted fresh vegetable consumption is in Black American and Diasporic food traditions….

Before it was trendy, it was tradition!

Black Americans — especially prior to and during the Great Migration (1910 to 1970)— primarily followed what we now call “plant-based,” “seasonal,” or “farm-to-table” diets. Meals were built around fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains — which were also canned, pickled and preserved for consumption during long winter months. Not because it was fashionable, but because it was what was available, affordable, a way to not be wasteful — and passed down for generations

As the late comedian and food activist Dick Gregory once said, “We didn’t call it a vegetarian or plant-based diet — that’s just the FOOD we ate growing up.” Similarly, chef and culinary icon Leah Chase reminded us, “We grew and prepared what we ate. If it didn’t grow, we didn’t eat it.”

Those weren’t soundbites — they were truths. Long before mainstream America knew the value and benefits of farm-to-table seasonality, many Black communities nationwide already knew and embraced the power of plants, sustainability, and seasonal eating. I’d like to think that today’s growing awareness around food justice, wellness, and reconnecting with the land is, in many ways, a return to that wisdom.

🌿 Let’s Celebrate Fresh Veggies Day today and as many days as we can this season by honoring those roots — and the people who cultivated them. Whether you’re harvesting from your own garden or buying local greens, you’re participating in a legacy worth preserving.

Also check out EAT YOUR VEGGIES DAY which is tomorrow (June 17th) & serves as PART 2 of today’s post

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Do you love lobster? Well here’s a little uniquely American history on this (now) fancy crustacean :

Lobsters were so plentiful that Native Americans used them as fertilizer and bait for fishing in addition to a source of protein: they baked them covered with seaweed over hot rocks — arguably the origin the “New England Clambake” tradition ... Lobster were so plentiful, and LARGE and inexpensive in early America they were primary food sources for “lower level” people like: prisoners, apprentices and enslaved people of African heritage who were the most influential group that changed the trajectory of lobster’s role in American foodways which helped establish it on the highest tier of fine dining in along the eastern seaboard (esp. Boston and NYC)…

…By the 1880s lobster became so popular among the elite class and prices started to rise…

while I may not have many pics of actual lobsters in my phone (and therefore in the curated carousel line up above), notice that i do have pics of places where I one day can perhaps go GET some lobsta when the budget permits… Since time-traveling back to when lobster was in abudance and INEXPENSIVE ain’t a viable option 😆 ..

And this year Lobster Day falls on the same day as FATHER’s DAY! So hopefully all the lobster lovin pops out there are being treated to a lobsta special somewhere…

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just a crisp bit of history for now:
…Genetically related to watermelons 🍉, cucumbers 🥒 ( gherkins, etc. ) originate from all over Africa…

And Black Americans (women in particular) were not only known for but lauded and praised for their pickling prowess for centuries …

Hey Hey — it's Rosé Day TODAY too! Like humans, with our diverse range of hues, rosé represents some of the most beautiful expressions of that wonderfully divine elixir called WINE…

Become a TFG Patreon Supporter for more [pics, videos, food stories, food history, menus and more]…

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Tis that time of year when corn on the cob is the preferred way of eating the grains from one of the most important crops in human history — cultivated by Ancient Indigenous peoples in the Americas)…

I did a whole talk —summer before last in fact — on the critical role(s) corn has played for humanity and the global economy…👉🏽

[And will make available to any interested Patreon supporters key intel from that talk] …

Sidenote: I saw somewhere it’s also National German Chocolate Cake Day …🤷🏽‍♀️

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June is actually Iced Tea Month…

iced tea is/was one of the main beverages of hospitality made (traditionally freshly brewed) and oft served as “sweat tea” in Black American households at holiday meals, Sunday suppers, other special occasions — or made for and offered to visiting guests from the late 19th century throughout the 20th. Today iced tea is primarily ordered and consumed at dining establishments ( from fast food to fine dining) and/or purchased in single serve plastic or glass bottles from store shelves or the refrigerated sections of grocery and convenience stores. See also “National Iced Tea Day (June 10th)” ~TH/TFG

[Below are a few pics from that time i created a line of hospitality-rooted cocktails for an MLK Day event produced by a group called ‘Background’. The iced tea one I called the “Not-Too-Sweet Tea for Feelin' Free”]:

You may notice some herbs and spices (e.g., ginger, rosemary in my old fashioned iced tea pitcher in that first pic ) which is perfect because today’s also National Herbs & Spices Day —very appropriately timed during Soul Food Month— since properly seasoning food ( and drink )with fresh and dried herbs and spices is a big part of traditional Soul Food, Southern and African-American foodways…

I was pleasantly surprised to see I have quite the collection of herb pics in my phone from both the NY and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens especially, Enjoy:

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Happy Heavenly Birthday Prince! Raising “a” glass (or 10!) to you ….

🎶 Pur-ple wine, pur-urple wi-i-i-ne 🎶... Well it was Saturday night, I guess that made it aaalllriiight ... Cheers! to that time me & some fab friends celebrated the life & legacy of Prince with Purple Wine I'd ‘made’ (super naturally of course) using flower extracts from Wild Hibiscus Flower Company for a #PurpleRain watchparty Kim & Chris threw complete with toasts to the PurpleOne, tthe BeautifulOne…. …

The other line up of drinks you see in this mini vid include other all natural purplepotions (commissioned or not) I’ve come up with over the years like the custom cocktail I created for Harlem Hops' Grand Opening back in 2018 which happened to fall on Prince's birthday; .... A complex custom-mocktail I designed for one of Chef Chris Scott’s delicious dinners at the James Beard Foundation ;… And there was that genuine Gin-uary drink I concocted using Du Nord Social Spirits that cosmically came out the same exact color as their purple label!… THIS year I focused on and factored in the amazing Eléctrico Mezcal for Friday night’s gardenparty batchcocktail to great result & reception …. [message me for ways to get the recipe!]...

Lastly but never leastly woven into this short celebratory slideshow are purpley violet-hued drinkable beauties I’ve had at Dirty Precious, my fave local craft cocktail bar Cheers!
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June 7th is also:

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day and National Donut Day (Jelly-Filled to be precise) …

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TODAY We’re Toasting to a VERY SPECIAL Person’s Birthday, Talkin ‘ bout American Moonshine, AND Exploring a Bit of Gingerbread History of All Things…🍹🥳🍰

🎉 June 5th Is a Triple Celebration Day Today — HOORAY! 🎂🥃🍪

🥳 First up, it’s my beautiful baby sister’s BIRTHDAY — she's brilliant, bold, and radiates beauty both inside and out. Please help me wish Kenya! 💖 the happiest of birthdays today as I intend to continue to celebrate her (and WITH her!) through the end of this month. Stay tuned for more snapshots of celebration and — no surprise — lots of toasts!

Til then see more below on how today’s topics, including Kenya’s crucial role in one of my biggest food media projects that took place in the not too distant past , where we collaborated from beginning to end to create content for an unprecedented online miniseries for the Food Network …

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Speaking of spirited activity and such— It’s National Moonshine Day! 🥃✨
Ahhh yes — a spirited topic I look forward to going into deeper than time usually allows. This high-proof, low-fuss, homegrown elixir holds a complicated place in American drink history. From backwoods stills and juke joints to bootleg legends, moonshine evokes both rebellion along with economic empowerment plus deep cultural resilience — especially when examined through a Black vs. a (default) White lens.
I’ve got insights and analysis not often talked about and frankly not really known to many. Yes, I’ll share some in due time, but you’ll have to stay tuned… including until i FINALLY see Sinners  on the big screen 🎦—not only so i can connect some dots to this current pop culture phenom but b/c I’m told there are many moonshine-related moments packed into this motion pic that carry much historical and cultural weight. Perhaps that report-back, blended with the deep wells of analysis I’ve been amassing on the topic will uncork the jug. Likely on my Patreon Platform, where the deeper pours happen. Just sayin… 😉

….And finally… for some reason it’s also National Gingerbread Day?! In June. 🤷🏽‍♀️ … But cosmically, as you can see it does fall on my sister Kenya’s birthday — who just so happened to be the showrunner, producer, AND first guest of the very first episode of the Food Network series I hosted, The Kwanzaa Menu — where in fact ginger, a main ingredient in GINGER BREAD lol, was one of several spicy topics woven into a sweet and satisfying (yet very short!) segment.

Yup, in just 90 seconds, we packed in a lot — including a mini-lesson on reclaiming the power and purpose of once-colonized spices. We’re still exploring ways to honor the cultures that birthed them and to restore their stories to our tables….

🎁Check out the Patreon version of this post for deeper peek into the pathways that shaped global flavor — with a spotlight on ginger’s ancient journey through African, Asian, and Arab spice routes to medieval Europe, and eventually to the New World, into colonial-era kitchens and dining tables via African-descended cooks and cultivators throughout the Americas. 🍽️✨

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