Interview with Bryant Terry, Author of 'Vegan Soul Kitchen'

[Guest guest]

http://www.examiner.com/x-4361-SF-Vegan-Examiner~y2009m4d15-Interview-with-Bryan\

t-Terry-author-of-Vegan-Soul-Kitchen

Bryant Terry's Vegan Soul Kitchen Cookbook Launch at San Francisco's Museum of

African Diaspora featured several delicious items from Bryant's Cookbook

including Spicy Goobers, Garlicky Baby Lima Bean Spread with Winter Crudites,

BBQ Tempeh Cubes, Rosemary Butternut Squash Soup Shooters, and Citrus Collards

with Raisins Bruschetta.

My interview with Bryant follows:

MV: You introduce each recipe with a story. What story about you would you like

to share?

 

BT: I was inspired by the late Edna Lewis, a chef from Freetown, Virginia who

grew up enjoying the local foods of her region. She moved to New York and became

head chef at Manhatten's Cafe Nicholson. Sharing Country Cooking and the diverse

flavors of the South were important to her, and in addition to being a chef, she

was a cookbook author. Her second cookbook, The Taste of Country Cooking, deeply

influenced me as an artist, storyteller, and creative person. It's important for

me to tell stories and consider the history of food and memory of family

connections. The industrialization and mechanization of our food system has

facilitated the loss of food knowledge which I'm trying to help people recover.

My personal food choices align with my values of supporting, all living beings,

local economies, and the environment as well as working towards a more equitable

food system. Inspired by Alice Waters, I am committed to helping people think

more deeply about these issues by bringing everyone to the table to celebrate

the sensual pleasures of food.

 

MV: If people in the San Francisco Bay Area with limited garden space wanted to

have a garden with vegetables and herbs that coincide with your book's recipes,

what advice would you give them?

 

BT: Grow herbs in your kitchen window, fire escape, on the roof. Plant a small

garden. If you have space, grow food in your front yard. I built a raised-bed

garden in my front yard, and it's inspiring people to convert their front yards

into edible landscapes. In our garden, I have three different varieties of

collard greens, chard, broccoli, celery, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, oregano,

kale, and two varieties of lettuce. We have a nectarine tree in the backyard.

Several people in our neighborhood are creating our own micro-community that's

making a tremendous impact on the street.

 

MV: You've heard about Michelle Obama's organic White House Garden. Have you

been in touch with the Obama's about your work?

 

BT: I'm not in touch with Obama's team as yet. I'm excited about the energetic

and brilliant minds in the new administration and the many changes happening in

such a short period of time. The production of food for the White House is a

symbol of the direction we all should be heading in. I hope that we'll all put

pressure on our elected officials to help create healthy and sustainable food

policies for all Americans.

 

MV: Out of your book's 150 recipes, do you have a particular recipe that

readers should try?

 

BT: Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux. It's my new take on an old classic.

 

MV: What events do you have in the next few weeks?

 

BT: There are two events: On April 18, 2009, there is a Fundraiser for the

Oakland Food Connection including featured guests, a catered dinner, and live

music. And every attendee will receive a copy of Vegan Soul Kitchen, and I will

be there for signing. On April 25, 2009, " The People " party in Oakland invited

me to curate an Afro-Diasporic food court. I invited 6 chefs to share their

unique vision of food inspired by ingredients from Africa, the Caribbean, and

the Americas. And there will be dancing and community-building. More

information can be found here.

 

MV: Are you working on another book?

 

BT: Yes, I'm illustrating how one can eat healthy and sustainably in an urban

setting.

 

MV: Thank you.

 

Bonus: If you'd like to see Chef Bryant Terry demonstrate how to prepare Sauteed

Jalapeno Corn, check out this video. ( you need to be on the url at the begining

of this post )