If you take nothing else from this episode, please know that chilies are not peppers. When chilies were first discovered by European explores, they noted that they had a similar “heat” as the black pepper they were already using to season their food. Therefore, they also called chilies “peppers”. Could this be the oldest example of White Nonsense? Possibly.
This was the first episode we did in which members of our Patreon were able to vote on what they wanted to hear. We hope we covered the information our patrons were looking for and can’t wait to do more episode requests in the future.
We take listeners all the way back to 200A.D. with the idea of heat as a use for healing, and then follow the story of hot sauce all the way to Beyonce’s bag. We travel from Europe to West Africa to Jamaica to Louisiana to a small saloon in the corner of Nevada. Haven’t gotten a chance to travel in awhile? Then follow us as we crisscross the globe with the history of hot sauce.
In our next episode, Darryl and Kelly play our version of the party game Hot Ones: Truth or Dab. We start with Darryl’s homemade hot sauce and go until we reach the Last Dab. It does not disappoint.
First, we are excited to announce that Butter Pecan is now distributed by Louisville Public Media, and you can find us on their website and listen to us via the LPM app.
This was a few months in the making and we couldn’t be happier to be part of the LPM community. Thanks to everyone who got this up and out, and a big thanks to Laura Ellis for deciding to take us on.
We also had the opportunity to talk with the Government Accountability Office last week as part of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion community of practice. At GAO there are different communities of practice for employees to share their interests and expand their knowledge.
We discussed how we started the podcast, the humor and levity we bring to some serious topics, and how to talk with people (or not) about race. Some of our past episodes were referenced and we had the chance to reflect on the work we’ve done so far. It was our first live event and it was a really great experience.
Thanks to everyone for your support and we look forward to what comes next as we begin to work towards our second year of podcasting.
One stalk of collard greens 4 cups of beef broth 1 cups pickle juice 2 cups apple cider vinegar Quarter pound of bacon 2 chopped onions. Salt Garlic salt Black pepper Red pepper flake
You have to clean collard greens. Did you know that? I mean really clean them. I soaked mine in a plastic tub with cool water and apple cider vinegar. I let them sit for an hour before I rinse and pat each leaf dry. For amazing greens there are no shortcuts. Be ready to spend the day preparing one of the best things you’ve ever eaten.
1. Quarter your half pound of bacon and dice your onion. Throw both into the large pot you intend on cooking your greens. We’re going to start here because rendering the fat from the bacon will help the onions caramelize and add the base of flavor for the greens.
2. Roll your cleaned and dry collards like you’re rolling your own cigarette or sleeping bag (depending on your childhood). Chopping them this way helps them cook evenly while also preserving texture.
3. Once your onions begin to caramelize and your bacon is right before crispy, add in your chopped greens little by little allowing the first handful to wilt before the next.
4. Add in the beef stock. Add in the pickle juice. Add in the apple cider vinegar and season. I liberally seasoned these with black pepper, salt, garlic salt, and red pepper flakes.
5. Let these guys cool! I mean, like, for at least 2 hours and any time you can add will only increase the flavor. I recommend 4. The key is adding more liquid as needed. Over time the remaining liquid will turn into a rich broth.
While researching information for our Juneteenth episode, we came across this information about Booker T. Washington park on wikipedia: “…an estimated 30,000 black people celebrated at Booker T. Washington Park in Limestone County, Texas, established in 1898 for Juneteenth celebrations. Attendance at the Limestone County event fell off sharply in the wake of the 1981 drowning of three local teenagers while in the custody of a Limestone County sheriff’s deputy, a reserve deputy, and a probation officer.”
Wait, what?
There was no further information linked on wikipedia, so we began to read the article cited on the wikipedia page: The Ghosts of Comanche Crossing
This led us to a heartbreaking story about the untimely death of three teenagers while in police custody. Although the events that we talk about in this episode happened forty years ago, it all seems very present. We hope that we have done the story justice, and let more people know about the tragic events that happened that day.
***Correction from audio: More than 1,400 people attended the funeral of Freeman and Baker, not 14,000. Please excuse Kelly, she is better with words than she is numbers.
The brine of pickle juice and buttermilk is something I do for every piece of chicken I make if time allows. You know that “chik fil a” something that you taste in all of their sandwiches? It’s pickle juice.
1. Combine pickle juice with buttermilk and pour over chicken. I used boneless chicken thighs here because leftovers make excellent sandwiches, but this works well with any cut you’d like. Grilling time will vary. Brining for at least 24hrs for best results but 3-4 hours also yield amazing results. The point is – always do this.
2. Take the chicken out of the brine and pat dry. Then toss in the Walkerswood Jerk seasoning and mustard. Unless your family is Jamaican and you have an incredible recipe, the LC Walkerswood is the one you want.
3. Grill the chicken. This is a quick process. If your grill is heated properly, it’s a ten min process. Once you can pull it to the side and see no pink in the center, it’s done. The brine also adds a little moisture safety net that offers a little protection from over cooking.
The pictures above came from the Library of Congress Public Archives, and if you have an afternoon (or week) to kill, we highly recommend you checking it out. There is a search bar to use when you have a key word, location, or event that you specifically want to find information about. In our case, the term “Juneteenth” resulted mostly in images from 2020 and Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. The term “Jubilee Day” was too broad, and “Emancipation Day” included far too many results.
Finally, the term “Black Celebration” (after applying several filters) retrieved the first picture in the set. There is little cited about the picture and although the assumption is that the crowd is gathered for the 4th of July, the time in which the photo was thought to be taken was June 1939. The location is St. Helena Island, South Carolina and although Juneteenth celebrations originated in Texas, they had become more commercialized and were common in the South at this time.
The second photo was a result of basically searching “Black people” and “Texas”. This photo is of a man sitting in front of a Barbecue stand in Corpus Cristi, TX. We love everything about this photo – from the expression on the man’s face; to the 7Up ad; to the galvanized metal exterior and promise of Hot Sausages. Barbecue is also significant to the rich food traditions of Juneteenth and symbolism of red food and drink.
Join us in this episode as we discuss the origins of the celebration, how it has been observed through history, and the food that plays such an important role in this Day.
Food photos and recipes from the recording are soon to come. If you would like to know how to make the Strawberry Red Mule we drank during this episode, head over to our Patreon and become a member! https://www.patreon.com/butterpecanpod
Sources for E. 14 Juneteenth: As American As BBQ Ribs:
On June 1, 2020 David McAtee was shot and killed by the National Guard in the West End neighborhood of Louisville, Ky. Moments before his death, he can be seen on video checking his BBQ.
Kelly and Darryl cover the McAtee’s life, the events leading to his death, and the aftermath a year later. We also share a meal of jerk chicken, collard greens, and mac n’ cheese in honor of the man who sparked the idea for this podcast and continues to inspire us to be better.
We will be expanding more on BBQ in our next episode as we talk about and celebrate Juneteenth. But our discussion on BBQ does not end there – if you have any family BBQ secrets, memories or thoughts on David McAtee, or personal ways you celebrate Juneteenth, please comment below or send us an email at butterpecanpod@gmail.com
Part 1 Camille Pase InterviewPart 2 Philippine-American HistoryCamille with her family
In Part 1, we talk with our friend Camille about immigrating to the U.S. as a child. She reminisces about some of her favorite foods and the meals she now makes with her family.
Camille discusses the joy and struggles her family had living first in California and then Kentucky. She was also kind enough to share her recipe for Bibingkang Malagit along with family photos.
From Library of Congress Photo Archives
In the second part of our series focusing on the Philippines, Kelly and Darryl review some of the history the U.S. has with the Philippines, including Manilamen settling in Louisiana, the war against the Philippines at the turn of the 20th century, and the relationship between Filipinx and Black Lives Matter.
I don’t know if there is a short way to describe why this particular dish means so much to me, but when I was young my mom made a lot of sacrifices and stayed home. She cooked so many great things every day but to me, I always of course loved the desserts.
This dessert is called Bibinkang Malagkit – sticky rice cake.
As I mentioned in the podcast, there were times my dad had to have multiple jobs and my mom, while she was at home with us, made desserts for a few local Filipino restaurants for extra money. If my mom had a preference, I think she would have been awesome in the restaurant industry.
Fast forward to now — I have my own two little kids and my parents have retired, so they come once a year to help us and spend time with us. During this time, in the kitchen, I’m getting back to my roots and really learning from my mom (I went to culinary school for a bit, I was a vegan for a while, and I just love food in general so even at home I’m all over the place with my own food and cooking.)
My mom and I really bond in this way, we actually have a little box of our own started with recipes we have tried together and of course her specialties for my own future use.
This dessert is simple, it’s like that warm hug in your belly, and it’s something I request at least once when they visit. Best served slightly warm (IMO), some people like it any temp, but if you happen to have any left ain’t no shame in the microwave game.
(Extra bonus: this dessert is vegan! So I never had to stop enjoying it even though I was disappointing my parents with my dietary restrictions.) Spoiler, I’m not vegan anymore.
Bibingkang Malagkit (sticky rice cake)
Ingredients:
3 cups glutinous (sweet rice) (rinse the rice first!)
3 cans coconut milk
1 cup water
1 ½ cup brown sugar
Banana Leaves
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a non-stick saucepan, bring 3 cups of glutinous, 1 can coconut milk, and 1 cup water to a boil and let simmer on med/low. Stir occasionally because you don’t want the rice to stick to the bottom
Once it starts to thicken, add ½ cup brown sugar
Typically takes about 15-20 minutes for the consistency you want – think sticky rice pudding.
Put to the side once finished.
For the topping
Place 2 cans of coconut milk and 1 cup brown sugar in a saucepan to let thicken – stir, stir, stir! (You don’t want to burn the cream)
Once caramelized, set to the side.
In a baking dish place * banana leaves* (there are other recipes that you can leave out the banana leaves but it is highly suggested and the banana leaves adds an extra flavor to the rice.)
Pour the sticky rice over the banana leaves in the baking dish and spread evenly
Pour topping over the rice
Place in the oven until the rice cake is firm and the topping is caramelized and bubbly. Some charred spots are still tasty but just keep an eye on the sugar. (Approx 15mins)
We took a break from our usual conversation about history, race, and food to talk about ourselves (and food). Join us as we discuss how we became friends, what we like about each other, and what food has scarred us for life.
Thank you all for listening and supporting us. We are overwhelmed by the attention that the podcast has received, and look forward to what we hope will be an ongoing project for years to come.
Butter Pecan Pod 