Though the 7 p.m. clapping on my block has ended, I continue to be grateful to you, essential workers, businesses and healthcare professionals, for your dedication and fortitude. Protestors both in the streets and in your homes, the wheels of change are happening. No justice, no peace.
Now that July 4th is over, we can move…wait, it’s not?! So, the last three weeks of fireworks…every night of the week…from sundown to early morning…were for what exactly?! I mean, it’s not like our nerves were already shot from being quarantined in a worldwide pandemic for over 100 days, watching yet another Black person be killed at the hands of an overzealous and undertrained police officer resulting in a racial uprising, and generally readjusting our whole existence. I’m just saying.
Well, now I know we have another week or more of fireworks, so let me try to reframe my thinking to celebrate our country’s 244th year of independence from the British Empire. During these times, I will leave any commentary about America’s liberation arriving before the liberation of Africans enslaved over two centuries prior, and their generations of descendants, would arrive to those more learned and prolific than me.
Like many of you, I too have been home trying to find something to watch on one of myriad channels, apps and streaming services. While on a quick stop in Netflix land, I saw something called “Crazy Delicious.” As per usual, I decided to give it one episode to see if I would smell what they were making, and it smelled good.
A British-based (a July 4th irony) cooking competition show, “Crazy Delicious” invites three home cooks to make uniquely whimsical dishes using ingredients foraged from their fantastical Willy Wonka styled edible set to win the golden apple. The three judges are referred to as “food gods” and include American chef personality Carla Hall. Dressed in white, the judges convene in and descend from their perch in the tree, as it is closer to the skies.
You might be asking where exactly am I going with this and why now. Well, contestant Joseph Cumberbatch of London had all of the answers with his Afro-Caribbean world flavors. He faltered a bit on round one, but then killed it in the second with the reinvented pizza challenge. I will not spoil the surprise, but trust, your whole family would love it.
It is the third round of “Crazy Delicious” where the contestants were asked to make a barbeque feast where Joseph blew my and the “gods’” minds, broke the internet and won the golden apple at the same time with, brace yourself, a whole jerk watermelon made to look like and served as a baked ham. Sweet, spicy, salty, smoky, savory and any other “s” adjective you would like to use.
I searched for his recipe for us as I would love to have this for the holiday weekend, but there is not one written out, so you must watch and let me know what you think. In the interim, I am going to take my watermelon and make some “steaks” in the same fashion. I will let you know how it goes.
Stay safe, wear a mask, eat well and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for over 15 years. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @SCHOPgirl, on Facebook, /SCHOPnyc, and her blog, www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! Email AmNewsFOOD at AmNewsFOOD@SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD and tag us with #SoAmNewsFOOD with your food finds!