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Posts published in “Food & Cooking”

Detroit Vegan Soul Offers Animal-Free Alternatives To Classic Soul Food Cuisine In West Village

By goodblacknews on September 29, 2012
Hatch 2012 Detroit Vegan SoulKirsten Ussery (left) Erika Boyd (right) are semi-finalists in the 2012 Comerica Hatch Detroit contest. Their business would offer vegan versions of classic soul food dishes.
You might think that soul food and vegan dishes exist on opposite sides of the dietary universe. After all, soul food is a traditional African-American cuisine whose staples include chitlins and ham hocks, while vegans refrain completely from eating meat or dairy products.
Apparently, however, the two worlds can coexist. Just ask Kirsten Ussery, who plans to open a business called Detroit Vegan Soul with her partner, Erika Boyd. The two entrepreneurs are semi-finalists in this year’s Comerica Hatch Detroit contest, an annual competition which awards $50,000 and support services to one lucky business start-up chosen by a panel after considering input from online voters.

Black-Owned Health-Conscious Store Delivers Freshness To Atlanta

By goodblacknews on September 27, 2012
The Boxcar Grocer

The Boxcar Grocer is a new addition to the Castleberry Hill section of Atlanta. Photo credit: Candace Y.A. Montague

By Candace Y.A. Montague via thegrio.com

Nestled in the Castleberry Hill section of Atlanta is a quaint neighborhood divided between yesteryear and today. Among the new additions to the area is a bright, modern corner store that sells all-natural produce and products for residents who seek organic alternatives.  It’s called The Boxcar Grocer and on Peters Street SW, it is the only food store available.

Co-owners Alison and Alphonso Cross migrated from San Francisco to the Atlanta area to open this food store in a building owned by their father.  The brother and sister team felt that fresh food was important enough to bring to the neighborhood and sacrificed almost everything to make it happen. The question was whether or not there was enough of a demand for fresh food options to sustain their business in an area that is making slow progress towards revitalization. The Crosses believed so, and they found a way to use local farmers to keep the business afloat.

Chef Bryant Terry Selected For State Department's American Chef Corps

By goodblacknews on September 18, 2012

IATP Food and Community Fellow and vegan chef Bryant Terry was named a member of the American Chef Corps, part of the State Department’s Diplomatic Culinary Partnership. The American Chef Corps will create a network of more than eighty culinary leaders dedicated to sharing the diverse culinary traditions of the United States by hosting meals for diplomats and providing cooking demonstrations at home or abroad, among other opportunities.

Chef Bryant Terry Selected For State Department’s American Chef Corps

By goodblacknews on September 18, 2012

IATP Food and Community Fellow and vegan chef Bryant Terry was named a member of the American Chef Corps, part of the State Department’s Diplomatic Culinary Partnership. The American Chef Corps will create a network of more than eighty culinary leaders dedicated to sharing the diverse culinary traditions of the United States by hosting meals for diplomats and providing cooking demonstrations at home or abroad, among other opportunities.