Cooking w. Jay was birthed out of my love for cooking and entertaining.  I believe that it started very early in life though I wasn’t actually doing the cooking I was always in the kitchen.  I can remember sitting alongside my mom during Thanksgiving dinner preps and asking her questions about how she made her signature mac n cheese or those awesome sweet potato pies.  She would explain to me which cheeses to use and why.  Also, how what we called “can” milk makes the mac and pies so much richer in taste.  As soon as I bought my first home, I was inviting the family over for dinner and making the mac n cheese.  If I was bringing a dish to the family gathering oh yes…it was the mac n cheese.  I have learned some different tricks over the years, so my signature has a few twists but it all started with my mama’s.

My grandmom would show me how she made baked chicken with the gravy…oh my goodness y’all the gravy!  I tried to replicate exactly what she taught me for years.  It wasn’t until recent years that I got it.  I finally got it to taste just like hers.  When I sampled it from the pot it was instant nostalgia.  She also taught me how to cook cabbage.  She would say, “you have to take the outer leaves and wash them really well.  She would then show me by taking a cloth and wiping down the leaves on each side because this is where most of the dirt and pesticides would reside. 

I would make my way in and stay there by volunteering to do dry the dishes y’all.  Mind you I despise anything about washing or drying a dish lol.  That’s how much I was intrigued by the kitchen and how much joy it brought to me and my family. 

My Aunt Nique would be the non-traditional cook.  I remember her making plantains, stir fry, rice pudding, and fried orange peels with powder sugar (I did not like those lol).  I would always hang around peeking in the kitchen so that I could be the first to get a taste.  

Who would have thought that it all was leading to who I am today?  I remember in my twenties I would hear coworkers taking about hobbies and I thought to myself …I have no hobby.  I read when I am in the mood, I travel for special occasions and I don’t hike so where does that leave me. A young woman who was too focused on career and my daughters?  Later a light bulb came on for me, cooking is what you love most and do on a regular.  Cooking is it. 

So as I cook for my family I want to share the love with you and your families.