Dan’s Papers February 25, 2011 danspapers.com Page 24
HAMPTONS EPICURE Stacy Dermont
The first foodie was African. As Black History Month draws to a close, I remind you that every month is Black History Month. Here’s the book that proves it: High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America. Written by Jessica B. Harris, this book was released by Bloomsbury Publishing last month. Harris’ previous books include The Africa Cookbook (1998). In making the leap from cookbooks to narrative non-fiction, Harris has unleashed a culinary exploration rife with fascinating historical details. As a food writer and a home cook, I ate this book up. Why was possum a Southern favorite? Because the possum is nocturnal and enslaved people generally hunted at night. The United States of America has been cooking since 1776, African cuisine has been in development for over 18,000 years! Harris details the foodways that were transplanted to the New World and Europe from Africa’s three crucibles—rice from the area of today’s Senegal, yams from down the Gold
Coast and cereals from the more inland fields of Africa. She also details how the Southern American palate, and the American palate at large, have been Africanized. Many foodstuffs, preferred flavors and the etiquette surrounding food are traced back to the world’s mother country. Turns out “Southern hospitality” began in Africa. It was deeply satisfying to read a book that celebrates the great diversity and sophistication of African and African American cuisine and tradition. This book has a global scope but it reminded me of a local cookbook put out by The Eastville Community Historical Society of Sag Harbor in 2006. Titled Recipes from the African Diaspora In Celebration of African-American History Month, this book is special to me because it contains recipes from local people I’ve known. I was so taken with this little tome I bought six copies. They made five of my family’s cooks very happy. When it first came out, I had those friends who had contributed recipes sign my copies. They were amused by this request. When I dug out my own copy recently I was glad that I’d had the “foodie fan girl impulse” to get those autographs—because one of those friends, Beryl Thorne, has now passed on. I have both her recipes and her handwriting to remember her by. I’m particularly fond of Beryl’s Basic Gumbo Recipe. I remember enjoying Beryl’s gumbo at a Mardi Gras celebration at Christ Church in Sag Harbor years ago. She did not skimp on
the shrimp! Many of the details of black history have been lost but some we eat every day. To view Beryl Thorne’s recipe for gumbo visit a longer version of this column online at danshamptons.com. High on the Hog is available locally and online. Recipes from The African Diaspora is currently out of print.
EVERYTHING OVER A MILLION Sales Reported as of 2/18/2011 AMAGANSETT
REMSENBURG
Promised Land North LLC to David & Leslie Clarke, 23 Broadview Road, 2,800,000
Simes Family Limited Partnership to Duck Point LLC, 12 Duck Point Road, 1,650,000
Ellen & Thomas McPartland to Allen & Barbara Applebaum, 12 Stirrup Ct., 1,300,000
NOYACK
Lawrence A Levine to Hainan American US LLC, 87 Parsonage Pond Rd, 8,600,000 Joyce A Senzel to 120 Hedges Lane LLC, 120 Hedges Lane, 4,500,000
SOUTHAMPTON Gordon Real Estate Inc to McDonalds USA LLC, 307 North Sea Road, 1,400,000
QUIOGUE
SOUTHOLD Jean & Paul Blower to Charles Oursler, 5865 Soundview Avenue, 2,040,000
• BIG DEAL • SAGAPONAK
Lawrence A Levine to Hainan American US LLC, 87 Parsonage Pond Road
8,600,000 11111
EAST HAMPTON
SOUTHAMPTON
Robert H Levenson to Jennifer & Jon Zindel, 2 Lily Hill Road, 995,999
Maria H Baron to Juana & Julio Escobar, 16 Wiltshire Street, 570,000
Adam Puglia to Marianne & Peter Feig, 2 Woodhollow Drive, 860,000
Douglas & Susan Murtha to Margaret C Bae, 606 North Sea Mecox Road, 762,500
Saul T Epstein Trust to Lawrence & Luisa Kane, 25 Sherrill Road, 749,000
Wayne K Dupree to Great Hill Estate LLC, Albert Avenue, 575,000
Stanley Rosen to Maurice F Connolly, 268 Abrahams Path, 618,000
Peggy Anne Applin to Lionel Pavel Alter, 240 Big Fresh Pond Road, 517,000
James & Susan Bos to Mona & Peter Levitt, 4 Spruce Street, 525,000
QUOGUE
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S a l e s O f N o t Q u i t e A M i l l i o n D u r i n g T h i s P e r i o d 11111
John Coates to Alex & Louise Consilvio, 65 Manor Lane South, 597,000
Now w Available!
Maria L Bettino to Marissa Mayid, 8 Koral Drive, 1,090,000
Craig & Ellen Rhodes to Christina Tadross, 38 Westwood Drive., 1,500,000
Margaret Darling to Melissa & Serge Benchetrit, 32 Sheppard Street 2,600,000
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WESTHAMPTON BEACH Estate of Elinor Whitman to Lynne & Todd Andrews, 114 Griffing Avenue, 515,000 Estate of Stefanie Prigge to Robert & Emily Shamlian, 56 South Road, 605,000
Wayne A Fingerman to Michael Ost, 7 Park Circle, 845,000 Data Provided by Long Island Real Estate Report
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1143168
EAST HAMPTON Michael Densen to Clementina & Tullio Vigano, 96 Runnymeade Drive, 5,250,000
SAGAPONACK