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The tea cake is a celebratory baked cookie in conjunction with Juneteenth. It’s possible that it began being made well over 200 years ago, though it may have been called another name. Duly elected Tea Cake Commissioner for Juneteenth Celebrations, Etha Robinson encouraged the learning and understanding about this nostalgic cookie by saying, “revitalizing the tea cake so young people will know about their heritage that their ancestors provided for them” Whether it’s vegan, Mexican, or just free food being distributed to the community, check out the various food events happening in our community. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 07/10/21)

Y’all know I don’t really review franchises. Yet here we are. We’ll start off with ‘Jack in the Crack’ and their roost fries. Even though Pier 88 (www.pier88seafood.com) is also a franchise, who can deny talking about the great food and experience. Duh, no one! Hearing names like Big Poppa, Unicorn or Crème Brulé, you might have an idea that you’re in some type of pasty shop, right? But this isn’t just any pastry shop. It’s the world’s most award-winning Donut Bar (www.donutbarvegas.com) of Las Vegas. Make sure you check out the restrooms! DOH! #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 07/03/21)

Great to have Mr. TJ back for a follow-up discussion on the sweets and desserts of the Juneteenth celebrations and the importance of why many of the foods are red in color. Don’t try to pull the wool over someone’s eyes. There’s a difference between “homemade” and “scratch”. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 06/12/21)

Guest pitmaster/BBQ afficionado Troderick “TJ” Holmes offers his perspective on questions such as: “How do you feel barbeque affects the Black community?” Wise words imparted when he says, ‘Don’t be afraid of the fire’. Thought provoking statement that barbeque helps us make a conscious effort to eat or cook food in a healthier way. Chef of the kitchen vs Pitmaster of the outdoor drill. The versatility of a pitmaster to go from outside to the inside of the kitchen can’t be rivaled. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 06/05/21)

Black Business is Beautiful presents: The Alpha Go head Cheesecake Funk! (www.cheesecakefunk.com) Maplewood Mall is hosting a food fest with 8 food trucks and state fair vendors. Go feed your cravings. Count down to High on the Hog ! #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 05/22/21)

Hot sauce to burn your face off! LOL This ain’t for the fearful or weak of palate. At Redd Peppers Jamaican Restaurant you’re going to get flavor, and heat (especially if you want it). A Black farmer sells herbs, vegetables, pollinators, and more at The Good Acre in Falcon Heights. p.s. “I don’t eat oxtails with a spoon!” Just so y’all know. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 05/15/21)

Brief review of Adrian Miller’s book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of BBQ. Speaking on all things barbeque related and it’s connection to the Black community. Juneteenth Speaks (www.juneteenthspeaks.org) Conversations surrounding all things Juneteenth. Understanding it’s importance. Symbolisms with specific food and drink the color red. High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. Hosted by Stephen Satterfield, this 4-part docuseries on Netflix is one that you should not miss. If you’re a BIPOC individual, you will appreciate further about the food history of your culture and how it has shaped how we cook and eat food in America. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 05/08/21)

Think your favorite made the cut? You’re just gonna have to listen. LOL #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 05/01/21)

After a hard day at work, sometimes you just don’t know what to cook. Twin Cities Global Cuisine can help with their pre-order meal deals. Wishing you had a great place to go for dinner and a show all in one spot? Well, the owners of Minneapolis’ only 24-hour food spot Nicollet Diner and Muffin Top Café (www.thenicolletdiner.com) plans to move and take over what used to be the Ichiban Japanese Restaurant and turning it into a dinner theater experience, with Mother Cluckers Pizza joining the pairing as well. Early spring and it’s getting surprisingly warm! Check out the ice creams spots to cool you off and satisfy that sweet tooth. 2Scoops Ice Cream Eatery www.2scoopseatery.com Nellie’s Ice Cream www.nelliesicecream.com Sweet Science Ice Cream www.sweetscienceicecream.com St Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood has a new churrascaria to cheer about. Bullvino’s Brazilian Steakhouse (www.bullvinos.com) promises a little bit of Brazil in St Paul. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 04/24/21)

Good food can be a vehicle for healing a hurt community. The George Floyd Healing Hands Project strives to do just that with their offerings of plant-based foods. The entire community is invited and encouraged to attend. With a perfect balance of taste and flavor, Van Lice Lemonade (www.vanlicelemonade.com) is refreshing and truly is a “paradise in every sip”! April begins food truck season, and you can enjoy the frenzy at MGM Liquor in St Paul. Gyu-Kaku (www.gyukaku.com), translates to ‘horn of the bull’ and this Japanese barbeque restaurant doesn’t mess around when it come to the experience you’ll have. From the premier cuts of meats that you select and cook over a flaming personal grill in the middle of your table, to the cocktails they make, you can be sure to have a satisfying meal. You have to appreciate how diverse the Twin Cities is. But cultural foods or ingredients can be hard to find here in the Twin Cities. Check out Global Grocery Market (www.globalgrocerymarket.com) in Brooklyn Park to get all the items you need to make those special dishes for your loved ones. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 04/17/21)

Motivational speaker, D'narius Lewis utilizes his business (Optimum Outreach) to offer free food to the community, and clothing them at the same time. Pack Material LLC at it again with Blackout V! Supporting and celebrating black-owned businesses with an opportunity for the community to spend their black dollars with vendors, artists and creatives that look like them. Spring is heading our way, so you know what’s coming… FARMERS MARKETS ! ! #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 04/03/21)

Chef Jahbri ‘Jay’ Merritt, sits down with me to introduce Twin Cities Global Cuisine, which is a collaborative effort of Chef Jay and two other chefs to prepare dishes that will take you on a global food journey. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are!

Covid really got food businesses to reimagine what success can be like. The Twin Cities has literally been experiencing a food truck explosion. From designated food truck parks, Facebook groups to help you find a food truck, and even agreements with city officials for lot uses around town, food truck seem to be popping up everywhere. I ain’t mad one bit about it neither! I got sabotaged for my question meant for the following week. Which is better on wings: Lemon pepper wet (sauce) or dry rub. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 03/13/21)

Milestone: 200th EPISODE ! ! ! ! Many will not admit it but it was enslaved black chefs that shaped the cuisine we have here in America. Surprisingly, even under the ‘white gaze of their owners and the white families they served, black chefs and cooks held quite a bit of power. The food presented at a party can bring praise and accolades to the host from their white peers, but if prepared poorly, can be the reputational ruin and embarrassment of the host. Why? Because they didn’t cook for themselves. One to many times this occurred, causing some families to record, or create a receipt of the ingredients used so that if the current chef died, the owner would simply produce the receipt book to the new chef to follow the documented meal. Some assume that this was the early origins of ‘recipe books’ or more commonly known as cookbooks. During the Jim Crowe era, Black people were prohibited from eating vanilla ice cream. Because it was ‘white’, it represented everything pure, good, wholesome, and the American dream. They were only allowed to have it on the 4th of July. Even though it was a enslaved black young man Edmond Albius, at the age of 12 that perfected how to cultivate vanilla, black people were regulated to one day out of the year to enjoy that flavor. As racism with food still exists today, it’s important for Black people to understand about food sovereignty. Here are the 6 food sovereignty principles. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 02/27/21)

When do you expect to see pound cakes? Often times it’s already cut and under a beautiful crystal cake plate. But you see them at baby showers, weddings, post Sunday dinners, and yes, at funerals. But why? In the Jim Crowe era, Black people used a well-known publication entitled the ‘Green Book’ that detailed travel ways Black people can rely on for lodging, gas, and food. Even with that in hand, many families prepared food for any long distance travel, with the most desire dessert being the ever popular pound cake. Caribbeans/Afro-Caribbeans are just as enamored with this tasty cake and variations like rum cake, and black cake soon became household staples, specifically around the holidays. In the Twin Cities Cecil Neal’s Rum Cakes are popular with flavors like peach, French vanilla, pineapple sunshine, Bacardi Rum, and more. Check out the menu of these tasty treats and place an order when you’re ready. Make sure you’re supporting Black businesses and organizations year-round, not just during BHM. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 02/13/21)

It’s time to time to talk about the food from Black culture. Discussing an article about some well-known and otherwise unique recipes. Credit: Food52 Article: 38 Jubilant Recipes to Kick Off Black History Month What you bringing to the potluck? #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 02/06/21)

Guest Chef Jay Paul Johnson of ‘Eat Cooks of Hope’ chats with us about his organization, his compelling work in community involvement, and why it’s important to share stories or experiences with focus on the community when it comes to food. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 01/30/21)

Find out what a ghost kitchen and how it’s changing how some restaurants are doing business to survive. On the flip side: Think you’re supporting a local mom & pop restaurant, only to find out that it’s franchises like Chuck E. Cheese or Applebee’s ‘playing dress-up’ using their restaurants as ‘ghost kitchens’ to fill your orders. #DoWhatsNeverBeenDoneIn2021 The price of food in recent months has skyrocketed. Wherein some rely on food programs like SNAP or other food assistance programs, many are still finding it hard to feed their families. Prior years statistics about food insecurities have been alarming, especially in communities of color. Right now, 1 in 4 families is experiencing some form of food insecurity. What should relief look like? #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 01/23/21)

Sending prayers to Chef Jerry Evans of Smoking J’s Catering & Cuisine as he recovers from a major medical health situation. Give your support to he and his family. Chef Manny (Manuel Perez-Winston) of Shear Taste is preparing a MLK Pop-Up with free red beans and rice being included with your purchase. Sometimes a slice of a really great dessert is all you need. And you can’t go wrong with MN Sweet Comforts dessert shop! They have rolled crepes, crepe cakes and more. MN Sweet Comforts 2259 Minnehaha Ave E. Maplewood, MN 55119 Indigenous Root Cultural Center is sponsoring a free organic food distribution. IRCC 788 E 7th St. St. Paul, MN 55106 Even though we are in the winter months, there are great finds to be had at farmer’s markets. Honey, meats, eggs, bread and more #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 01/16/21)

Hallelujah! We can start dining indoors again! Wait,..hold on. There’s some stipulations. Rather than going out, maybe you may want to help others with donating food to a food shelf or food pantry. What can you donate? Catfish Dinners on deck! Y’all ever had catfish and spaghetti combos before? Shout out to Kyle Mason of Neighborhood Smoke Seasoning Co. I was using that seasoning on everything. Ever wanted to put together the perfect box of gifts for a friend or loved one, but didn’t know where to start? MN Black Box has you covered. Geared toward featuring 5-7 local black-owned businesses in a wonderfully curated with products that these companies offer. Check them out! Starting a journey folks. Let’s chat about intermittent fasting for a bit. #SitOnDown with me, The Un-Bougie Foodie every Saturday at 10 a.m. only on 104.7FM WEQY-LP Saint Paul. Stream the show LIVE by visiting www.WEQY.org and clicking on ‘Stream LIVE’ and listen wherever you are! (Aired 01/09/21)