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DEL.ICIO.USEdna Lewis and the Gift of Southern Cooking
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just about all of us who are passionate about Southern food were saddened to learn of the death on Monday of Edna Lewis, one of the country’s greatest treasures of gastronomy. John T. Edge, the director of the Southern Foodways Alliance and our regular guest blogger, was among them and filed this:
“When I learned that Edna Lewis had passed, I called my wife. Blair gasped. And then she told me that she was – at that very moment – in the midst of making “Good Chocolate Cakeâ€? from The Gift of Southern Cooking, the book Ms. Lewis wrote with Watershed chef Scott Peacock, her colleague and caretaker. Blair and I will savor that cake on Valentines Day.
Back when I lived in Atlanta, I took cooking classes from Ms. Lewis. But Blair never had the pleasure of meeting her. Like many admirers, Blair came to know the Virginia-born woman who called Atlanta home by way of her recipes.
Among the recipes Blair has made her own, my favorite is Ms. Lewis’s catfish stew, also from The Gift of Southern Cooking. It’s brothy. It’s chunked with potatoes. It’s spiked with tomatoes. It’s swimming with pearlescent farm-raised catfish. And it’s flat-out delicious. “
Over the course of a long and distinguished career, Ms. Lewis gave much to many. She gave freely. She gave warmly. Please tell us which Edna Lewis recipe matters most to you, which dish conjures her spirit. Or if you have a personal memory about her you would like to share, we would love to read about that, too.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bethel Baptist Church in Unionville, Va. Flowers and cards can be sent to Satchell’s Funeral Services, 118 E. Church Street, Orange, VA 22960, 540-672-4490. Donations can be sent to Bethel Baptist Church, 12387 Marquis Road, Unionville, VA 22567.
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By Jane Cox
February 14, 2006 10:35 AM | Link to this
A new resident in Decatur, I became aware of Scott through Watershed Restaurant, and bought “The Gift of….” because of him. However, it wasn’t long until the talent of Edna Lewis struck me. One day I cooked both methods of making chicken broth—-Scott’s vs Edna’s. Despite drawing some good humored ribbing from my friends, I learned a lot from that day’s cooking. Edna’s broth was liquid gold that I store as gold bullion in my freezer “safe.” Scott’s was more practical in expenditure of time and I’ll use his occasionally, but the day I learned about Edna Lewis’s chicken broth is as warm in my memory as are my thoughts of Ms. Lewis.
By Blue
February 14, 2006 11:14 AM | Link to this
Her fried chicken recipe. It takes three days to make. ‘Nuff said.
By Nancy Watkins
February 14, 2006 11:31 AM | Link to this
One of my fondest memories of ‘Miss Edna’ was sitting in one of her cooking classes and observing every move she made. She moved quietly and did not make many comments. Mr. Peacock was at her side telling the class exactly what was going on in that skillet as she cooked. He spoke to her and suggested that she tell the class what she had just added to the pan. She seemed a bit stunned that she had to tell us that she had just used lard. I think I did hear a gasp from the back of the room, however, I personally felt a real sense of connectedness with Miss Edna - I grew up in rural Georgia where lard was a staple in our pantry. To this day, I keep a small box of lard in my fridge partly as a part of my heritage and partly as a tribute to Miss Edna. Thank you lovely lady.
By Something's Phishy
February 14, 2006 12:18 PM | Link to this
The South lost another jewel in Miss Edna. A delightfully softspoken and gentle woman. A southern cook like her — I don’t know if there will EVER be another — just THINKING of her delicious cooking puts 10 lbs on my thighs!
And what a poignant and wonderful relationship she and Scott Peacock shared! He’ll always miss her and grieve for her, for sure, but when you treat people well — you can be at peace when they transition because you know that you gave them your absolute best. He gave her his best and God will bless him for it. Miss Edna also gave Scott her best, too.
Sleep well, Miss Edna.
By Caren
February 14, 2006 01:08 PM | Link to this
At the very moment I was reading the news in the Times, I was biting into a piece of Fried Chicken I made Sunday from the Gift of Southern Cooking. Sunday I also made the angel biscuits, butterbeans in cream with chives and the roasted okra. Miss Lewis and Scott, you are both a presence in my kitchen. Not Natalie, not Shirley - it was Miss Lewis’s teachings that allowed this cook to finally be able to make biscuits. To Scott, to Miss Lewis’ family, I send my condolences. What a gift to all of us she was.
By Barbara Fisher
February 14, 2006 01:30 PM | Link to this
There is no one recipe for which I will most remember Miss Lewis—I will more likely remember her for the way in which she presented Southern food as relying upon fresh seasonal ingredients.
Those are the foods I grew up eating on the farm, and so, I felt great kinship with Miss Lewis the first time I read The Taste of Country Cooking.
Whenever I eat fresn baby lima beans or a light and airy biscuit, I think of Miss Lewis, and I reckon I always will.
By Allison
February 15, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this
My favorite cookbook is “The Gift of Southern Cooking.” Out of that book, the maccaroni and cheese recipe, the peach cobbler with brandy sauce, the sweet potato casserole and the fried chicken are all recipes I will use forvever. There are still many in the book I haven’t gotten to yet, but no recipe has disappointed.
I respect Edna Lewis and the work she did. Her death is a real loss, but she lives on through good food.
By Melodie Randolph
February 15, 2006 04:29 PM | Link to this
My sister and I had the pleasure of Miss Lewis’ company when we all did a brief stint at Harry’s Farmers Market in the early 90’s. Harry had Scott & Edna working in the test kitchens while my sister & I were in the design offices. She was always so quiet, always smiling, despite the crazy deadlines & hustle there at the market. She was cooking her collards one day & let us taste them. They were fabulous, of course. My sister asked her if she’d give her the recipe. A short while later , Miss Lewis returned with a hand scribbled recipe on notebook paper. In addition, she had gone downstairs to the market floor & hand picked the collards & other ingredients! How special she was. My sister still has that recipe - now I think she’ll frame it. Peace to you sweet lady.
By Nina C. Williams-Mbengue
February 15, 2006 05:16 PM | Link to this
My dear Aunt Edna, I will miss you dearly, but I know you are up there with God, my mom, Uncle Lue and Aunt Jen cooking and laughing away! I will always remember picking blackberries in Freetown with you and Aunt Jen in the hot summer sun, testing all the recipes for The Taste of Country Cooking in our kitchen in the Bronx, typing up the “Taste” manuscript for you when I was only 12 years old, watching you make homemade ice cream for Revival meeting at Bethel Baptist Church, learning how to make Brunswick stew, eating your wonderful cooking at Gage & Tollner waiting for you to get off work, eating roast chicken, baked sweet potatoes and salad at your apartment in Atlanta, visiting you at Middleton Place - so many wonderful, wonderul and funny memories of our family! I will always remember talking about Africa with you - African food, culture, clothing, music and history. What an inspiration you have always been. And, I am so grateful that my two daughters have gotten to know you and spend time with you - Salymata and Amina will wear African clothing at your funeral (and so will I and the Goons!) in your honor! I just hope I can find some big, dangly earrings!
Love, Nina