A Kwanzaa Moment (2024)

Jefferson Ellison

Kwanzaa is an annual celebration started in 1966 in an effort to honor Black-American experience and elevate Black culture. The holiday was created by activist Maulana Karenga and spans from December 26th to January 1st with each day focusing on a different principle.

Created in the aftermath of the Watts riots, Karenga based his holiday on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West and Southeast Africa. According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits".

While the celebrations take many forms, most agree that Kwanzaa culminates with a communal feast called Karamu. Karamu or “Karamu Ya Imani” is a feast that takes place during Kwanzaa which means, Feast of Faith.

While there is no one way to celebrate, a Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual or an artistic performance. And so that’s where we started. Food, conversation, community and intention. Something simple that felt approachable, easy to duplicate and also… kinda fun.

We brought in two chefs that are in our community, our old friend Ashleigh Shanti and new friend Lay Alston. Hosting the meal at my house just felt normal. Elevating that meal with high quality ingredients, beautiful utensils, and our iconic pottery just felt right.

-Jefferson Ellison

Stewed Radishes and Greens with Ham Hocks

“East Fork is a brand that seamlessly weaves community efforts into its framework. A large part of the Kwanzaa celebration reaffirms an empowered community and shifts our focus to positive cultural values and practices.

My primary purpose in observing Kwanzaa traditions are rooted in the joy and celebration of my Blackness and a momentary pause to honor the richness of my heritage and sacrifices of my ancestors.

The dish I chose to prepare for East Fork’s Kwanzaa Celebration is one that I’m always ready to prepare in my own home. Stewed vegetables studded with seasoning meat serve as an inviting and homey dish that is both simple to prepare and feels decadent to enjoy.”

– Ashleigh Shanti

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs Medium-sized farm radishes, leafy green tops intact, cleaned (I used Daikon, Black, Luobo and Watermelon radishes)
1 lb Ham Hocks
1 Red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
4 Garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Red pepper flake
1 tbs Apple cider vinegar
1 tbs Butter, unsalted
Salt and pepper to taste
Chives, sliced (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Slice greens from radishes. Roughly chop the greens and quarter the radishes. To a Dutch oven, add the greens and radishes, ham hocks, bell pepper, garlic, salt, red pepper flake and vinegar.
2. Fill with enough cool water to cover everything by 1”. Bring to a boil for 5-6 minutes then reduce heat to low. Stew for 1 hour. Remove ham hock to pick from bone. Discard bones and reintroduce ham hock meat.
3. Finish with butter. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve radishes hot with a ladleful of the potlikker in your favorite everyday bowl, garnish with chives.

Fried Whole Snapper with Pickles

“I didn’t grow up knowing about Kwanzaa and as I learn more about it I'm not sure why. Working with East Fork in celebration of Kwanzaa was a very warm and liberating experience.

To know that there are brands that would like to bring more awareness to Black holidays and what they represent is important. I look forward to seeing more Kwanzaa representation as there are for other holidays.”

– Lay Alston

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 2 lb whole red snapper (can use the any fish you prefer)
3 tbsp Soulandwheel’s Gullah Spice (or any creole or cajun spice blend)
Salt & Pepper to to taste
3 cups Cornmeal
2 cups Flour
16 oz Neutral oil (for frying)

Green Seasoning:

1 Bunch each, cilantro, parsley, basil, scallion
1 Small thumb of ginger
1 Head of garlic
¼ cup Olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a blender, blend together all green seasoning ingredients. Once blended, set aside
2. Clean fish with lemon and water, score the flesh of the fish on each side, use 4 tbsp of green seasoning to marinade fish on both sides and season liberally with gullah spice
3. Let the fish marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24hrs
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a pan, heat oil to 325 degrees F
5. While the oil is heating, mix flour and cornmeal
6. Coat fish in flour and fry on each side for 5 minutes and finish cooking in the over for 10 minutes
7. When fish has reached an internal temperature of 145 F, remove from the oven and place on serving plate and top with pickles

Pickles:

4 Baby peppers
10 Pearl onions, balanced and peeled
1 cup Red wine vinegar
1 cup Water
2 tbsp Sugar
2 tsp of Salt

Instructions:

1. Slice peppers and onions
2. Place sliced peppers and onions in a mason jar
3. Heat pickling liquid (sugar, water, vinegar, and salt) until sugar has dissolved
4. Pour liquid over peppers and onions and set aside, pickles can be stored in the fridge up to 3 weeks

A Kwanzaa Moment

Possibly one of the clearest calls to actions to come out of the last 5 years - as it relates to Black visibility - is the acceptance and embracing of the fact that BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT A MONOLITH. Which means that how we celebrate our culture and how we hold space for ourselves and each other can never be right or wrong, only true.

Kwanzaa was created for Black people to celebrate Black culture and explore and honor their Blackness on their own terms, and that’s what we’ve done here.

Maulana Karenga once said that “cultural revolution gives identity, purpose, and direction." As both a marketing professional and a Black man in the world, I found that sentiment to be a great anchor for what this project turned out to be.

In an effort to change and in ways, revolutionize what traditional holiday marketing can look like, we hope that all customers can see themselves in the world we’re creating and through the work, may we all keep moving in a better direction towards community and an equitable abundance.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope you take this year to make food that feeds your soul as much as it does your belly.