McCormick® brand announced they are partnering with award-winning chef, taste-maker, soul food and southern cooking expert Millie Peartree, to acknowledge the history and prominence of soul food by transforming traditional charcuterie boards into Soul-Cuterie boards for Black History Month.
This collaboration provides fans the opportunity to not only celebrate soul food recipes but dig deeper to understand their history and the innovation used to create.
Over the last decade, the popularity of charcuterie boards for all types of gatherings has risen in popularity due to the variety of sweet and savory options that are presented in beautiful arrangements. Soul food is timeless and is strongly rooted in sharing flavorful food full of spices.
The gatherings that form around sharing soul food is timeless. For generations, Black families have passed along stories and the history behind the recipes with their friends, family, and community.
With the introduction
of Soul-Cuterie boards, families will be able to reimagine how they share their favorite soul food dishes, whether during an informal gathering at home or when asked to bring a potluck item for their next community event, according to a press release.“Soul food is not just food from the soul, but also comes from the heart. Growing up in the South, I’m always inspired by the down-home cooking that was passed from generation to generation,” says Chef Millie Peartree.
“Rooted in Black culture, soul food connects families and community. I love bringing this new spin to classic soul food with Soul-Cuterie, while still showcasing the origins and history of our favorite dishes.”
To celebrate the partnership with Chef Millie Peartree, today McCormick donated to the chef’s own “Full Heart, Full Bellies” initiative, which supports the food insecure in her current hometown — the Bronx. As a way to further educate and help fans learn soul food recipes, there is new dedicated section on Soul-Cuterie boards within the McCormick Flavor Maker App and on McCormick’s website. The experience features the history behind soul food, Chef Peartree’s classic recipes, with a few twists, along with videos that will showcase all the tips and tricks needed to create a Soul-Cuterie board and celebrate the month.
Chef Peartree’s favorite soul food recipes are approachable, bite-sized and finger-licking good:
— Catfish Nuggets: Battered in a zesty mixture of Zatarain’s®
Crispy Southern Fish Fri and Creole Mustard, with a hint of OLD BAY® Seasoning, these deep-fried bites serve up tender and flaky on the inside, with an irresistibly golden-crisp coating on the outside.— Deviled Eggs with Southern Fried Chicken Skin: Sorry bacon crumbles, there’s a new deviled egg garnish in town. Welcome crispy chicken skin to the party, adding an element of surprise and uniquely seasoned crunch to every bite of this popular appetizer, prepared with the signature heat of McCormick® Paprika and tangy French’s® Classic Yellow Mustard.
Creating a Soul-Cuterie board is a fun way to curate your soul food recipes and Chef Peartree has provided some creative tips:
— When plating a Soul-Cuterie board, you want to plate the star of the show in the middle,
which would be our catfish nuggets, because we want people to eat it while it’s hot. You probably won’t have to worry about re-heating anything because McCormick® seasonings add so much flavor, everything will be devoured before any reheating is necessary!— You can turn any soul food staple into a small bite perfect for a Soul-Cuterie board — whether it’s collard greens you turn into spring rolls, mac-n-cheese into fried gooey nuggets of goodness or banana pudding into individual pie bites.
— Adding ready-made sauces to the board allows for dipping that creates a unique bite for each guest. Mini ramekins with an assortment of condiments like Stubb’s® BBQ sauce, Zatarain’s® Creole Sauce, even some French’s® mustard can really jazz up the board.