The third of the Rep’s series Cooking, Carols & Cocktails arrived on Christmas Day, a casual, chatty visit with Cathy Jenkins of Cathy’s Kitchen in Ferguson.
Tonina, who provided the music in the first episode, hosts this episode, and it’s obvious that both women are having a good time. Jenkins’ first dish is jambalaya, one of several New Orleans-inspired choices on the eclectic menu she serves – takeout only these days, of course. She even dishes up two batches of the jambalaya, one shrimp-only because that’s what Tonina preferred. Jambalaya fans will also be interested to learn that this is a version that could happily offer a home to leftover rice from another meal, using cooked rice rather than raw. (So: faster!) Along the way, we learn a lot about Cathy, and how she and her husband came here from Gary, Indiana, and turned what started as a catering business in her home into the restaurant.. The second recipe is for her chicken wings. There’s a good discussion, with recipe, about battering and deep-frying; it utilizes her sweet and spicy sauce, which is available at Schnucks or on her website.
Music in this segment is from Joe Mancuso, a great deal of fun. Of particular note beyond Joe’s vocal stylings is the organ work from Robert Row. Jazz organ isn’t heard as much any more, and Row is clearly in the groove with his work.
The week’s cocktail from Heather Sharpe and Big O is a carefully crafted Manhattan, utilizing, of course Big O’s ginger note.
This is the third in a series of four. They’re available by subscription, and it’s easy to catch up with the past episodes, too. New Year’s Day the last one, all about pastry with the family that runs Perfect Pastry, will be released. All of them will be on line until the end of January, and you’ll have access to the recipes not only onscreen in the videos but at a separate site. Tickets available from the Rep at this website.
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