Tevelyn and Franklin in the kitchen
When I started my journey with Pass The Peaz, I reached out to some of my good friends to ask if they would be open to hopping in the kitchen with me while I record them cook. Most replied, I don’t know how to cook look like that! After explaining, that this is deeper than gourmet meals that are perfectly plated, Tevelyn graciously extended an invite for me to come to her home to capture her make vegan chocolate coconut cupcakes with a non dairy chocolate ganache with her father William.
We recorded this recipe long ago in December of 2020, but I can still remember vividly the warmth that was felt in the kitchen. Tevelyn and William often laughed and joked with one another and it instantly built greater anticipation for the day I could share that with my daughter Streater, who was 2 years old at the time. Streater, now three years old, can be trusted to stir pancake batter. We’re taking baby steps; pun totally intended.
“Eat to live, don’t live to eat.”
While the cupcakes were in the oven, I asked William what does food mean to him. He explained that we must take a closer look at what we are putting into our bodies and look for the nutrients. I come from a family where we celebrate with food. We look at food as an experience and nutrition was secondary. I can honestly say, although I’ve heard doctors say, watch what you eat, it resonated a lot differently coming from him.
William wasn’t always vegan, but it’s a transition that he’s passionate about and I thought it to be especially dope that Tevelyn labored with love to try and make a vegan cupcake for him. As Tevelyn shares that there was A LOT of trial and error, William let out a little laugh and smile. I sat with that. That’s love right there!
This reminds me of my mother. She used to slave over a pot of okra soup and she hates okra. My grandmother used to make it, but when she passed I had to rely on her for it. She didn’t have a clue what to do and how it’s supposed to taste. So as much as I hated telling her, this isn’t like my grandma’s, I had to give her honest feedback until she got it down to a science. Hearing Tevelyn say this affirmed my belief that preparing food for others is one of the greatest expressions of love you could give.
As you watch the video above, one thing that I didn’t expect to have happen to me was to shed a couple thug tears. William shared a story about his mother passing down her cast iron skillet. If you aren’t aware, the cast iron skillet has deep meaning in the African-American culture. William, choked up with tears in his throat says she told him “ Franklin, go on get that skillet. Do it in the memory of me.” This is why I started Pass The Peaz. We must remember our loved ones, hold onto those traditions. One could not imagine how many mouths have been fed from that one skillet over the decades.
The love between a father and daughter is priceless.