ODYSSEY STORYTELLING PHOTOS and BIOS
DECEMBER 3, 2009 - "Kitchen Confidential"
Patricia Fagan, a refugee from the vanities, obsessions and greed of an old colonial West Indian family came to the United States - NYC - at eighteen years old to encounter the culture of the Seventies. At this time she gave birth to her son while pursuing her undergraduate degree from City College of NY. After that, she moved to Connecticut where she completed her Masters in Literature and the Arts from Wesleyan University while working part time as a secretary in the Philosophy Department at Yale University. At this time, she began storytelling with the Ct. Storytelling Group, performing her stories from Haiti, Trinidad and St. Thomas in such historic places as The Stonycreek Puppet House, Eli Whitney Barn as well as in many local pubs. She also published her short stories and poems in Sinister Wisdom, Embers, The Caribbean Writer, River City. Patricia has also written travel pieces and book reviews for The New Haven Register and Grolier Press, respectively. Later after her son graduated, she took to the road to live in Mexico. After a year and many stories, she returned to the United States and began living in Tucson where she received her MFA in Creative Writing from the U of A. After fifteen years of owning a small business, she is back teaching at Pima Community College, West Campus.
Diane Lopes: Originally born in New Bedford, MA. In 7th grade I had to take cooking class for half the year. I learned how to make eggs, etc. in class. In 1985 I moved to Florida and lived there for 15 years. In 2001 I moved to Tucson. I have worked as a prep cook and dishwasher. I consider myself a foodie. I watch the Food Network daily. I consider myself a decent cook. My skills are intermediate when it comes to cooking any recipe on TV.
Bruce A. Cole was born and raised in Sparta, Tenn. and Aug. 1949 was the actual beginning. Living with my grandparents and not owning a TV there was lots of storytelling going on. Some of it was the actual local news. After my fathers death in 1960 we moved to Muncie, Indiana for a fresh start. And it was! My education picked up while in Muncie and I also went to school some. Now I don't recommend or encourage this process for education, it just is what it is! I started working at 11 or 12 years old and by 16 y/o I worked full time and decided I needed no more formal schooling. I could earn one dollar an hour and work lots of hours if I wanted. So began my
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areer in mid-western factories and there was plenty of those. I tried to work in all or most of them, going from one to another for 10 cents an hour more.
In the early 1970's I moved to Tucson AZ and found there were no factories and, having obtained my GED discovered, Pima Community College and began my 30 plus year in health care, becoming an LPN /EMT in 1977 and off I went working in a new kind of factory, hospitals and clinics. As a result of this long and illustrious career Mr. Cole is now retired /disabled and continues his education. He is an avowed homebody who enjoys caring for his 2 dogs, his old home and his partner of many years. Some hobbies include gay, black and Native American history as well as gardening and recovery, his own and other interested persons.
Buck Bannister is a Southeasterner learning to be a Southwesterner. Born in Newberry, SC he now proudly considers himself a "lint head" - having been born into a family of cotton mill workers. He is an activist for LGBT equality and to relieve the pressure of politics, bakes - alot. That love of baking, often using his mother's recipes passed down through generations, keeps him connected to his past, his roots and his innate Scots-Irish love of family. His adventures in food can be found on his website:
www.sugarpiesfood.com
Roxanne Garcia -I have been managing the Farmers Market in Tucson for the past 6 years. I came to the market in a totally unexpected way, perhaps it is a fortunate force of nature. I never intended to work again in agriculture; grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico on a chile and tomato farm. BA in journalism; passionate about so many things (Just dont poke the bull!); Taurus and restaurant are the basis of love, Mom & Dad to two great kids. Amateur tea mixologist, collector of cookbooks; photographer and a closet writer.
**Thanks to Buck Bannister for this recipe.
Mardi Gras Cake
collected at the Omni New Orleans August 1988 by Frances O. Bannister
3/4 Cup Nestle Butterscotch Morsels
1/4 Cup water
2 1/4 All Purpose Flour (sifted)
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup shortening (may use 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening)
3 eggs (unbeaten)
1 cup Buttermilk
Directions:
Melt butterscotch morsels in water in saucepan and let cool slightly. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and set aside. Combine sugar and shortening. Blend in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Blend in butterscotch. Mix well. Add dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix well on low speed. Pour batter into two 9-inch greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Let cool and spread filling (see below) between layers and on top to within 1 inch of edges. Frost with Sea Foam icing (see below).
Butterscotch Filling
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
1 Beaten Egg Yolk
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
1 Tbsp. Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Nestle's Butterscotch Morsels
Directions:
Combine sugar and cornstarch in 2 qt. saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk and water along with butterscotch morsels and beaten egg yolk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Add butter, coconut, chopped pecans and stir until blended. Set aside and let cool.
Sea Foam Icing
Ingredients:
1/3 cup Sugar
1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
1 Egg White
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
Directions:
Combine sugar, brown sugar, water and corn syrup in saucepan. Cook on medium heat until mixture forms a soft ball. Beat egg white with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add syrup mixture to egg mixture in slow steady stream, beating constantly until thick enough to spread on cake. Remove from heat and allow to cool until just warm and spread on cake.
Note: You can enhance the vibrancy of the colors by using a touch of green food coloring for the Sea Foam Icing and a touch of yellow or blue and red (to make purple) for the filling.**