Fall 2018
Happy Fall! 
Looking for A Taste of African Heritage classes near you? Check out our class directory to find out when we are coming to your city or town...or sign up to teach a class of your own!
A Taste of African Heritage Updates
Photo : ATOAH participants at Hostelling International this past August. Chef Marie-Claude Mendy taught participants about Senegalese cuisine through her stories and her instruction in the kitchen
What We've Been Up To

This summer was a frenzy! In June, many ATOAH participants throughout the country celebrated Juneteenth, a day of celebration and remembrance of the emancipation from slavery.

Over the past 3 months, 20 class series have been conducted throughout the US, from Vermont to Florida. In July, A Children’s Taste of African Heritage debuted in Boston at the Kroc Center, and in August, the Boston location of Hostelling International featured a workshop on the continent of Africa, where Chef Marie Claude-Mendy shared her favorite cultural dishes that also highlighted the recipes and food groups found in the African Heritage Diet Pyramid .

Recently in Maryland, ATOAH Ambassador Madea Allen hosted an Open House at the Manna Food Center Community Kitchen and is currently teaching the series. In California, Pamela Cross has shared her nutrition knowledge and delicious samples at both the Heart and Stroke Walk and Black Family Day. These are just a few examples of the places that ATOAH is making an impact. 
What's Next?

A Taste of African Heritage will soon be international, making its first across-the-border appearance in Ontario, Canada. 
Teacher Spotlight
Photo: Brenda Atchison at a cooking demonstration for What Unites Us in Boston on September 24th, 2018
Brenda Atchison at What Unites Us, Boston

Brenda Atchison has been extremely devoted to teaching ATOAH throughout the Boston area. She continually volunteers and helps teachers in the area, always trying to bring more to the table. Recently, she conducted a cooking demonstration at the Boston Public Market, which was part of a series called What Unites Us.

Later in the fall, Brenda will teach again at the Roxbury YMCA, where she hopes to make an impact on the senior population. Here are a few reasons why Brenda has felt compelled to bring ATOAH to the Boston area:

“For me,  A Taste of African Heritage  cooking is connecting the foods of my ancestors with the foods of their descendants, creating an extraordinary array of healthy and delicious dishes that represent our unique cultural experiences. Through heritage cooking, I have learned a valuable approach to cooking foods that I enjoy the most, creating healthy and delicious dishes with just a few herbs and spices. No longer do I destroy the nutritional value of food with fatty, salty, sugary, or chemical-based additives. Not only have I found new joy in preparing foods that are so much a part of my heritage, I also enjoy teaching and learning from others about the heritage of foods that define their cultural experience.”
On the Blog...

While exploring the food culture of Nashville, Tennessee, we ran into Elsie Kriz, creator of Afrovitalityeats . Elsie is a culinary artist and blogger specializing in West African inspired dishes. Originally Cameroonian, Elsie offers us her take on traditional dishes even when the original ingredients are inaccessible at home away from home. Read our Q+A with Elsie Kriz.
In the Nutrition World

ATOAH Ambassador Tambra Raye Stevenson is advancing nutrition education to young children by creating Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture (WANDA). WANDA is a movement that inspires children of African descent to be healthy eaters, readers and leaders. The project includes a series of bilingual books, starting with Little WANDA Finds a Cure for Nana . A plush, talking doll is also in development, which encourages African American children to discover health within their own culture. To support WANDA, visit www.wheresiswanda.com . To learn more, read our interview with founder Tambra Raye Stevenson.

Oldways and WANDA joined together on September 1 for Teaching Africa Day in Maryland and Washington DC. This event featured diabetes prevention tips, and also outlined the key messages found in the African Heritage Diet Pyramid.
Oldways African Heritage Recipe 

This cabbage dish is also known as Atakilt Wat and is commonly part of the veggie platter served with the injera flatbread. Filled with spices, color, and flavor, this dish was traditionally eaten in Eritrea and Ethiopia during fasting periods.


Kelly Toups
Oldways Director of Nutrition
kelly@oldwayspt.org