Baltimore Fried Crab Cake Sandwich / The Royal Theater

Waiting to see Ralph Cooper, "The Dark Gable", at the Royal Theatre, 1939

 

The Royal Theatre, which first opened in 1922 as the black-owned Douglass Theatre, was the most famous theater along West Baltimore’s Pennsylvania Avenue. It was a main stop for Black entertainers on the “Chitlin Circuit”, and rivaled it’s sister theaters (Apollo in Harlem, the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., the Regal Theatre in Chicago, and the Earl Theater in Philadelphia).

“The Royal” was owned by Sam Steifel, who also owned “The Uptown” in Philadelphia and the “Howard” in Washington DC. All of the biggest stars in black entertainment, performed at the Royal. Names such as Ethel Waters, Pearl Bailey, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, The Tympany Five, Etta James, Nat King Cole, The Platters, The Temptations, and The Supremes, as well as the 40-piece, all-female band touring with Count Basie called the Sweethearts of Rhythm. Pennsylvania Avenue began its decline during the sixties through riots, white flight increased unemployment and economic disinvestment. By 1971, the Royal Theater was demolished.

 

Baltimore is known for many things. One it's most famous foods is the Maryland Crab, steamed or fried, along with the locally brewed beer, National Bohemian (Natty Boh'), now owned by Pabst Blue Ribbon.

 

 

 

Baltimore Fried Crab Cake Sandwich

1 lb lump crab meat
1 large egg beaten
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Old Bay
¼ tsp sea salt
Milk

 

In medium sized bowl, break bread into small pieces and moisten with milk. 

Mix in eggs, mayonnaise, parsley, prepared mustard, Worcestershire sauce, baking soda Old Bay and sea salt. 

Pick over crab meat to remove any shell particles. 

Add crab meat to mixture, mixing gently but thoroughly. 

Shape into six patties and chill 30 minutes. 

Pan fry in a butter or oil until brown on each side.

Serve on white bread 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pearl Bailey’s Pork Chops with Green Apples

this page sponosed by

1918-1990, Hometown: Southampton County, Virginia

Pearl Mae Bailey was born to Joseph and Ella Mae Ricks Bailey, and was reared in the Bloodfields neighborhood of Newport News, Virginia. She made her stage-singing debut when she was 15 years old. Her brother, Bill Bailey, was beginning his own career as a tap dancer, and suggested she enter an amateur contest at the Pearl Theatre in Philadelphia. She entered the amateur song and dance contest and won. She was offered $35 a week to perform at the Pearl for two weeks, but the theatre closed during her engagement and she never received any money. She later won a similar contest at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater, and decided to pursue a career in entertainment.

One of her favorte recipes was pork chops with green apples

 

4 lean pork chops
                                                     
1 stick butter

dash of brown sugar

dash of nutmeg

1 large Granny Smith apple (sliced thin )

salt and pepper to taste

 

In a large and preheated skillet, fry chops very slowly in 1 stick of butter.
 

On medium low flame. Brown them very well.

 

When the chops are about 3/4 done,  throw in the green apple slices.

 

Add some salt and pepper to taste, a dash of brown sugar, and a bit of

nutmeg.

Cover the pan (Pearl used aluminum foil) and fry until cooked through.

 

 

 

 

Mack The Knife- Pearl Bailey & Dinah Shore

 

 

 

 

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Smothered Pork Chops

 

Dancing at a juke joint on Saturday night: Clarksdale, Mississippi
Marion Post, 1939

Long before the Civil Rights movement took America by storm, segregation had given birth to a different movement; Black Entrepreneurism. Ironically, (it can be argued) segregation contributed to much more than it ruined. It led to the establishment of thousands of Black businesses that provided employment in the Black community. It’s been said there were more Black businesses in the early to mid-twentieth century than there are today.

During Jim Crow, Black businesspeople found their particular niche, and provided the services that were customarily and legally refused to Black consumers. Entertainment was one of these services. It launched the careers of many top notch entertainers; and eventually brought forth the birth of Rock n’ Roll. It also made famous a culinary genre that is now shared internationally.

The successful venues were part of what is known as “The Chitlin’ Circuit”. They had names such as The Apollo in NYC; The Uptown in Philadelphia; The Hippodrome in Richmond; and the Royal Peacock in Atlanta. However, there was a lesser but equally important group of venues on the Chitlin Circuit. They are known as Juke Joints and Speakeasies.

Like the entertainers who graced these inconspicuous hole-in-the-walls, most jukes never made a name for themselves outside of their own geographical confines. Despite their second fiddle stature, and the fact they were the black part of town, the “Jooks” or “Jukes” and the large venues on the Chitlin’ Circuit had one thing in common, There was good cooking either on the premises (usually in the rural areas) or nearby.  

Jukes in the rural areas were different. They were usually located far from town. Unlike their White counterparts, the “Honky-Tonks”, it was hard to find a juke joint that did not have a kitchen or a BBQ pit outside. One main theory is that in rural areas, few Blacks owned cars, and could not easily get to a restaurant (if one existed) after a night of drinking. Thereby, creating a need (and added business opportunity) to cook on the premises. Needless to say, these weren’t 4-star restaurants with linen tablecloths and world renown chefs. The juke joint cooks were regular people from the community who bought their home cooking skills with them. Staple foods as fried chicken, collards, pigs feet, and fried fish were always on the menu.

 Courtesy of soulfoodandsoutherncooking.com

4 pork chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick

1 Valdalia or sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Mrs Dash seasoned salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup self rising flour

 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups water

Rinse pork chops in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

In a small bowl combine and mix together seasoned salt, garlic powder, black pepper and paprika.

Rub about 3/4 teaspoon of seasoning on each pork chop. 

Thoroughly coat each chop with flour and set aside. 

Save all leftover seasoning for use in onion gravy.

Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot enough, add chops, and brown on each side for about 3-four minutes per side

Once the chops are browned, remove them from the skillet and allow to cool on a plate covered with paper towels.

For Onion Gravy

Without removing any drippings, add sliced onions to the skillet and cook until browned. 

Add remaining flour to the skillet and a very small amount of water if necessary. 

Stir onions and flour together until golden brown, paying careful attention not to burn the gravy.

Add two cups water to the onion gravy and stir. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Return pork chops to skillet, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 1 hour. The meat is done when it's tender. 

Add additional season to taste if necessary

 

 

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The Regal Theater - Smothered Turkey Wings



47th & Grand Boulevard, Chicago, IL  (renamed South Parkway)
Photography:  Lee Russell ,1941

 

 

Opened February 4, 1928 and located in the “Bronzeville” area of Chicago, the Regal was one of the first entertainment complexes that was available for American audiences and also employed African American staff members (other than the musical acts).  With the ability to see Black performers, films, and shows, African Americans were immediately drawn into the theater.

 

Several big names were brought in to perform the popular music of that era. Some of the performers that were brought in include: Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, The Temptations, Miles Davis, Nat “King” Cole, Duke Ellington, Paul Robeson, the Jackson Five, and several others.

 

The feel of the theater was elegant and formal. Velvet seating, large pillars, and beautifully decorated—the Regal was definitely a site to see. 

 

Before the Regal, blacks (in Chicago) were usually not able to find jobs other than the typical low-income jobs, but new employment opportunities were beginning to come about.

 

The Regal, which eventually had a black manager, hired black entertainment, ushers, dancers (only light-skinned women), and coat checkers which at the time was highly unheard of.

  

 

Chicago-style Smothered Turkey Wings

4 large turkey wings (drums detached)
1/4 c. water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp kosher salt or seasoned salt
1/2 tbsp pepper 
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 chopped scallion
1/2 cup water
drippings from cooked turkey
1/4 cup flour

 

Thaw wings prior to cooking. Preheat over to 275° F.

Take all seasonings and combined into small bowl. Cover wings with olive oil and place in baking pan (don’t stack wings)

Sprinkle seasoning generously over wings. Pour 1/4 cup water at base of pan with out sprinkling on turkey.

Bake wings for 5-6 hours - to desired tenderness.

When done, remove wings from oven and set aside

Gravy Preparation

Pour drippings from the main pan into a medium sauce pan, add 1/2 cup water. Bring to medium boil and add flour slowly while stirring (with wisk) into pan. When the flour is stirred to desired thickness, lower heat, and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes. When finished, drizzle gravy over wings in current pan or place in new pan or plate and serve.


Serve with Collards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miles Davis: South Side Chili Spaghetti



1926-1991

Hometown: Alton, IL

 

 

Most people are unaware that Miles Dewey Davis came from an affluent African American family. His father, Miles Henry Davis, was a dentist. They also owned a ranch in the Delta region of Arkansas near the city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where Davis's father and grandfather were from. It was in both East St. Louis, Illinois and near Pine Bluff, Arkansas that young Davis developed his earliest appreciation for music listening to the gospel music of the black church.

 

 

 

 

South Side Chili Spaghetti
courtesy timeoutshannons.com

¼ lb. suet (beef fat)
1 large onion
1 lb. ground beef
½ lb. ground veal
½ lb. ground pork
salt and pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin seed
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 can beef consommé
1 drop red wine vinegar
3 lb. spaghetti parmesan cheese
oyster crackers
beer
1 Box Spaghetti

Melt suet in large heavy pot until liquid fat is about an inch high. Remove solid pieces of suet from pot and discard.

In same pot, sauté onion. Combine meats in bowl; season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin.

In another bowl, season kidney beans with salt and pepper.

Add meat to onions; sauté until brown.

Add kidney beans, consommé, and vinegar; simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Add more seasonings to taste, if desired.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, and then divide among six plates.

Spoon meat mixture over each plate of spaghetti. Top with Parmesan and serve oyster crackers on the side.

Open your favorite beer and enjoy!

 

Babs Gonzales - Meat Loaf Special



1919-1980  Hometown : Newark NJ
Photo: W. Gottleib

 

Born Lee Brown, Babs was well-known vocalist of the Bebop era, and a regular on the Chitlin Circuit. He is most notable for penning the song "Oop-Pop-A-Da", which was originally recorded and performed by his own band (Three Bips and a Bop), and later made famous by Dizzy Gillespe.

Babs Gonzales’ Meat Loaf Special 

2 lb ground beef

2 large eggs

2 oz applesauce

1 c. bread crumbs

1 medium chopped onion

¼ c. chopped green bell pepper

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 c. ketchup

1 c. chopped tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and thoroughly blend the mixture with your fingers. Add a small amount of milk if necessary to maintain moisture.

 

With a large spatula, transfer the meat into a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Press down and form a small shallow indentation length-wise on top of the loaf.

 

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the pan and pour off excess fat.

 

In a bowl, mix tomatoes with ketchup. Next, spread ketchup and tomato mixture in over the top of the loaf with most of it filling the indentation.

 

Return to oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully pour off excess fat.

Club Delisa - Chicken n Rice



5521 South State Street, Chicago, IL

 

While possibly not the most prestigious club on Chicago’s South Side, but Club DeLisa played a major role in the city's association with jazz, blues, rhythm and blues and soul music. 

Club DeLisa was owned by the four DeLisa brothers, and opened inn 1934. In 1941, the original building burned down but was soon replaced with the New Club DeLisa. Nightly entertainment at the club was in a variety-show format. The show featured singers, comedians, dancers, and the DeLisa Chorines, accompanied by a house band that ranged in size from 7 to 12 pieces, depending on the club's revenues. Another less heralded source of revenue was gambling, in the club's basement.

Among the musicians and performers associated with the venue over the years were Red Saunders, whose band was in residence from 1937–45 and 1947–58, Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, Sun Ra, Johnny Pate, Joe Williams, LaVaughn Robinson, George Kirby, Sonny Cohn, Earl Washington, Leon Washington, Albert Ammons, LaVern Baker, and Reverend Gatemouth Moore (1946–1947 and 1948–1949).

The Club DeLisa closed its doors in February 1958, after the deaths of two of the DeLisa brothers. It was reopened under new ownership as The Club in 1966 where it carried on the musical tradition of Delisa.

 

source: wikipedia.com

Fletcher Henderson & his Orchestra

Fletcher Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) was important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. His was one of the most prolific black musical arrangers and a regular performer at Club DeLisa.  

Club DeLisa’s
Chicken n’ Rice 

 4 boneless chicken breasts ½ c. oil
1 c. uncooked white rice ½ white onion (diced)
1 clove minced garlic 1 (8 oz) can Tomato Sauce
2½ c. boiling water salt and pepper to taste 

 

 

 

In a large skillet, add oil and set heat to medium high.

 

Place chicken in skillet. Cook until brown on the outside. Remove chicken, place in a bowl, and set aside. 

Add rice to the skillet, and toast until light brown
(about 1-2 minutes).

Add onion, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute or until the diced onions become soft.

Add garlic and continue to cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Add tomato sauce and water then stir well. Bring to a boil.

Add chicken and cover pan with a lid.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is done and chicken is cooked through.