FOOD

Q&A

with Tanorria Askew

Tanorria discusses accessible cooking, delicious winter recipes and her new cookbook By Sydni Ellis

Staring into my pantry, wishing that something would magically appear for a delicious family dinner is the bane of my existence. Why is cooking good, nutritious and easy meals night after night so difficult? Former “MasterChef” contestant and local personal chef Tanorria Askew has released her first cookbook written and designed to help everyone make easy, yet fantastic food at home.

Staples +5: 100 Simple Recipes to Make the Most of Your Pantry, published by DK Penguin Random House, lists a helpful shopping guide of 35 basic, staple ingredients that form the basis of every recipe in the book. Keep these on hand as well as up to five additional ingredients for each recipe to totally transform your kitchen.

Hope: What was your inspiration for this cookbook? Tanorria: Staples +5 came from watching my mother and grandmother make everything from scratch. Scratch cooking usually uses basic pantry items as the base for every dish. It was also something I had to refine during my time on “MasterChef” season 7 because no matter what was under that mystery box, I knew I could rely on my staple pantry. My goal is to encourage others to make the most of pantry items by making full meals from them. H: Why did you want to focus on making cooking accessible for everyone? T: I live in Indianapolis, which is one of the largest food deserts in the nation. Often, I am asked to participate in cooking demos to help people in under-represented areas make “healthy meals.” It feels insulting and insensitive to tell people what and how to eat. Staples +5 is a book full of accessible food for everyone — everyone deserves good, wholesome meals. H: What do you want BIPOC communities to know about this cookbook? T: I want people of color to know that they don’t have to feel shame for eating delicious food. They don’t have to explain that choice. I also want more people of color to take pride in the food connected to their culture. Staples +5 celebrates things like okra, sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas and collard greens. It honors how these foods came to America and why they are so beloved now. I’m also very proud to have so many women of color on my team for this book and excitedly express that whenever I can. H: What is your favorite thing to eat in the winter months? T: I love low and slow food during the winter months. Staples +5 has a recipe for red beans and rice, slow-cooked black-eyed peas, taco chili, and roast chicken. All of these take time and care. They stick to your ribs, as my mom would say, and make you feel cozy. H: What else do you want Hope readers to know about you or your new book? T: I hope Staples +5 empowers people to get in the kitchen and get creative with what they have. As grocery store shelves become bare again, this book is a guide to help navigate that without worry or fear. H: Where do you find hope every day? T: I find hope in the kitchen. Beyoncé is playing in the background. A rolling pin or santoku knife in my hand. I feel like I can change the world in those moments. Z

Sydni Ellis loves talking about her passions: writing, shopping, and reading all things spooky and/or swoony. Follow her on Twitter @sydnimellis to see her latest stories — and 500+ pictures of her two blonde babies.