the anniversary of MLK's passing and revolutionary meals

Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the passing of the Martin Luther King. I listened to the radio while I was cooking dinner for my familia. While the falafels were baking, I heard how before he died, Rev. Lowery, a pastor in Memphis was having a dinner made for MLK. He got the best cooks of the church to cook a meal for Rev. King. I thought about that detail. Getting the best cooks to make a really good dinner for a revered leader.

I thought aloud: "What was that meal? What are the favorite foods of our favorite revolutionaries?" And I have been holding that thought for the whole day.

What did Ché love to eat? What about Rosa Parks, what was her comfort food? We know all these leaders speeches and deeds, but do we know what they love to eat?

What is it, good gente, what is the meal you favorite revolutionary ate? Send me your thoughts about your revolutionary. Be it Alice Waters or Whoopi Goldberg or your mother or even Pablo Neruda. Send me your favorite revolutionary and a story about their meal.

And for you, I give you:

Martin Luther King love Peace and Pecan Pie. A Peaceful Pecan Pie

So for him...I give you a pecan pie because a revolution without dessert is just not tasty.

Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cup pecans

1 cup sugar* see note

1 cup Karo Syrup (light corn syrup)

4 eggs

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla

2 TBL Bourbon (I use Jim Beam)

One 9" unbaked pie shell

Method

Preheat oven to 350

Melt butter in large skillet. I skim away any foam from the cream in the butter that rises to the top. Then toss the nuts into the butter and cook 1-2 minutes until nuts are coated with the butter and warmed. Remove from heat and cool slightly. In another large bowl, whisk together sugar, syrup, and salt. Whisk in eggs one at a time and stir in vanilla and bourbon. Stir in the butter/pecan mixture and pour into prepared unbaked pie shell and bake for 35-45 minutes until the center of the pie is set .

*You can use 1/2 a cup of brown sugar and 1/2 a cup of regular sugar for a more dense, rich pie

I got this from an incredible baker at the Half Baked blog. This sister's cooking is incredible.

Please use organic pecans and remember the struggle of sister Emma Tenayuca (another incredible revolutionaria!!) when you make this pie as well. For all my vegan brothers and sisters, you can try using Earth Balance when you make this dish. And there's a place for a vegan version at Vegan Vanguard!

And remember, find out your revolutionary's favorite meals and recipes. Send them to me at merococinero at gmail dot com or in the comments. Spread the love and the revolution

"I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today -- my own government."
—Martin Luther King
(click here for the source of this quote)