Kwanzaa Culinarians

Recipes and Food Stories from the African Diaspora

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Creative Giving for the Improving the Community

Celebrating Kwanzaa was not a ritual practiced by my family; in fact, I had no idea what Kwanzaa meant. While obtaining my degree in Africana Studies from NCSU, I learned … Continue reading →

December 31, 2011
No Knead 1

Ed Sargent of Weekend Food Projects Celebrates Imani

Ed Sargent is the do-it-yourself force behind Weekend Food Projects. His blog is dedicated to food, food issues, and food photography with a strong focus on organic, local ingredients and … Continue reading →

December 31, 2011 · 3 Comments
Kwanzaa Kuumba Bear Red and Black Velvet Cake

Kwanzaa Kuumba Bear Red and Black Velvet Cake

I feel traditions take stronger root when we are young… Twirling my hair, I envisioned a Kuumba Bear. On a checked cushion of red, black, and green, I dared to … Continue reading →

December 31, 2011 · 1 Comment

Kujichagulia + Cinnamon Frosted Fig Pecan Scones

The Kwanzaa Principle of Kujichagulia (koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-yah) refers to self-determination. It speaks to defining ourselves, naming ourselves, creating for ourselves and speaking for ourselves. When I decided to start blogging, I wasn’t … Continue reading →

December 27, 2011 · 1 Comment

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Learn more about Kwanzaa

The word "Kwanzaa" comes from the phrase, "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first-fruits." Kwanzaa's extra "a" evolved as a result of a particular history of the Organization Us. It was clone as an expression of African values in order to inspire the creativity of our children. In the early days of Us, there were seven children who each wanted to represent a letter of Kwanzaa. Since kwanza (first) has only six letters, we added an extra "a" to make it seven, thus creating "Kwanzaa." To learn more about Kwanzaa, visit the Official Kwanzaa Website.