Kiva Williams’ Juneteenth table will feature red foods like barbecued ribs and watermelon, symbols of freedom, along with hot dogs, burgers, potato salad and baked beans. Sometimes it will also feature foods from her past, like fried fish, spaghetti and coleslaw, her “favorite thing from back home” in Tennessee.
For Williams, who runs the blog Fun Foodie Mama, the celebration is smaller and more recent: The 44-year-old wasn’t one to celebrate Juneteenth as a child — her parents told her about the holiday, but she never celebrated it.
But “as I grew older and had my own family, I realized I wanted to be more intentional about celebrating with my kids,” she says, adding that she wanted to pass on the celebrations, recipes and culinary traditions to her children. She and her family attend local festivals, spend time learning about holidays and, of course, come together over food.
Red foods are a tradition on Juneteenth, the annual commemoration of the liberation of the last enslaved Africans in Galveston, Texas, two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The scarlet color symbolizes ingenuity and perseverance during slavery. Three years after Juneteenth became a national holiday, people are forming their own traditions.
Karen Tsimanga, 37, of Harlem, the daughter of Congolese parents who grew up in Paris, started celebrating Juneteenth in 2020 after the George Floyd protests.
She celebrates the holiday in many ways: by eating, dancing, laughing, volunteering, and when it comes to food, she hosts potlucks with friends and sets the table with foods from different parts of the world.
“We are fortunate to have access to the best West African cuisine, so I love taking time to go back to my roots,” she says, as we tuck into dibi (Senegalese-style grilled lamb) and atieke (slightly sour cassava couscous), a savory meat stew served over rice.
The menu below doesn’t have to be tedious or intimidating, even if you’re not usually the host. Light, bright, fresh and fun, this menu has a festive feel to it, and is all made with the intention of feeding your loved ones. Dishes include strawberry ginger limeade, garlic chicken sandwiches topped with crunchy coleslaw, a hearty shrimp jambalaya, crunchy okra drizzled in a sweet honey-based sauce for sharing, and a bright red strawberry pretzel bar to finish it off.
Make some of the dishes, make them all, or make it your way.
Red drinks are central to Juneteenth, as the color symbolizes the blood of slaves. Strawberry soda is often served, but this punch builds on that tradition by adding a unique sweetness from honey, a refreshing kick from lime juice and mint, and a tangy warmth from ginger. It’s also a great way to use up overripe strawberries. (It’s better to use overripe strawberries, as underripe strawberries can taste bitter.) Add a squeeze of lime juice and pour over ice for an extra flavor boost.
recipe: Strawberry Ginger Limeade
Two cloves of garlic sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil form the sandwich’s base. Tender chicken thighs are well seasoned and pan-fried in garlic oil until golden brown. Red cabbage slaw on top and bottom of the chicken adds crunch, and because it’s vinegar-based (not mayonnaise-based), it won’t keep out too long—but your guests will likely eat it long before then.
recipe: Garlic chicken sandwich with red cabbage slaw
A flavorful rice dish with obscure origins, deep Louisiana history and influences as varied as African, Spanish and French, shrimp jambalaya is the ultimate comfort food. Here, both the rice and shrimp are cooked separately in the oven rather than on the stove, making it hassle-free. It can be enjoyed as a meal on its own, but is also great as part of a spread.
Kwame Onwuachi serves a different version of this dish at his acclaimed New York restaurant, Tatiana. While he cuts it in half and deep-fries it, this version cuts it into quarters so every piece is extra crispy. It’s lightly coated in a vibrant honey sauce full of Scotch bonnet chilli, ginger and tangy garlic. The flavour is rich but not overpowering, bringing out the beauty of the okra. Finish with a sprinkle of mustard powder to taste and a squeeze of lemon and you’re ready to serve New York’s tiniest dish.
recipe: Crispy okra in spicy honey sauce
A modern take on the classic Strawberry Pretzel Salad, topped with gelatin. Pretzels are tossed in graham cracker crumbs, topped with a light cream cheese mix, and finished with strawberry jam and fresh strawberries for a delicate sweetness. Cut the bars into bite-sized pieces or larger slices. Either way, you’re sure to love this old-but-new dish.
recipe: Strawberry Pretzel Bar
