Can you believe it?! Juneteenth is an official holiday!!! Today’s blog post has major significance because upon the moment that I press the publish button, it will be the first day that Juneteenth is observed officially by the United States federal government as a national holiday. What a blessing in the year of our lord 2021! To celebrate, I decided to share with you a fabulous Juneteenth menu that will bring inspiration to what you plan to prepare for this year's holiday. 

I’m full of joy because it’s taken too long to showcase the importance of our true Independence Day as Black Americans. Erasure and whitewashing of our history is constantly occurring, so it feels good to have our experiences validated. Honestly, it’s nice to have a win under our belts. As always, the struggle continues so we need a bit of repose to get through it. Juneteenth is an important holiday so it’s imperative that we continue to educate ourselves and keep the stories alive of this moment in history. Black joy is beautiful and we must celebrate!

Before I share the menu, here is an excerpt about the history of Juneteenth also known as Freedom Day that I wrote last year…

“Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, is the celebration of the complete and true end date of chattel slavery of African people in the United States of America. The Emancipation Proclamation was the start of the movement toward abolishing slavery effectively in the rebellion states of the Confederacy on January 1, 1863. However, it wasn’t abolished fully until two and a half years later because of the remote location of the state of Texas as well as the lax enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation due to low numbers of Union soldiers in the state. One main reason the order was defied for so long was that the plantation owners wanted to make money on one last crop harvest before being forced to free their chattel slaves. On June 19th, 1865, the Union army read General Orders No. 3 to the enslaved people of the last slavery stronghold in Galveston, Texas, effectively freeing all slaves in the confederacy states.”

-A Certain Aesthetic (Spiced Citrus Sun Tea with Mint Juneteenth Homage)

You can read more details about the history of Juneteenth as well as enjoy a delicious recipe of citrus sun tea by clicking —> here ;)

Now onto the menu! For this year’s Juneteenth menu, I wanted to cook dishes that gave a nod to the past and present. The reason being is that the past is the foundation for our traditions and the present is how we create new ones. When it comes to food, I think of the past and how I learned to cook my family’s prized dishes from holiday gatherings, Sunday dinners, and shared memories. Below you’ll see photos of dishes that are southern traditional favorites such as smothered pork chops, fried okra, stewed cabbage with potatoes, and the coveted potato salad. As you should know, it is an honor and privilege to make potato salad in Black families. You know you’ve made it in cooking when you’re asked to make it by folks who are older than you! I will say with pride and my head held high that I am grateful to be part of this elite group, haha! 

One dish that I love and has true significance to the past is my Grandma’s butter beans that are topped with sweet baked tomatoes. I remember the first time I had it as a kid and my taste buds went into overdrive! The tomatoes were sweet and savory and my goodness, they paired perfectly with those fat butter beans. What’s beautiful about this dish is that the sweet baked tomatoes topping is a recipe that my Great Grandma taught my Grandma how to make. Recently, I had the privilege of my Grandma teaching me how to make it via FaceTime while living here in Japan and I felt so proud. I knew this was the perfect side dish to make for Juneteenth because it’s a look to the past that has been passed forward to the future of our family. 

For the present, I’ve created new dishes that speak to our traditions and also have a contemporary flair. I find it important to have a diverse menu so folks with different palates can enjoy this meal as well. Because of this, I knew that my recipe for Rosemary and Lemon Shrimp Kabobs would be a perfect addition to the menu. Having a seafood option is a great idea to include in a Juneteenth menu because many of our ancestors lived in coastal regions of the United States, where their diets consisted of fish, crab, shrimp, oysters, and more! 

I had to include watermelon because having that first bite of it always sends the signal that summer has officially arrived. It’s sweet, refreshing, and cooling for those hot days at the cookout! For this menu, I decided to elevate it and serve it sliced in quarters with a drizzle of agave nectar, a squeeze of lime juice, and fresh mint leaves. It’s amazing, I promise! ;)

Lastly, for the beverage, it’s traditional to serve red drinks, specifically strawberry soda and hibiscus tea, because the color red represents the bloodshed, resilience, and strength during slavery. There’s also another reason which is that hibiscus flowers and kola nuts are from West Africa and they were brought over during the slave trade. When steeped, these ingredients colored the water red and were served as tea.

The tradition of serving this type of tea has carried on ever since. For this year’s Juneteenth menu I decided to make a spiced citrus hibiscus tea that has notes of cinnamon, allspice, clove, and nutmeg. It’s absolutely delicious and it never lasts more than a day or two! 

As we enjoy this now official government-recognized holiday, be sure to take time out for remembrance. Share prayers and memories with one another, read books from the past to reignite our resolve, and pour libations for those who passed on to become ancestors. 

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this year’s Juneteenth menu and I can’t wait to hear about what you plan to serve as you celebrate with the ones you love. Feel free to leave a comment below and reach out to me via email or social media @acertainaesthetic. Take care of yourselves, love each other and I’ll see you soon with new ingredients and recipes! 

-Shari :)

P.S. I have a feeling you may need an idea for dessert so check out this Strawberry & Kumquat Mini Trifle recipe. It’s a winner!

Photography & Styling by A Certain Aesthetic