Free Roots Cooking Classes Bring Ethiopian and Plant-Based Traditions to Minneapolis
Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry previews Edible Boulevards' Roots cooking class series, part of the Minneapolis nonprofit's Celebrating Our Roots program centering Black, African American and BIPOC culinary traditions. Classes run August 8 at Heart Space Garden, where Tigist Feyisa of Lulu EthioVegan Cuisine teaches Miser Wot, and September 12 at Story Garden, where Kelly Shay of Harmonious World and Wellness teaches Garden Nettle & Dandelion Chickpea Lettuce Boats. Each session includes a cooking demonstration, tasting and garden tour.
Food has always been a staple in African American culture and consuming it is something we all have in common, but knowing how to prepare a meal is a different story for some.
Edible Boulevards, a non-profit in Minneapolis, hopes to make both statements true by offering a free series of cooking classes on Black and African American culinary traditions open to all.
What to Expect
During the Roots cooking classes, community members will learn how to make traditional Ethiopian dishes and plant-based meals rooted in wellness and culture.
Each class will feature a live cooking demonstration of an affordable, nutritious entree, with a focus on garden-fresh ingredients. Anteedes can also learn how to harvest ingredients for the meals.
Following the demonstration, participants are invited to sample the dish, take a tour of the garden and pick a copy of the prepared recipe.
Roots Cooking Class Dishes and Details
- Saturday, August 8: Heart Space Garden at 2616 18th Ave. S. 11 a.m. – noon. Instructed by Tigist Feyisa, owner of Lulu EthioVegan Cuisine, who will teach attendees how to make Miser Wot.
- Saturday, September 12: Story Garden at 3500 Humboldt Ave. N. 11 a.m. – noon. Kelly Shay, the founder of Harmonious World and Wellness, is instructing Garden Nettle & Dandelion Chickpea Lettuce Boats.
- You must register for each class if attending via Zoom.
Organizers say the classes are part of Edible Boulevard’s Celebrating Our Roots annual series that centers BIPOC voices and traditions from the Minneapolis Green Zone neighborhood.