Food People, Parent Picks: Taffy's Favorite Things
The co-author of The Juneteenth Cookbook shares her ultimate comfort food, and why cheese is always the answer.
Today, we’re pausing to honor Juneteenth, a day that marks freedom, resilience, and reflection. We’re wishing you a meaningful day of remembrance, learning, and connection — in your kitchens and beyond. If you want a great resource for teaching your kids about Juneteenth, you can check out The Juneteenth Story by Taffy’s co-author, Alliah L. Agostini.
In our segment, Food People, Parent Picks, we ask our favorite chefs, food writers, and industry insiders who we interview in our Order Up! Series to share the products, books, and bites they can’t live without.
🥔 One Potato is a reader-supported newsletter - paid subscribers have access to the full archive of Recipes and Specials Interviews and Community Voices for $5/month or $45/year.
Did you read our interview with Chef Taffy Elrod—culinary educator, recipe developer, and co-author of The Juneteenth Cookbook: Recipes and Activities for Kids and Families to Celebrate? Taffy invites families to explore the rich tapestry of African American history through food, offering kid-friendly recipes and engaging activities that celebrate Juneteenth.
Taffy shared her journey from a multiracial household in Michigan to becoming a professional chef in New York's Hudson Valley. She emphasized the importance of involving children in the kitchen, not just to teach cooking skills, but to foster a deeper understanding of cultural heritage and history. Her approach transforms cooking into a meaningful family experience, where stories are shared, and traditions are passed down.
From dishes like smoky-sweet barbecue sauce to creamy red beans and rice, Taffy's recipes are designed to be both accessible and delicious, encouraging families to cook together and reflect on the significance of freedom and community. This Juneteenth, her work serves as a reminder of how food can be a powerful tool for education and connection. Check out some of her favorite things!
📖 A book that inspired you (but isn’t a cookbook)?
I recently listened to a lovely Japanese novel called Days at the Morisaki Bookshop—it’s about a young woman who finds healing while working in her uncle’s bookstore in Tokyo. [Bookshop.org, Amazon]
But the book that really changed everything for me is The Africa Cookbook by Jessica B. Harris. It opened my eyes to what food writing and food history could be—and showed me that my voice had a place in this work. [Bookshop.org, Amazon]
💃🏽 What do you love to do when you’re not cooking?
I’m a big reader—even if these days I’m mostly listening to audiobooks on my commute. I miss the long subway rides where I could really dig into a book! I love anything creative: comedy, music, dance. I got to see the Alvin Ailey Dance Company before the holidays, and it filled my soul. Give me something funny or beautiful and I’m happy.
🧀 What’s always in your fridge?
Cheese. Always. And butter. But definitely cheese.
🍽️ Your go-to meal when time is tight?
A veggie stir-fry with whatever I’ve got on hand—tonight it’s tofu, zucchini, cabbage, and peppers. I love chopping vegetables, so it’s both meditative and fast for me. I always have onions around too. Sometimes I serve it with rice, sometimes not—depends how hungry we are!
🍲 What’s your ultimate comfort food?
Mac and cheese. It’s the obvious answer and the only answer.
🍳 Kitchen tool you can’t live without?
My knives! I love my Messermeisters, and I’ve got a couple of older knives we found at estate sales that I swear by. But I always tell people: make sure you have one solid, heavy-bottomed pot or skillet. If it’s oven-safe and deep enough, you can use it to braise, bake, fry, stew, boil—whatever. A pot you trust makes everything easier.
🧂 Is there an ingredient or shortcut you swear by?
There’s this spice blend called Vegeta—my husband introduced me to it. It’s a European seasoning mix and it instantly boosts the flavor of almost anything. We always keep it stocked.
🍱 Favorite gadget or item that helps busy parents?
Honestly? Good containers. The kind you actually like using, that make the food visible and accessible—especially if your kids are old enough to grab snacks on their own. They don’t need to look Instagram-perfect, but if they help you avoid an avalanche every time you open the fridge? Game changer.
🌶️ Small food brand you love to support?
Yes! Hot N Saucy is a Black woman-owned hot sauce company based in New York, and her sauces are so good. They’re all made with vegetables and have a range of heat levels—even a mild one with pepperoncini and garlic that’s sweet and amazing on eggs. Each flavor is totally unique.
🍚 If you could splurge on one kitchen item…
A really nice rice cooker. I don’t even have space for one right now, but I dream about it.
📖 A cookbook that shaped you?
The Africa Cookbook by Jessica B. Harris, hands down. I remember pulling it off a shelf in a bookstore in Michigan, totally by chance, and being floored. It was the first time I saw food scholarship that reflected African foodways—it changed how I saw myself and what I could do in the food world.
One product that makes weeknight dinners easier?
I recently realized there are so many high-quality pre-cooked beans, rice blends, and dals that come in pouches—not cans—and don’t have a bunch of additives. If you add something fresh, they’re a lifesaver on busy nights. Also? Potatoes. Microwaved and ready to go in the fridge. I said what I said!
🧀 Favorite food-related gift to give or receive?
Birthday cheese! A few years ago I decided I’m not really a birthday cake person—I’m a cheese person. So now every year, I ask my foodie friends for their favorite cheese picks, and I build a new cheese board. It’s become a tradition, and honestly? Life-changing.
[At One Potato, this is one of our favorite gifts, too! Head on over to our friends at Zingerman’s Mail Order, to create your own ultimate cheese tray with three cheeses of your own selection. Click here for their 3 Cheeses plus Bread Customizable Gift Box - ships nationwide!]