food

Family drama simmers in ‘Sancocho’

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By John Lyle Belden

Food – like language and music – is an essential part of culture, and peoples all over the world have their signature dishes. In Latin America, that includes sancocho (from the Spanish verb for parboil), a rich stew made with various meats, vegetables and tubers. For Puerto Ricans, both on the island and in New York City, every family has a recipe passed down through generations. According to the Edible Manhattan website, sancocho “is a staple of family gatherings and celebrations, a meal designed as much for sharing as for sustenance.”

In “Sancocho: A Culinary & Culturally Immersive Play” by Christian Eve Cato, presented by Cultura Live Indy at The District Theatre, two sisters prepare the stew, but the truly spicy “dish” is their conversation.

Caridad (Alicia Sims), the older sister, prepares the dish as she was taught by their mother. Renata (Yolanda Valdivia), who is 25 years younger, was encouraged instead to study and is now an attorney, lamenting her lack of kitchen skills. There are other visible differences between them. Caridad has darker skin and her children are grown, while fair-skinned Renata is very pregnant with her first child (a daughter). Their mother has passed and their father – who each remembers differently – is dying.

Renata wants to discuss the details of their father’s will; Caridad wants her to cut up the yams.

While the stew simmers, the conversation often comes to a boil as past resentments surface, as well as experiences remembered differently, and finally some serious family secrets. As it often is with siblings, nothing boils over as humor and attempts at understanding are sprinkled in. The secret ingredient of sancocho, after all, is love.

And I don’t just mean “simmers” metaphorically or stage-pretending. A Dutch oven style vessel sets on a heated surface onstage in the intimate District cabaret. Stage crew start the broth prior to the show, and ingredients are added throughout the play, bringing aroma and authenticity to the scene. Afterward, as well as an opportunity to meet the playwright, there will be samples of sancocho served by Cultura Live Indy in the lobby.

Directed by Andres Lopez, we get wonderfully raw performances of a relationship that’s been more tested than either care to admit. Their different perspectives are painfully obvious at the beginning and must be reconciled before they can share the meal. Valdivia presents Renata as a Millennial feeling detached from her roots, consumed by the business of the present. Sims (“The UnCuT Diamond”) as Caridad feels the weight of the past, especially now. The process of cooking for her is not just a chore, it is a necessary catalyst for what is happening now, and about to happen.

Lopez said he had reached out to Cato before taking on this project, ensuring he would be the right person to “shepherd” (his word) the play – his roots being in Mexico rather than Puerto Rico. Dramaturg Taylor Harmon, an IU graduate living in Boston, applied her studies in Latinx culture to help with the show’s recipe. Other important ingredients include stage manager Rick Northam, production manager Kelly Kel, and tech director Jess Knutson.

A delicious and satisfying experience all around, gather for “Sancocho” Friday through Sunday, Nov. 13-15, at 627 Massachusetts Ave., downtown Indianapolis. Get tickets at indydistricttheatre.org.

‘Blackademics’ serves challenging menu

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By John Lyle Belden

Inspired by television shows and networks devoted to the culinary arts, many of us would love the opportunity for a unique dining experience. It could be said to be careful what you ask for, but for a pair of “Blackademics,” one doesn’t start to understand the nature of what they have gotten into until after that first tiny bite.

Ann (AshLee Baskin), professor at the local liberal arts University, is grateful for a nearly-impossible reservation to this unique café. She wants to celebrate her gaining tenure with her friend Rachelle (Chandra Lynch) who also teaches African-American literature, but at the State college. Curiously, the room is bare. Their server, Georgia (Caroline Sanchez), tells them they are the only guests, and the courses will come soon – but first, a single morsel from a “medley of seeds.”

It takes some time for even a single table to arrive. As the evening progresses, it turns out that Ann and Rachelle must compete for literally everything – a chair, a small plate of food, a utensil – in contests that relate to their careers, academic savvy, and cultural awareness.

“Blackademics,” a dark comedy by Idris Goodwin presented by Fonseca Theatre Company, directed by Ansley Valentine, draws us into an absurdist work – echoes of Samuel Beckett with a dash of “Get Out,” flavored with today’s civil rights struggles. While great progress was made over the last century, many frustrating details remain unresolved, including the disparity in numbers, especially of Black Women, in policy positions of universities.

Questions, such as if Ann can actually affect change from her tenured position, or how Rachelle deals with being “not ethnic enough” for the current academic trends, get a gourmet reduction to a mélange of metaphor. Will defending Black History Month literally get you a place at the table? The competition doesn’t end until the meal is over; who will be worthy of the main course?

Sanchez is delightful with just a touch of sinister as our witty waitress, keeping the audience and our two ladies guessing until her nature finally gets the best of her. Baskin and Lynch ably embody the stress of doing what they see as both labor and calling. Even their assumed sisterhood is challenged – are they only friends because they’re Black?

The Twilight-Zonish goings-on help make the big issues easier to chew, and after this intense 80-minute play, you can discuss the topics later, maybe over dinner.

Make your reservation for “Blackademics,” Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., 4 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays, through March 31 at 2508 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis. Info and tickets at FonsecaTheatre.org.

Even the bitterest fruit can revive sweet memories

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By Wendy Carson

The term “comfort food” exists for a reason. Some of our happiest and most vivid memories consist of the scent and taste of a dish that exudes love and safety. Therefore, even though the apples are not as sweet and fresh in the dead of winter, a home-baked pie can still transform a dank prison cell into the warm, inviting kitchen of one’s childhood.

This is the crux of Jennifer Fawcett’s new play, “Apples in Winter,” at the Phoenix Theatre.

Miriam arrives in a prison kitchen to bake the apple pie that is her condemned son’s last request, under the watchful eye of the guards. The audience bears witness to her efforts and the story of how she came to be in this situation.

Her story is all too common: A loving mother does the best she can to raise her child well. However, due to forces beyond her control (or were they?), he turns down a darker path. Was she too naïve to realize what was happening or to prevent his escalation? That you can decide on your own, you are merely here to listen to her tale. Judgement has already been made and is what has brought us all to this place and time.

Jan Lucas gives a poignantly heart-wrenching performance as Miriam. She deftly brings forth the loving memories of her radiant child but never pulls the punches on the troubled soul he evolved into. She perfectly turns the wretched situation into a confession of love, guilt, and sorrow, without overwhelming the audience with bitterness.

Now, a few words about that pie. During this show, Lucas actually prepares and bakes an apple pie, from scratch, in front of the audience. At the end, a lucky audience member wins it in a charity raffle to bring it home for their own consumption. Tickets are sold before the performance, which has no intermission.

John and I happened to win the pie on the night we attended (winter weather limited the audience, helping our odds, and it was truly a random drawing – yes, John paid for his ticket). So, to share our bounty, I feel that a short review of the pie is appropriate: First, it is beautifully made with a lattice-style top. The crust was lighter and crisper than I’ve had before (more like a cookie), and my favorite part. Though the apples used were not the best quality (as per the script, and it being January), they were perfectly spiced and brought forth a nice flavor. I suggest serving it with a scoop of a quality vanilla ice cream to fully enjoy the experience.

All in all, this show is a moving tribute to a mother’s love and determination to persevere throughout whatever challenges she must face. Performances continue through Jan. 27 at the Phoenix, 705 N. Illinois St.; call 317-635-7529 or visit phoenixtheatre.org.

Sharing a sweet treat with family

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NOTE: Usually we do reviews of plays we’ve seen and games we’ve played, but everyone’s gotta eat — and when an award-winning Indiana confectioner appealed to our sweet tooth, we had to bite. Enjoy:

By Wendy Carson

Last month, 240 Sweet of Columbus, Ind., sent me a special treat box of marshmallows & hot chocolate to try out and review. I took it along with me down to our Thanksgiving visit to the family so that they could help us try it out and here is the result:

First of all, the hot chocolate mix is aptly named “Decadent Drinking Chocolate” and we all agreed that this was undoubtedly the most delicious hot chocolate any of us had ever tasted. It was rich and had a perfect balance of flavors which made it an excellent conductor for the marshmallows. Since the mix is blended with real milk and heated on the stovetop, that is likely part of the reason it is so delicious.

Now, on to the marshmallows. We were given two different flavors to try: Sugar Cookie and Bourbon Brown Sugar. Each flavor was tasted on its own and in the hot chocolate.

The Bourbon Brown Sugar was yummy but had a distinctive bourbon flavor, so it was only enjoyed by the adults in the group. Those that were non-drinkers of alcoholic beverages were not keen on them due to the bourbon flavor. However, the rest of us thought they were delicious. They blended with the cocoa very well and were amazing when lightly toasted to bring out the full caramelized flavor of the sugar & alcohol. The verdict: A must for anyone who is known to imbibe, but a definite pass for those who abstain.

The Sugar Cookie flavor was tried by everyone and almost unanimously enjoyed. The children loved the taste and were pleasantly surprised yet delighted by the crunch of the cookie bits in each one. One adult, however, felt the crunchy bits gave the marshmallow a gritty texture. These marshmallows were a perfect addition to the hot chocolate. The flavors blended together to enrich each other without either overpowering. Since everyone tried these, we weren’t able to save any back for toasting – but I have sampled one before so I do know it has a very good taste, and again, the cookie bits are an unexpected delight.

We also need to note that one of our tasters doesn’t like marshmallows or sugar cookies and his opinion was that they were “very interesting.” He was surprised that he actually liked them and felt he would be open to having them again.

Our one complaint was that the marshmallow bags were not reseal-able. Since it is unlikely that all of the marshmallows will be consumed in one sitting, some sort of closure to ensure freshness would be recommended.

Overall, we were greatly delighted by the treat box and feel that it would be a worthy splurge (it lists for $35) for the holiday season.  You can purchase this item (or one like it) from their website www.240sweet.com; or at one of the many handicraft and arts fairs around the Indy area, like Yelp’s Totally Bazaar (6:30 p.m. this Thursday at the Indianapolis Central Library, see here for details).