The Storied Recipe Rebecca Hadeed

I think the best way to introduce to you today’s guest, Accamma Nanjappa, is to read an excerpt of her recipe submission. 



She says, “It must be noted that the Kodavas or the people of Coorg are not just warriors, but are also children of nature. Hence all our major festivals are celebrations of nature. And what is a celebration without food?”



Today Accamma takes us far, far away into the high hills and deep forests of Kodagu, where the Kodava people still observe ancient traditions around the cycle of sowing, planting, and harvesting. In addition to educating me on the language and history of the Kodavas, Accamma shares very personal memories of celebratory nights spent on her family’s plantation marking the harvest of first rice, then coffee, mandarins, and black pepper. 



As for Accamma’s Storied Recipe, this is the first time a guest ever gave me a recipe that began with the instructions, “Make the flour”! However, as Accamma walked me through the process of making Thambuttu, which, in her words is like gluten-free, unbaked thick banana (covered with ghee, nutty unhulled sesame seeds, and fresh coconut shavings), I grew much more confident - and, of course, learned a lot too. I mean, did you know you could turn rice into a flour in just 20 minutes? I didn’t!



Two more quick notes:




Accamma and I began communicating about a year ago, when I released an episode with Kaveri Ponnapa titled, “Vanishing Things: Monsoons, Mushrooms, and Culture.” You’ll definitely want to listen to this one as well - find the link in the show notes!



Accamma owns BeanSong Coffee, a coffee company that ships WORLDWIDE. Some of her coffee beans are grown on the very plantation she was raised on; others come from the birthplace of coffee in India. I had so much to learn about the Coorg people AND the coffee business, I’ve actually split our conversation into two episodes. So you can look forward to hearing more from Accamma in the next one - 




But more on that later - for now, Welcome Accamma and thank you all for being here!







Highlights




Why I was intimidated by Thambutti (“Make your own flour)



Details about the 3 festivals of the Kodava people - worship of tools & weapons, worship of the spring, worship of the harvest



What the thunder and lighting signified….



Why July and August were deemed inausipicious



The very ancient history of the Coorg people, going back to the Greeks and Alexander



Women warriors? And who were the warring against?



Beginning boarding school at 4.5 years old



Other foods at the Puthari festival



Coorg larders - and how to protect their food from cats!



The large family homes that last for generations with rooms for each clan




Listen to Accamma Now









Images from the Puthari Celebrations in Coorg





















Images from BeanSong Coffee

































Accamma's Storied Recipe: Thambuttu




https://thestoriedrecipe.com/thambuttu-no-bake-banana-dessert-from-india




Find Accamma and Bean Song Coffee



Visit the BeanSong Website





Print of the Month Sale!





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Murielle has been working on her debut cookbook for 4 years and last month, it was finally released to immediate acclaim. For the last 4 years, I’ve known, for sure that whatever Murielle produced would be well worth the wait. And indeed, her cookbook is visually stunning and full of vegan recipes that are inspired by her own global heritage - and that appeal to omnivores like me and my family. I’ve already given a copy of this book to a friend of mine, who excitedly texted me to say she had as many recipes dogeared as I have in my copy. 

Chef Larry Nguyen share's his family origin story, lessons learned in the hard world of restaurant work, and the art and science of fermentation.

Today I’m welcoming Ruth Newman to the podcast, a “cookier” who specializes in creating intricately decorated sugar cookies for showers, charities, and friends. However, she has never felt the urge to turn her beloved hobby into a career. 



And that, in fact, is exactly the reason she is my guest today. In 2024, I wanted at least some of the episodes I release to be just easy, meandering conversations with everyday people that I’ve never met before. Without publicists or books, series, or movements to sell, sometimes it's everyday people who restore our faith in the power of food and remind us to nurture and celebrate connections to our closest people, the people who, quite frankly, may cheer for us, but don’t really care what we do or how successful we are.



Ruth begins by sharing her recipe for German Rouladen, a complicated beef dish she made for the 200 guests at her only child’s wedding. After discussing the recipe and a day so special it still stand out in Ruth’s memory 25 years later, we wind our way through topics and stories, ending with the people who are supporting Ruth and her husband through his Parkinson’s disease, which has now reached a 4th stage. 



While I’ve got some powerhouse episodes lined to share with you in the next few weeks - and I’m thrilled, honored, and excited to share those episodes - I know I will not enjoy them any more than this simple discussion with Ruth about the memories and values that truly make a life worth living. Thank you, Ruth!



Highlights




A day so special Ruth clearly remembers it 25 years later



The best daughter-in-law in the world ;-)



All the tips on making this complicated Rouladen (beef rolled around pickles and cooked in gravy!) recipe



Is lean bacon a thing?



A day of preparation! :-) Wringing out hundreds of potatoes in towels!



What makes German potato salad different



Ruth’s special relationship with her only child and how food and cooking solidified the recipe



Memories of Yan Can Cook on PBS 



The German -> Russia -> North America migration pattern



Newman - Neumann



Memories of her father and uncle speaking German, playing German music, and teaching them German polkas - and hearty German dishes with delicious desserts



Ruth’s real interest: baking, decorated cookies, and scones (Lemon Cream Scones!!)



Cookie and scone tips!



Parkinson’s - The diagnosis, the advance, how it has changed her husband, and how we can support friends with the disease. 



All the people who support Ruth in their Parkinson’s trial








Listen to Ruth Now









Ruth's Storied Recipe: German Beef Rouladen




https://thestoriedrecipe.com/how-to-make-beef-rouladen-the-traditional-german-way/




Connect with Ruth Newman



Email: ruthnewman@mac.com





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A conversation with Alda Sigmondsdottir about her favorite Icelandic recipe and her powerful new memoir written at the intersection of childhood trauma, mental health, and spiritual healing.

Icelandic Chef Stefan discusses how Prir Frakkar “dared to be different” by creating an elevated menu from traditional Icelandic dishes, using almost exclusively Icelandic ingredients. We go into his family’s story, of course, and he educates me on the whaling industry, the Icelandic financial crisis in 2008, the resulting boom in tourism, and much more.