Thomas Williams uses food for good

by Amy Campbell

S9:E44. 12/31/2022

Thomas Williams, Uses Food for Good

In this show we visit with Thomas Williams - a Nashville Native who is heavily involved in the business of helping his community through food. And in these times of trouble that we are all living in right now, I thought it would be good to feature this story and how together we can really help to make our communities better. Fred Sauceman features a couple from Jonesboro TN who make a well traveled egg nog with a taste of Kentucky in his Pot Luck Radio series. Thank you so much for tuning in today, I really appreciate your good company

As a response to the devastating floods that affected Nashville in 2010, Thomas Williams along with several of his chef friends created fundraiser dinners, later named Nourish Dinners that raised money for the Community Resource Center, and Mobile Loaves and Fishes in Nashville and over the years, Mobile Meals and Fishes has become the Nashville Food Project. These fundraising dinners and are still going and have raised over a million and a half dollars for The Nashville Food Project. The Nashville Food Project and their Mission is to provide fresh, nutritious food to Nashville’s working poor and homeless communities. In this show today, we speak more on the positive impact the Nashville Food Project has on the Nashville Community.

Links:

Thomas Williams, Cornbread Consulting: http://cornbreadconsulting.com/

The Nashville Food Project: https://www.thenashvillefoodproject.org/

Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

Good luck food recipes:

Asian Noodles & Greens from Mary ‘Dee Dee” Constantine (Retired Food writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel):

Ingredients:


  • Angel Hair pasta (or any long noodles you would like to use)
  • Fresh, washed Collard greens
  • Sesame Oil
  • Olive Oil
  • sesame seed
  • Salt
  • Red Papper Flakes


Directions:
 Bring pasta to a boil and add collards to boiling water and leave in there until pasta is cooked.
 In a large, separate pan, saute mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil and soy sauce.
 Drain pasta and collards.
 Add drained pasta and collards to the pan with the mushrooms.
 Sprinkle with Sesame Oil, Sesame seed, a little salt, some red pepper flakes for a kick and serve warm.

……………
 “Smoky Mountain Sushi Recipe TM”, by Amy Campbell from The Tennessee Farm Table Podcast & Broadcast (www.TennesseeFarmTable.com)

  • Link to video of Amy demonstrating how to make “Smoky Mountain Sushi” on WBIR Channel 10 Television Live at 5 at 4. https://www.wbir.com/video/news/local/five-at-four/on-a-roll-try-this-smoky-mountain-sushi/51-af11d72c-992f-4034-aef9-6888dca4f54d 


    “Smoky Mountain Sushi” - an appetizer I made for New Year’s Day, but had such a favorable response to this recipe on social media, I have decided to demonstrate this as an “any time appetizer with an Appalachian Smoky Mountain Flare”. (This is not made with fish, but rather, made with country ham, sautéed collard greens, and black eyed peas) Yield: 20 rolls Ingredients:
- One bunch of fresh collard greens

    • 10 slices of prosciutto (which is extremely thin sliced country ham) - You can buy prosciuttos in lots of different places, but the better prosciutto is well aged. And I like to use Allan Benton’s - because it is well aged, and produced right down the road in Madisonville, TN.
    • Black eyes peas, either canned, or cooked from dry. (You will need 1 cup for every 20 rolls)

Directions:


  • Triple wash the collard greens to remove all sand, shake dry, set aside on dry towel.
    • Lay out your ingredients in a “work area” or a large cutting board.
    • Cut each slice of Prosciutto across widest part so you end up with 2 “half moon” sheets per piece of prosciutto. (buy as many slices as you need for the crew you are preparing these for. Each slice of Prosciutto will yield 2 rolls)
    • Place 1 cup prepared black eyed peas out on your work area.
    • Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a small sautéed pan, and quickly sautéed for 12 - 3 minutes chopped collard greens in oil. Do this quickly, so they do NOT loose their vibrant green color, remove from pan and set aside on work surface.

To Assemble:

  • On each 1/2 slice of Prosciutto, place about 1 tsp of black eyed peas.
    • Place 1 tsp sautéed collard greens.
    • Fold up up ends to keep stuffing contained and root up like a little egg roll. Place seam side down so they don’t “unroll”
    • Place on a pretty dish and serve. These can be made a day in advance, can be served at room temperature, and are not fussy! Enjoy! ……………. Vasillopita Cake Recipe link: Recipe from Krystina Castella and photography from Renee Anjanette Photography: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/vasilopita-361412

Amy Campbell and Thomas Williams in Nashville, 2019.