Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / July 11, 1985, edition 1 / Page 18
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Who's Who In The Kitchen WBTV’s Beatrice Thompson Liked Watching PH jSoiK By Audrey C. Ladato ■,-Zl Past Staff Writer _ - ^Beatrice Thompson tells It, "at reljtfal time, the preacher always hattf to ray grandma’s house. She waT like a black Betty Crocker.” Belle Thompson, or "Big M*ma” as WBTV’s news reporter called her, was an inspiration to her granddaughter. “I always liked to watch her cook,” Thompson re calls. • • Her mother’s biscuits are some thing else .Thompson remembers. “Whenever 1 had a slumber party, everyone wanted to know If my mother wag going to fix biscuits in the morning,” she ihuckles. “If I wanted* to be« a saperwoman,” ‘ • Thompson adds, “Pohave to be like my'mama. She can really make a .; doUastetretch.” K' : The ?6urth of Johnny and Helena Thompson’s six children, the 30 year old Charlotte native recounts that, when urban renewal tore up the family’s old residence and her pa-~ rents bought their first home, she helped out by working with her ' mother, cleaning offices. One of the places they cleaned together wasi SWggs. “I told ho- I’d bring her back *»*at there one day,” she relates. ’Wour years ago, I did.”. . 3ierself a bit of a * cook since elementary school, the -television ' journalist wanted to .be a home economics teacher when she was in tfit seventh grade, but her mother p ref erred something more lucrative for her daughter. The only one in her family to go to college, Thompson W-"’ ' i a child, “If I couldn’t be be smart . ” t-pear WBTV veteran is —I to speak to groups, a Jch she enjoys. Her message with her audience. “I like to talk to young black kids about babies having kids. 1 thank older blacfcf: people for what they’ve done. If they were in charge of the money in America, there’d be no deficit. I tell young brothers not to wear, ear rings in their ears." A nephew got the message when she threatened to withhold money' unless the earriig came out. U did. A lot of her. speaking engagements are in South Carolina. Although Thompson has lived in Charlotte since she was six months old, she was born in Chester. “My mom tickles me," she laughs. "She al ways wants to go when I speak there." Helena Thompson enjoys "showing off her daughter to old friends. . Thompson got her start in tele vision while in the eleventh grade at Olympic High School by trying out for the "News and Views” program on Channel 42. She went on to major in broadcast Journalism, with a minor in Afro-American studies, at UNC. "I could’ve been a ‘buppy’ (black ‘yuppy’),” she says, “but I don’t play those games well." Hired by CBS as an intern trainee • at WBTV, the station took her on after six months. Bill Ballard was her first news director. “1*11 always love him,” Thompson declares. “He gave me a chance; he believed' in me. He wasn't a ‘looks* parson." Her first five years at the tele vision station were “a wonderful learning experience, and fun,” . Thompson recalls. More recently, she reveals, she has felt like “the angry Mack woman" at work. “If I don’t-say what I feel, it’s very hard to deal with myself,” she states. Thompson says there’s been a '< change In' the company’s commit- ' raent over the years and, In fol lowing the present trend into “yuppydom,” she wonders if the sta tion la running away from loyal viewers. Thompson admits that the pro blem goes beyond WBTV "There are very few Mack black people on television," she asserts. “If you’re Chocolate cake gets finishing touches with a chocolate glaze-like icing. This one’s not for calorie counters! not a fair-skinned person, your chances are narrower.” She thinks viewers will accept anchors who don’t “fit the took, ” bat “the public is going to have to tot management know,” gie says Summer’s Fresh Fruit Tops All In Popularity There’s nothing like the fresh fruits of the season; even though so if any fruits are now available year round-whether frozen or shipped fresh from sunnier climates. But summer’s fruit tops all-eaten out of hand or turned-Joto fabulous des serts like Rosy Peach Upside Dffivn Cake, Strawberry Chocolate Jfpbsse and Melon Bubble No one can deny the delicious simplicity of a bowl of Juicy, sliced summer fruit topped only with a little sugar and perhaps some whipped topping, but even beau tiful sun-ripened fruits like to dress up occasionally. That’s why we’ve created these easy to make detec table desserts that showcase sum mer’s fruits at their very best. ROSY PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE sliced peeled •g. fresh peaches :SJr<ar use l can (29 os.) *(: ^.sliced peaches, drained)* • ?»?T*g. ,<3 oz.) Jell-O brand ’ K ■ strawberry flavor gelatin ;. -1 pkg. (3 ox.) Jell-O brand y' peach flavor gelatin 1 tsp. cinnamon (optional) ;• 1/3 c. butter or margarine -5-1 pkg. (2-layer siae) !$* yellow cake mix ;2; " or pudding-included cake mix — 1 c. thawed Cool Whip 2 whipped topping. : arrange peaches in buttered - J3x9-inch pan. Combine straw ' ^ jT '^1 ■T mA • » Jfc', V m' M i fes i into pan. Stir remaining gelatin mixture into remaining cake bat ter; blend well and pour into pan. Zigzag spatula through batter to marble. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into center comes out dean. Cool 5 minutes in pan; then invert onto serving platter and cool. Garnish with whipped top ping. . :* «wK:111sr •> | ■?.'_STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE MOU88E t-2 sq. Baker's semi-sweet T chocolate > J;V4 c. water L *‘2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened 5£*i c milk Tbsp. sugar -cl container (8 oz.) Cool **' Whip whipped topping, » thawed I*' 1 pint strawberries, sliced |(V ■ a “ 1 Deep Frying Appeals .; Z Far such a quintessential^ Ame ' Clean form of cooking, deep-frying surprisingly international 'appeal. - From pommes frites, the Gallic original of that American favorite, jjJWch friea, to golden zeppole, ;Jeep-fr1ed morsels of dough gar iffifced with a sprinkling of pow :pTed sugar, to crispy fried won tow and a host of other dim sum ; -faro, nations around the globe have - .flade significant contributions to fast and flavorful form of cookery, which improves upon ac quaintance and never ceases to charm. i _£ut, the same foods which, when Wed carefully and correctly, are just this side of manna, can be 0-eCsy, stale and unpleasant when glstreated - , :v\r ' Almost more than any other cook , Sag method, deep-frying requires Qving attention on the part of the Sk, an understanding of the che :al processes involved, and close scrutiny of ingredient quality, be ginning with the oil to hewed, i A variety of factors influences the choice of oil. Do you want it to be dtivorless. or to impart a specific flavor to the food being cooked? Vegetable oil is virtually tasteless, peanut, sesame and olive oils all add 4 particular savor to those foods Cooked in them •/ At what temperature are you" dpejMrying? Certain oils, such as Aalnit oil, cannot withstand high heats, and should be used only for dressing, not cooking Others, while fine up to al certain temperature, have relatively low smoke points, limiting their versatility. i ‘ 4 Heat chocolate and water in saucepan over low heat, stir ring constantly until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and cool. Beat 1 package of the cheese until smooth. Add milk and sugar and blend well. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping and I cup of the strawberries. Spread evenly in 1 Vi-quart souffle dish. Beat remaining cheese until fluffy. Gradually Mend in chocolate mixture and fold into remaining whipped topping. Spread evenly over strawberry mixture. Chill about 3 hours. Dip dish in warm water for a few seconds and unmold onto plate. Garnish with remaining strawberries and ad ditional whipped topping, if de sired. Makes 5 cups or 6 to 8 servings. - - ___:_1_ Peach upmde down cake __ MELON BUBBLE 1 l pkg. (3 oz.) Jdl-0 brand lime, lemon or orange flavor gelatin *4 c. boiling water c. orange Juice or water Icecubes I cup melon balls Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Combine orange Juice and ice cubes to make 1V« cups. Add to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened. If necessary, remove unmelted ice. Measure one and one-third cups gelatin; fold in melon balls. Spoon into 6 indivi dual dessert glasses or a serving ^ bowl; chill until set but not Arm. W.B. THOMPSON Concrete Construction % 1 WE DO ANYTHING IN CONCRETE I % Metal buddings • Foundations for buildings % Churches - Additions to Churches • Curbs, Gutters, Sidewalks, • Driveways, Parking lots, Patios, etc. 90S W—t S/vd. trial lll-ffll > «:v rrl A«Nf i M mi isi^in •r 1914119 Then whip remaining gelatin with rotary beater or electric mixer until fluffy and thick and about double in volume. Pom over clear gelatin in glassei. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Garnish with additional melon balls and mint leaves, if de sired. Makes 3V4 cups or 0 ser vings. Note: Recipe may be — The finished product — m-m-m-m! CUOOaLATE POUND CAKE (HELENE W. SPECIALITY) 1 c. butter or Blue Cream shortening and sugar to Margarine / gether. Add eggs, one at a time, 14 c. Crisco shortening beating each thoroughly. Add 3 c. sugar. sifted (hr ingredients altemate 5 eggs ly with milk. Add vanilla flavor at 1 c. mdk . 'fXli ^ pe*n*- Pm into a greased 2 Tsp. vanilla flavor tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 14 tsp. baking powder 114 how. (Important: Do not 5 Tbsp. cocoa ’ . '' • > open oven door until within last tt 3 c. plain flour mihutes of baking time for best Thompson brightens when she ex piainsV;what she would like fe do: host a show like Oprah Winfred in Chicago. ‘‘She has rooming tele vision in Chicago locked up. f’d like to do that.”- But, once again,- "man agement isn’t ready for. It," she states. Thompson recently won ah award from the Black Media Association for a story she did on Kelly Alex ander Sr. Two m6re at her stories are entered in a competition of the Radio and Television News Direc tors of North Carolina- And, she says, she gets a lot of support from viewers, which ‘‘makes me fed good.” • ■. V-v. ..." What keeps Thompson in Char lotte? “This is home,” she re plies. “We owe it to ourselves, same of us who know this place, to stay around to keep things on the Straight and narrow.” She admits that may limit her opportunities Having turned 30 this past year, Thompson says ifs time to consider her op tions and to deal with the conflict between her professional self (“as pecially as a black female profes sional”) and the part of her that “wants to nurture.” “You can still haves career at to, but you can’t have children Ml Pfc” She remarks. ‘‘In journalism, you taka time off to have children and you don’t have a job when you come back.” ■ ' V* • '7- ’ '• She adds, "It’s hard for us who want to have it all. There are live op six sisters out there for every one brother at their level." Despite her heavy investment in career, Thomp son makes time for other activities. •Tm not big on joining,” she states, “but I help whenever I'm asked.” She is a member of the Black Media Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and Greater Galilee Baptist Church, although re cently she has been attending Little Rock AME Zion. , • She enjoys the fish that inhabit the aquarium in the dining area of her apartment “I talk to them,” she discloses, "and all 1 have to do is change the Alter once in a while.” In the mkht of baking a chocolate pound cake the morning of my visit, Thompson explains that the recipe is one of her mother’s, and her boy friend, Calvin, an "expert” cook himself, thinks it is “wonderful." The rest of the staff back at the Poet thinks itYwonderful, too! We tncl^meredpehere, along with a I ICING FOR CHOCOLATE POUNDCAKE \ stick butter i ip. vanilla I box confectioner’s t)6p. ittle milk (remember - this is mi's recipe!) er low heat, melt butter and i each of the otter ingredients, e Just enough milk to give a ooth consistency. Icing should : be too runny. It's best if you ) an electric beater to make ig smooth. Spread over cake. I Enjoy...enjoy! BAKED BEAN8 11 can pork and beans ' 1 med, onion, chopped fine i Vi c. catsup 1 Vi 0. brown sugar n. . \ Vi c. green pepper. ' chopped fine 4 ptote?*’ ^ to *m*U 1 slices bacon Combine all ingredients wfqit bacon in casserole. Top with bacon slices. Bake 1 hour at 300 V<c. water 1V4 c. sugar. 1 carrot •.* 1 bell pepper 1 large cabbage 1 tap. celery seed In pan, mix first four ingredients ^brmgtobcKl Meanug BF XW X', r* f#^» v ,d&t£ J*%p ^ ^ 4^«'* py|«jLm.. „/ Remount *”!*>« BJrrf,) _Cloted Sufi A Mon
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 11, 1985, edition 1
18
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