Dear wonderful Patreon supporters (and potential supporters):  I have decided to do something altogether different with this page for 2022.  When I started this project, it was an excellent way to stay engaged, stay in touch, stay cooking, and to get some face time with all of you lovely people when face time was in such short supply.  Obviously, everything has changed, and continues to change. I've changed. You have all changed.  In the New Year, I plan to publish a monthly newsletter, "Tea & Tamale Pie." A sample of what that newsletter is likely to look like is currently published as my most recent post: "Edna Lewis’ old potatoes, Allison Roman’s “whatever the fuck” lentils, and my tamale pie."  I will continue to cook, and write, and publish recipes, but aside from the regular newsletter, this will not be tethered to any timetable. My therapist says that you can't turn up the volume on creativity and Obamacare pays her a lot of money to tell me these things so I reckon she is correct.  I've also decided to discontinue tier pricing, because I have found that many people support me here just to say "Thank You," and others are excited about the benefits, but in all cases, people tend to support at the level that they feel comfortable with, and for that I feel grateful.  So if you can only support at the $1 level, that is wonderful for me. If you can support at a higher level, for that I am also grateful. In order to support me at a higher level, simply select the $1 tier price and click the "join" button, and then "or choose what you pay."  Please feel free to shoot me a message if this doesn't make sense.  This page is an important space for me to work things out-- thanks to my puttering on here, important essays have been published in national titles, and my ongoing documentary work and culinary point of view has a place to take shape.  Meanwhile, this page assists me to making a modest living as a working writer, aspiring podcaster, and sometimes chef. For this I am ever grateful.  BONUS: Though I am doing away with the monthly "plates" benefit, I will continue to cook, and for those of you who have interest, I will publish pickup dates and details when they become available for a first come, first served plates offering.  For those of you currently supporting me at the $20 level (or other specific tier amounts) who are very invested in the previous benefits, I completely understand if you wish to cancel or reduce your membership level.  This is the way it has to be for now, and I hope you will like it.  Evolution and Black Power. Fist in the air. I love y'all.