Evelyn Ragland, known by her closest friends as "Rock", developed culinary skills as a 1960's latch-key child growing up in Jackson, Tennessee. At age 11, she began cooking the family meals for her three brothers and younger sister while entrepreneur parents were away from home nearly morning til night operating two "Mom & Pop" grocery stores and a soul food cafe.
As Evelyn developed a passion for cooking as a teenager, she chose Home Economics as her major at Tennessee State University, where she received her B.S. and M.A.Ed.
Evelyn has traveled the world, visiting over 30 countries..
About Rock's Soul Food Sunday Cookbook
Rock's Soul Food Sunday cookbook features cooking tips and 60+ recipes for traditional soul food as well as Rock's specialty soul food dishes.
The book includes recipes for:
1) Mama Essie's oven fried chicken prepared with French herbs 2) Mixed turnip, collards and mustard greens 3) Mother Nadine’s sweet potato pie and 4) Mother Nadine’s turkey- oyster corn bread dressing.
As African-Americans continue to expand horizons and lifestyles, many of us are challenged with maintaining our ethnicity as our appreciation develops for other cultural aspects of society. We are also challenged with not letting our culture become extinct or down-played. Our race and culture are equally remarkable and will be jubilantly celebrated among the many cultures as the world emerges into a more global society.
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Evelyn Ragland, known to her closet friends as “Rock,” developed culinary skills as a 1960s latch-key child, growing up in Jackson, Tennessee. At the age of 11 she began cooking meals for her three brothers and younger sister while her entrepreneur parents were away from home, operating two “mom and pop” grocery stores and a soul food café.
Nadine Steele Ragland, Evelyn’s mother who owned and operated Nadine’s Grocery and Café for thirty-three years, was considered a soul food legend in the community. She was known for her great cooking and creative touch. Nadine’s store was within walking distance from the historically black Lane College.
O.T. Ragland, Evelyn’s father, owned and operated the family’s second store, Ragland’s Grocery, exhibiting exceptional entrepreneurial skills.
With Nadine’s touch, something as simple as a bologna sandwich became known as Jackson’s Famous Bologna Burger. The burger has at its center a half-inch slice of fried bologna, which was cut daily from a long stick of bologna stored in Nadine’s cooler. Two slices of cheese are melted on top of the bologna, laid on the grilled bread, and garnished with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. The Bologna Burger became a favorite item among her young college-student customers eating on a budget.
Nadine Steele Ragland taught her daughter Evelyn how to prepare the Bologna Burger as well as how to cook a full course meal for the family. At the age of fourteen, Evelyn could cook a traditional southern-style holiday meal, complete with roasted turkey, cornbread dressing, mixed greens, homemade macaroni & cheese, English pea salad, potato salad, sweet potato pie, and pineapple cake.
As Evelyn developed a passion for cooking as a teenager, she chose Home Economics as her major at Tennessee State University, where she received her B.S. and M.A.Ed., focusing on nutrition.