Magnolia Queens Will Cook for You

In 1885, a baby magnolia tree was brought on a ship from North Carolina to Brooklyn. The tree, rare in the northeast, was planted in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The magnolia tree grew strong, eventually becoming a symbol of the neighborhood.

As housing development quickened in Bedford-Stuyvesant during the mid- to late-60s, community activist and environmentalist spearheaded a campaign to have the singular tree protected from destruction. She succeeded in getting the city to designate the magnolia tree an official landmark in 1970.

Bed-Stuy's magnolia tree is the only landmarked tree in the city that is still standing. Carthan continued her campaign by convincing the City to convert three nearby abandoned homes into the Magnolia Tree Earth Center.

For more than four decades, the Magnolia Tree Earth Center has been a bedrock in the community, a symbol of gardening, green development and environmental sustainability.

But today, the Magnolia Tree Earth Center needs renewed community and financial supoort.

On Saturday, April 16, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, The Magnolia Tree Earth Center will hold a fundraiser entitled, “Queens That Cook.”

The event will feature the culinary craftwork of some of the neighborhood’s most dynamic women. For $20, participants will have the opportunity to sample specialty dishes from 25 Bed-Stuy “queens,” businesswomen, community leaders... women who love to cook!

Wayne Devonish, the event’s organizer and co-founder of the mentoring group 500 Men, said he got the idea for “Queens That Cook,” from a similar event, “Real Men Who Cook,” started by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

“The Deltas’ events were always well attended, people were always excited, it was big fun,” said Devonish. “So I thought this would be a good, fun way to raise money. Plus, with women cooking, I’m sure there will be better meals.”

Brenda Fryson, a founding member of the Brownstoners of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Inc., is one of the cooking “queens.” She is preparing her “famous bar-b-que turkey wings,” a dish she admits is just about the only thing she knows how to prepare well.

“When people started hearing I was cooking for the event, they started calling me and saying, ‘Brenda, wait a minute, I didn’t know you could cook,’” she said, laughing. “But Magnolia tree is very, very close to my heart, and any time Magnolia Tree calls, I feel like I should come and participate.

“I had the privilege to meet and know Hattie Carthan. She was the forerunner of the whole green movement before it was the buzz word. She was really an innovator, and just a wonderful, dynamic woman. And anything I can do keep the legacy going, I’m willing to do that.”

Rill Oji, a lingerie designer, loves to bake, so she will be bringing a cream-filled double-chocolate cake and triple chocolate brownies. Aside from designing lingerie, she owns a business called Seductive Art, which makes “naughty pastries,” using all-natural, organic ingredients.

“But Wayne says I couldn’t bring those,” she said laughing. Oji hopes to network with some of the other business owners, and says she’s happy to be able to contribute to such a wonderful cause.

Avis Jones, an assistant manager at Citibank, said she just wanted to do community service and thought this would be a good way give back. Jones is bringing spare ribs and potato salad.

“My family loves my ribs; the meat falls off the bone,” said Jones. She added that Wayne came to eat at one of her dinners and made a special request for the ribs at Saturday's event.

“Not everybody can make potato salad either, but mine is my grandmother’s recipe. All of my food is made with love.”

The Magnolia Tree Earth Center is located at 677 Lafayette Avenue. To purchase advance tickets for "Queens That Cook," you may contact Wayne Devonish at wmdkaos@aol.com, or you may purchase tickets at the door.

“They’re going in, they’re taking this really serious,” said Devonish of his cooking queens. “I think some of the single ladies are thinking there may be a lot of eligible bachelors, so they’re definitely bringing their A-game.”