Christmas Coleslaw -- The Block, the Table, and Everything That Feeds Us

Easter Sunday. Service at New Birth — the lilies, the choir, the white robes. Then the Cascade Heights house for dinner. Honey ham. Mac. Greens. Deviled eggs. Mama's pound cake recipe. Mama not there. The recipe was.

The neighbors had a Friday cookout this week. I brought my mac and cheese. They have come to expect this. I have come to expect this. The block is the block.

I read for an hour Sunday night before bed. Some novel about a Black woman in 1960s Alabama. Mama would have liked it.

I went to the cemetery Saturday morning. Brenda's grave is on the hill at South-View. Curtis still goes most Sundays. I left a small bouquet of magnolias.

Wednesday Bible study at the church. We read through Proverbs. The women in my row argued about whether wisdom is built or born. I said both. They agreed, sort of.

Daddy sat in his chair after dinner watching the news. He fell asleep before the third quarter. Standard.

Thursday I made cornbread for a sister at church whose husband had surgery. I dropped it off at the hospital. She cried at the door. I told her, eat the cornbread, baby. The food is the saying.

The kids were home for the weekend. The house was loud the way it should be.

Andre called from LA. He told the Kevin Hart story again. Twenty-some years and that boy is still telling that story. Everyone in this family is going to hear about Kevin Hart at our funerals.

Saturday morning I had Set the Table at the Cascade Heights center. Twelve young women. We did baked chicken. One of them — Imani, sixteen — was so afraid of seasoning that she barely shook the salt. I stood next to her and put my hand over hers and said, baby, you cannot be afraid of food. We seasoned the chicken. The chicken came out right. She glowed.

Pastor preached about the prodigal son again. He preaches about that boy at least three times a year. The text is the text but every preaching is different. I cried in the second service this time. Don't ask me why.

Tuesday evening I sat at the kitchen table with my composition notebook and worked on the cookbook. From Brenda's Kitchen — that's the working title. I cannot write the introduction without crying yet.

Derek and I had date night Friday. Same restaurant, same booth, same enchiladas for me and carne asada for him.

Sunday service at New Birth this morning. The choir sang. I sang soprano in the second alto row. Pastor preached about Naomi and Ruth. The congregation said amen. I said amen.

I drove to the Walmart on Camp Creek Saturday morning. The kind of grocery run that takes two hours because you run into three people you know. Sister Patrice caught me in the produce. We talked about her grandbaby for fifteen minutes.

I made a casserole for the church potluck. The pan came back empty. That is the only review I trust.

Darnell sent a photo from Clarksville. The garden is producing. He grew tomatoes the size of softballs. I sent him back a photo of my sweet potato casserole. We are competitive about food now in our middle age.

Miss Ernestine called Tuesday. She's ninety-something and sharp as ever. She told me my potato salad still needs more mustard.

The blood pressure check was Wednesday. The numbers were borderline. The doctor wants me to walk more. I am walking more.

I had a hard counseling case at school this week. A seventh-grade girl whose mama lost her job. We talked. I gave her my number. I told her she could call.

Between the potluck casserole that came back empty and Imani’s chicken finally seasoned right, this week reminded me that food is never just food — it’s the saying, the showing up, the love made visible. This Christmas Coleslaw is what I reach for when I need something that travels well and feeds a crowd: cool, colorful, and crisp enough to hold its own next to a honey ham or right beside a pan of cornbread. Cabbage has always had a place on this table, and this one earns it.

Christmas Coleslaw

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 20 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the slaw base. In a large bowl, toss together the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, dried cranberries, and green onions until evenly mixed.
2. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, celery seed, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
3. Dress the slaw. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss thoroughly to coat every bit of the slaw. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed — don’t be afraid of the salt.
4. Chill before serving. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to come together and the cabbage to soften slightly. The slaw will keep well for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
5. Serve. Give it one final toss before bringing it to the table. It travels beautifully to potlucks and holiday spreads — and pans come back empty.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 110 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 190mg