Stop, Squash and Roll

(Intro Music plays) In terms of the whole summer vegetable smorgasbord.

Smorgasburg?

What is it, borg?

In terms of the whole summer vegetable smorgasbord, a lot of people think summer squash is boring.

But I don't feel that way at all.

I think that it's elegant, feminine, and she plays well with others.

(Theme Music plays- The Avett Brothers "Will You Return") I'm Vivian and I'm a chef.

My husband, Ben and I were working for some of the best chefs in New York City when my parents offered to help us open our own restaurant.

Of course, there was a catch.

We had to open this restaurant in Eastern North Carolina, where I grew up and said I would never return.

(Theme Music plays) (Theme Music plays) So this is my life.

Raising twins, living in the house I grew up in, and exploring the south, one ingredient at a time.

(Music plays) The last two years have been big.

Our restaurant burned down, we rebuilt it.

We opened another restaurant.

I'm just hoping this all comes together.

You know what I mean?

My babies stopped being babies and now I'm this awkward celebrity.

Chef Vivian Howard.

(Applause) (Music plays) I'm feeling on the edge.

I'm trying to write and deliver a cookbook by January, which is really crazy timing and the book is about Eastern North Carolina foodways old and new, so there's like 25 chapters and each chapter is about an ingredient and I'm working on the squash chapter right now.

We have a lot going on.

What people don't know is that I came to cooking because I wanted to be a food writer.

So the fact that a publisher wants to pay me to write a cookbook is a dream come true.

So, my mom and my sister, Johnna are getting ready to come over and we're going to make squash and onions.

My sister Johnna is one of the pickiest eaters.

I know she is going to wrinkle her nose at the smell of the onions and all that so we'll be fine.

Oh my god!

Here, I'll take it.

So, why wouldn't this be any good to eat?

Too peffy.

Peffy?

How do you spell peppy, Mom?

I'm not sure?

And it means like little pockets of air in there.

Mmm hmmm.

We have some pretty squash here.

Yeah, so I started cutting these up and I was gonna let Johnna do an onion.

You really want me to do this?

Yeah.

So like?

Like you need to peel it.

Okay.

Okay, so bacon down, Mom?

Mmm hmmm.

This is one dish that I feel like it needs the particular fat of bacon.

When did you start calling it fat and not grease?

Was it yesterday?

(Laughter) You're doing great, Johnna.

Thank you.

A lot of these classic southern dishes evolved because of things that are happening any given time in the garden and it just so happens that onions and squash start coming off in massive amounts at the same time and I think that's why we start with this big ol' pile of squash and onions and cook it down because people are trying to use it up.

The ingredients for this, it's always squash, onions, salt, and pepper.

The variations come in based on how long you cook it?

Yes.

Yes.

I like to cook it until it's golden.

You want it to stick a little bit.

I want it to stick.

So then you can stick and scrape.

That gives it color.

Yes.

So, I guess Dad told you about my experience at gymnastics?

Yes he did.

Theo and Flo were sitting against the wall with the teacher and the teacher came over with them.

I said, are they just not playing?

She said oh no, they were playing all over the place.

They're in time out.

So, you were not watching the whole time?

No.

And then we left when we saw them in time out.

I figured we were not helping matters at all.

But Ben said he was alarmed at our children's behavior and we have to make some changes in our parenting.

This is when Mom is supposed to say, no, you're a very good parent.

Yeah, I'm waiting for her to say it.

(Laughter) That silence is the killer.

Everybody wants their kids to be super kids and be well behaved and all that.

The teacher said they only went in time out that one time.

See.

My fire alarm is going to go off in a minute, Mom if we don't get that bacon out of there.

Okay.

So, what's the ratio, Mom, of squash and onions?

Two to one.

Two parts squash to one part onions?

Yeah.

Okay.

Salt, Mom?

Yes.

This will help it start to wilt down.

Black pepper?

Yes.

So, we just need to let it go for a little bit.

(Music plays) Mom!

Can we go show Aunt Johnna your little baby squash?

I'd like to see it.

Are you happy?

I'm not happy when you have accidents and when you go in time out and you don't mind the teacher.

That makes me unhappy.

My sisters and I grew up with a big rambling garden in the backyard but I don't have time for anything like that.

But I do want my children to understand where their food comes from so we planted just a few things and hopefully we'll be able to take care of those and produce something.

Theo, can you pick this squash for me?

Pull it.

Twist it.

You got it.

It's coming.

Great job.

Thank you.

Look at this giant squash.

It looks heavy.

We're going to feed it to the chickens Yeah, let's feed it to the chickens.

It looks like we have a squash pancake.

What we're trying to do now is getting it to brown on the bottom and then we'll toss it.

So, you know I'm getting ready to be on the Today Show?

That's exciting.

Yeah I'm excited.

I'm cooking Mom's chicken and rice.

Maybe you'll get to meet Matt Lauer and Al Roker and all of them.

That would be cool.

You know, if any major news happens they're going to bump me off.

(Laughter) Okay Mom, we're ready to stir.

It smells good.

(Music plays) What's interesting about this whole preparation is that as a professional cook you're always learning that you don't want things to stick to your pan because that means they are burning, but the whole technique of this is sticking and stirring.

Alright Mom.

Okay.

I got some squash pickles we can cook with it.

What about bacon?

When you put those bacon crumbs on it, it really is good.

It's sweet.

The crumbled bacon is good on top.

It's good.

It adds texture.

I think it's very good.

Squash is one of those things that kind of bridges the gap between late spring and early summer.

It comes before corn and if it didn't nobody would care about squash.

But it comes after asparagus and spring onions and every year when we get our first squash and zucchini I actually get a little bit excited.

Alright, so today I'm working on using squash and onions as a base for some really modern creative appetizers if you will.

So, I'm taking squash and onions to make a spread and pair it with something we're calling the summer vegetable experience.

You almost never see me work from a recipe, but this is actually a recipe I've written and developed for my book.

They've made it here and it didn't turn out right.

Anyways, it's a process.

The thing I've realized that's very complex about writing this book is that I want it to appeal to home cooks, but I want it to reflect recipes we make at the restaurant so I need to find a way to make those recipes something a cook at home would actually make and that's proving to be pretty challenging.

This is a take on hummus using squash and onions as the base instead of chickpeas or whatever legume people would typically use.

(Music plays) It's good.

You working tonight?

Yes.

Are you going to be at the meeting to try my new squash dish?

Are you putting these tomato pies on?

Yes.

I'm filling out the calendar.

I mean we're completely booked.

So it's a lot different than we used to be.

It's a lot busier which I worry about sometimes for the staff because normally 150 was a weekend night and now by Thursday everyone is pretty tired because they've worked so hard all week and we still have two more days to go.

Just trying to keep the morale up.

Sometimes just being encouraging for someone not to break down.

You got to keep going.

We're going to get through it.

I find myself saying that a lot.

We're going to get through this in the middle of service.

And we always do.

Most of the farmers I work with around here plant yellow crookneck squash or zucchini, but Warren likes to play around with different varieties and changes it up every year, mainly because I think he has ADD but I enjoy that.

How about this squash, Vivian?

Why is your squash back here behind this pond?

Well, we just got to rotate it around.

In the past I've gotten crooknecks, zucchini, patty pans, and something called eight ball squash from you.

Right.

All three of these are back here.

Okay.

Alright, let's go to the squash.

Let's do it.

(Music plays) Oh look, there's an eight ball.

A nice one.

A big one.

Perfect.

What about these patty pans?

Oh yeah.

Let's get 'em.

We gotta pick squash.

We got work to do.

Ohhh Lord.

Perfect right here, Vivian.

(Laughter) You should have seen the one my Mom brought over.

It was bigger than my Mom's leg.

For you, I guess that would be the perfect zucchini right there.

Yeah, I like little ones.

This is what I would love to get right here.

A little baby eight ball with the blossom still attached.

With the blossom.

But nobody will do this.

I don't know why?

I don't either?

If they did they would try to charge me two dollars for this one piece.

How would you do with a squash blossom?

A lot of people like to stuff them with things like cheese, or like a ground meat mixture, and then you can poach it.

You treat the blossom like a wrapper of some kind.

Right.

Several years ago I got super into the squash blossom thing just because I thought I should be into it.

Right.

But I think it's almost more trouble than it's actually worth.

So, Warren I always think of squash as one of these early summer vegetables.

Right.

Are they going to stop coming off in the next week or will there be more?

These will last about another couple weeks.

So, you keep planting them?

You'll pretty much have squash coming off until when?

Right until frost.

Really?

I'm going to try to.

I did last year.

Okay.

So, do you know what the crossover is between summer squash and winter squash and how they're different?

I used to, dummy me.

I thought winter squash, oh you plant it late but you can't wait.

Oh really.

And you harvest them when?

I think if you time it where it gets a little cool weather on it, it makes them a little sweeter they say.

They have a harder skin.

Right.

It's more akin to a pumpkin.

It's sort of like a cross between a squash and a pumpkin.

(Music plays) So, how did you grow up eating squash and did you grow up eating squash?

Oh yeah, of course.

Or can you remember back that long?

Sure I can remember back that long.

(Laughter) Just like everybody else, squash and onions.

But Mama always been a little... you know squash casserole.

Squash is very much like a blank canvas.

Right.

You can do almost anything to it.

You can cook it to mush.

You can keep it firm.

You can sweeten it.

You know I'm writing this cookbook?

I know, I'm pretty excited about that.

I'm glad you are.

Why?

It's what you do.

You love it.

Yeah I love it.

I just need to carve out time to do it but there's a squash chapter and I'm gonna have nine recipes that deal with squash.

Okay.

We're gonna have squash casserole, squash and onions, old school style.

Sounds like you got the book all planned out.

Yeah, I've got the book all planned out.

(Laughter) Well, I think we're just about there, at the end of the road.

So, you think if Lillie comes down the row tomorrow morning... Oh, she'll say, Vivian and Warren were down here talking.

They weren't picking squash.

I can hear her right now.

She'll be very disappointed in our work I'm afraid.

John!

Are you going to save me a tomato pie tonight?

Yes I will.

I love you.

Tomato pie, I'm so excited.

So, originally I had the idea to cook down squash and onions and make little fritters out of them, but then the other day when I was talking to Warren we were talking about the squash blossoms I decided that I wanted to create the texture through frying the squash blossom rather than making a fritter.

True to form it was kind of a last minute thing and I called him and he said he would go out and pick them for me and I think his daughter just dropped them off.

(Music plays) I got to take the stamen out.

The stamen is kind of like the penis on the flower.

Squash blossoms as best I can tell are really more of a thing traditionally in Mexican and Italian cuisine.

Us southerners, we don't mess with this for obvious reasons.

Look how tedious it is.

I've got my squash and onions and I'm just going to mellow them out a little bit with some cream cheese to make them stuffable.

We're going to bread them in grits to give them a lot of a crunchy, crunchy nice texture.

We're gonna to do it in three minutes is when we're gonna to do it.

Alright.

Coming through.

Two new plates tonight.

So, this is squash and onion hummus.

Okay, you also have bread here to you know smear it all with.

These are a pain in the rear.

They are stuffed squash blossoms.

Fried squash and onions is quintessential southern thing or at least an Eastern North Carolina thing, but it's ugly as hell.

We were trying to photograph it the other day and we were like, it looks like vomit.

So, by stuffing it in these squash blossoms you can still really get that complex flavor without having it look so bad.

I have something to say.

The pride of Kinston, Vivian Howard, is going to be on the Today Show this coming Monday.

I don't know.

I'm excited.

I think it will be neat.

Do you get the star treatment?

Do you do the makeup and the hair and all that kind of stuff?

I don't know Susan.

Okay, let's try these.

Just so y'all know I'll be in the back tonight if people want me.

They do.

It's really good.

(Music plays) Hey, how are you?

Despite my initial concerns, the Boiler Room has been good, but a few weeks ago our chef quit and it still ain't that easy to find qualified kitchen staff in the area so guess what?

Ben is running the Boiler Room kitchen.

Last night there was still a lot of water on the floor here.

Let's try to get this water up tonight.

There's also a lot of water all the way back in here.

Let's try to get that.

They've kind of dropped off in sales the last few weeks.

Yes they have.

That's a function of service.

Alright, I'll be back.

Alright.

It's not that he's not capable of doing it because he is, but it's not what he signed up for.

I've been working the kitchen for two weeks.

Can they not get it together over there?

It's right back to square one.

What's wrong?

Little stuff that I've harped on like 50 times.

I'm so frustrated.

Order fire pork belly.

Order fire peach.

Chef introduced a new dish.

It's squash blossoms.

It's something not to miss.

Okay.

Order fire one squash blossom.

heard.

(Music plays) A few months ago it became clear that I cannot do the job that I typically do during service anymore.

At the pass where the food goes from the kitchen to the dining room we're exposed to all the customers and customers have started wanting to speak to me, have me sign autographs, and so I have become a distraction in the kitchen.

So, I decided to take myself to the back and do my work hidden during service.

One squash blossom with a tomato salad and a shrimp.

That's going to 13.

From top to bottom the squash blossom thing was a pain.

Warren did not want to pick them and deliver them.

They're incredibly perishable.

They were a pain to stuff.

In the end I don't think it's worth it.

They don't even taste like anything really.

Sorry all you chefs out there.

All you squash blossom loving chefs out there.

One, two three.

Okay, so you want me to go over there and talk to them?

Yes chef if you have time.

That would be awesome.

Hey!

Vivian!

Oh my god!

We love you.

I'm a small town southern girl.

We're so proud of you.

Thank you.

I mean I haven't done any of this by myself.

I am not perfect.

My son spit on his gymnastics teacher today.

(Laughter) It's okay.

I'm just taking a break.

It's just so embarrassing.

It's just all embarrassing.

Everybody is looking at you.

I don't know.

It's like a... it's just very weird.

It's not a healthy thing to do.

(Sirens) (Music plays) This will be filled with chicken and then half into here.

Okay.

So, will they be talking to me?

They'll be asking me...okay.

How long do you cook it for?

How much do you save?

If I'm taking too long they'll push me along.

Exactly.

Alright.

Tomorrow morning I'm doing the Today Show so this is a big deal for me and a really big deal for all the folks in my town.

Kinston found out that I was going to be on the Today Show and you would have thought that I won the presidential nomination.

You're with Al and Tamron tomorrow.

Okay great.

They're a blast.

Great.

Al Roker?

Yep.

(Laughter) Do most chef people wear chef jackets?

No, I think if you wear a dress you're totally fine.

Okay great.

They have prepped everything times four it looks like and it's all going to be set up for me and all I have to do is talk and hopefully that's doable.

(Birds chirping) We're going to watch Mommy!

Where's my mom?

She'll be on in a minute.

I am a lot more unsettled than I thought I would be this morning.

There's a lot of people at home really excited for this and expecting me to knock their socks off but it's only four minutes long and I'm just making chicken and rice and some squash.

So, I don't know.

Like a lot of things that I get myself into I'll be glad when it's over.

(Music plays) I'm Vivian Howard.

I was told to come here.

Yeah, of course.

I'll show you to the green room.

(Theo screaming) Tuesday morning on Today.

I'm like oh my god, what am I gonna say?

Come on, let's watch.

Sit down Flo.

She'll be on in a few minutes.

Flo, two minutes.

Mommy is gonna be on.

Stand by and I'll point to the camera when you're on.

Okay listen up.

Mommy is on next.

Got to be quiet.

She told me last night she was nervous.

I bet during commercial break they are buttering her up to get her feeling a little better.

They're going to help me when we get right there.

Okay.

This is the longest commercial.

It's time for Today's kitchen...

There she is.

After pursuing being a chef in the big city, Vivian Howard returned to her roots by opening a restaurant in her hometown in North Carolina.

Yes she did.

And this morning she is fixing a chicken and rice dish that we can cook today.

Yes.

This is what I grew up eating as comfort food.

Everybody has that thing.

This was what my mom made.

It's chicken and rice.

It's very simple.

I'm going to put two chickens in this pot and my mom said you're doing this wrong.

You've got to cook it to death.

Chicken and rice!

Can we eat it?

It almost has a risotto type consistency.

Yeah, really comforting, porridgey.

Gonna stick to you.

Yeah.

I'm gonna finish it with a little black pepper.

That's what we use for spice.

Vivian, thank you so much.

We'll be right back.

She did great.

Clap for Mommy.

Clap for Mommy.

Yaaa Mommy!

She did great.

I'm gonna video you and you tell Mommy she did a great job and we're going to send her a text okay?

(Music plays) Thank you.

Sorry.

Congrats.

I want to say hey to her.

What do you say to her?

Tell her she did a great job.

Hey Mommy!

You did a great job Mommy!

(Music plays) For more information on A Chef's Life visit pbs.org/food A Chef's Life is available on DVD.

To order, visit shop.pbs.org or call us at 1-800-PLAY-PBS