Shook: We're celebrating Black excellence in Fayetteville this month and all year long

Taylor Shook, The Fayetteville Observer
·2 min read

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It’s Black History Month, and The Fayetteville Observer has lots of projects to spotlight Black excellence in Cumberland County this month and throughout the year.

Our Future Black History Makers series highlights Cumberland County Schools students chosen by school district staff and our History Maker committee as someone to keep an eye out for: 28 children in all. All the profiles can be found at fayobserver.com and daily in the print edition.

Each student profile includes a link to videos of the students talking about leaders they admire and what they want to be when they grow up. I was lucky enough to meet many of these talented children at our reception last week held at the Arts Council’s new exhibit that signifies Black joy. They are well worth reading about. Two of them want to be chefs!

Stacie Huderson-Simfukwe, owner of Household 6 Catering food truck.
Stacie Huderson-Simfukwe, owner of Household 6 Catering food truck.

Additionally, our Black Tastemakers series will highlight Black culinary professionals throughout the year. It debuts today with Stacie Huderson-Simfukwe, owner of the only brunch-focused food truck in Fayetteville. Please submit nominations that include the person’s name, contact information and a sentence or two about why they should be featured to me at tshook@gannett.com. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Oh, shucks

This weekend, I learned how to shuck oysters and I couldn’t have picked a better place to do it – the Massey Hill Lion’s Club Oyster Roast.

The 50-year-long tradition is still going strong. Organizers said the Saturday event sold more than 600 tickets, which were $50 each and included unlimited sweet tea, hushpuppies, cocktail sauce and steamed oysters.

Unless you bring a whole posse, you’re bound to join a table of strangers (who quickly become friends), under the big white tent. Every so often, volunteers carry huge buckets full of oysters around the room, depositing heaps of them at each table. Within a minute or two, all the oysters are shucked and devoured. Then, the process starts again. Meanwhile, iced tea flows freely and the hushpuppies are hot and crispy.

Spirits were high, and I doubt that anyone left hungry.

Dinner and a show

Taylor Shook holds a chicken pot pie at Sweet Tea Shakespeare's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, held at Fayetteville Pie Company, 253 Westwood Shopping Center, Jan. 27.
Taylor Shook holds a chicken pot pie at Sweet Tea Shakespeare's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, held at Fayetteville Pie Company, 253 Westwood Shopping Center, Jan. 27.

Friday night, I saw Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea at Fayetteville Pie company. Tickets include dinner and dessert; I had the signature chicken pot pie and a dulce de leche pie.

Audience members are seated throughout the restaurant’s ground floor and balcony, and the actors perform all around them. Lighting, live music and creative decor bring to life the science fiction adventure novel by Jules Verne.

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the last days to see the show. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online.

Happy eating,

Taylor Shook

Taylor Shook covers food, dining and business for The Fayetteville Observer. Click here for her most recent articles or reach her at tshook@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Shook: Celebrating Black excellence in Fayetteville, NC