In the late 1950s, in the heart of the Civil Rights Era, Alice Young arrives in the town of New Jessup, Alabama. In Jamila Minnick’s debut novel, Moonrise Over New Jessup, here is a place unlike any she’s experienced yet, as it remains segregated. Soon after her arrival, she meets Raymond Campbell, and the two fall in love before long. Raymond is quietly and steadily pushing the boundaries that keep the town in its comfort zone, while Alice’s own challenging past continues to softly haunt her existence.
Jamila’s writing feels like it should be arriving after a dozen novels, given all its perfection. But this is only just her debut. You’ll fall in love with Alice, Raymond, and all of the residents of New Jessup, under the pen of Jamila. And if you’re anything like us? You’ll be desperate to know who Jamila is going to dream up and what she is going to write next.
Moonrise Over New Jessup
by Jamila Minnicks
 |  |
| Botanica Wines Big Flower Cabernet Sauvignon | Giesen Riesling |
| Raymond’s family’s land is filled with some of the most beautiful flowers one could imagine growing wildly. They leave Alice mesmerized with their beauty. With that, we’re sipping this Big Flower Cabernet Sauvignon from Botanica Wines and enjoying every bit of its bold presence and dark fruits. | This week’s white pic is inspired solely by the recipe it will be paired with. We wanted something that would stand up to our soup’s richness, and this Giesen Riesling is exactly the thing. It’s a fairly standard expression of Riesling, but with just a little more snap than we’d typically expect — a perfect exclamation point of a conclusion to this gustatory moment in your day. |
Celery Root Soup with Radish, Fennel-Roasted Chickpeas, and Parsley
From: Instant Family Meals by Sarah Copeland
Alice and Raymond's first shared meal has a sweet little scene involving an unexpectedly chilled Vichyssoise and a welcomed gallant move involving a crab bisque. We're taking the smooth-soup cue and sharing this delicious recipe for a creamy Celery Root Soup with Radish, Fennel-Roasted Chickpeas, and Parsley.
INGREDIENTS SOUP
FOR SERVING
CHICKPEAS
|
STEPS SOUP 1. Combine the celery root, broth, and 1 tsp salt in the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Lock on the lid and Pressure Cook on high pressure for 20 to 25 minutes; the more you cook it, the creamier the soup. Let the pressure release naturally (15 minutes), then release the remaining pressure manually and leave on the Keep Warm setting. 2. Meanwhile, prepare the Fennel-Roasted Chickpeas (below), if using. 3. Open the lid and puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in an upright blender) until completely smooth and creamy, adding the cream, butter, and salt to taste (remember that you will get a lot of flavor from the garnish at the end). Add a little less cream if you like a clean celery-root flavor or more cream if you’re looking for something rich and decadent. Stir, then leave on the Keep Warm setting until the mixture is warmed through. 4. Spoon the soup into bowls and serve warm, topped with the radish and herbs. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with the flaky salt and more pepper, if desired. Serve sprinkled with the chickpeas, if using. Note: To cook on the stovetop instead, simply bring the celery root, broth, and salt to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about an hour. Before blending, celery root should be quite soft. If it's not, cook a little longer. CHICKPEAS 1. Turn the chickpeas out onto a paper towel-lined sheet pan and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture; set aside for about 10 minutes to dry out. 2. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until shimmering (a chickpea should sizzle when added). Add the chickpeas and fennel seeds and cook, tossing occasionally, until the chickpeas are crispy and lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. 3. Season generously with flaky salt and pepper. Keep warm in the pan for immediately topping a soup, or cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. |
| Reprinted with permission from Instant Family Meals by Sarah Copeland, copyright © 2020. Photographs by Christopher Testani. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. |
Instant Family Meals
by Sarah Copeland
Between the historical relevance of Moonrise Over New Jessup and its very relevant contemporary themes of family and personal history and love and ambition, there's so much to unpack in Jamila Minnicks's novel. Let us help you get started with these questions to kick off contemplation and conversation.
Get the questions.
Moonrise Over New Jessup revisits very real, very difficult, very transformative moments in our country’s history. As we finished the novel, we found ourselves digging in a bit deeper to what the Civil Rights Era literary canon has in its hopper. Here are a few of our favorites across fiction and nonfiction.
Get the list. [LINK]