Page 38 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2023 Digital Edition

All photos by
Bradley Cook,
Flashbox Studio

Just Like Your Mama Did

Cookin’ Onboard the LRBC with Bobby Rush and Mizz Lowe

by Kaati Gaffney If you have ever seen him perform, then you know that
Bobby is not only a talented singer-songwriter, but he’s a
Every year, at least one of our Blues Festival Guide team
goes on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise (LRBC) natural stand-up comedian. During the culinary demo of
their garlic butter shrimp and cabbage stir-fry dish, he kept
– January out of Florida to the Caribbean, and October/ us howling – peppering the presentation with subtle double
November out of San Diego to Mexico. entendres as he talked about the food prep and the ingredients
We love the music, of course, the camaraderie of like-
minded cruisers, the excursions and the food… but we themselves. Sometimes Mizz Lowe would give a playful look
and sweetly admonish him, “Oh Bobby!” They played off
also always love to attend the fun and informative onboard each other so naturally at every turn.
workshops and culinary demonstrations. In these demos, LRBC “Bobby is ‘old school’ and he does things his own way,”
artists bring their creativity and cultures to the ship’s state-of-the- says Mizz Lowe. “I had modified a classic recipe to my taste
art Culinary Arts Center to share recipes, stories and music. and had exact measurements: teaspoon of this, a cup of that.
Best of all, cruisers get the chance to sample the food, and But Bobby doesn’t go by measurements. Bobby just wings it –
the artist’s creation is usually available on the Dining Room’s no recipes, just do it to taste, ‘like your mama did,’ he says.
evening menu. Past artists who have graced the LRBC kitchen To him, a teaspoon means a pinch, a tablespoon means two
include Irma Thomas, Taj Mahal, Shemekia Copeland, Super pinches. If the recipe calls for one cup of water or flour, Bobby
Chikan and Elvin Bishop, among many more. just grabs the nearest drinking cup!”
In November 2022, our e-Guide Editor Michele Lundeen At one point during the LRBC demo, Mizz Lowe exclaimed,
and I were excited to attend the culinary demonstration by “Well Bobby, I thought this was our cooking demo, but you go
Bobby Rush and Mizz Lowe. We never pass up a chance to ahead and just tell me what I need to be putting up in here.”
see Bobby doing anything. He is such a delightful person, And she tells us, “But you know what? What he did, would
as well as the unofficial spokesperson for our Blues Festival always work!”
Guide magazine. Bobby explains, “When we were practicing before
Dancer, singer and entertainer Mizz Lowe is widely known the cruise demo, I didn’t tell her what was on my mind. I
for her onstage character, the “Young Hen” for the King of the was thinking about entertainment. She was thinking about
Chittlin’ Circuit himself, Bobby Rush. She recently came out the recipe. We are both really good cooks – we just have
with her own album, Mizz Lowe, I Am Who I Am. different methods.”

36 Blues Festival Guide 2023