The Yellow House

February 25, 2025
Autobiography

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Uncover Generations of Love and Legacy in The Yellow House

Sarah M. Broom’s The Yellow House invites you into her family’s world in New Orleans East, where a small yellow home became the center of everything. As the youngest of twelve children, Broom tells a story shaped by love, loss, and a neighborhood forever changed Hurricane Katrina. What begins as a personal story about one house becomes a powerful look at how the places we come from shape who we are.

“My mother is always saying, Begin as you want to end. But my beginning precedes me. Absences allow us one power over them: They do not speak a word. We say of them what we want. Still, they hover, pointing fingers at our backs. No place to go now but deep into ground.”

Menu: The Yellow House

Get ready for a Southern-style spread inspired by The Yellow House. This meal celebrates comfort, culture, and seriously good food. From soul-warming bourbon cocktails to crispy fried chicken and sweet, salty chess pie, the menu pulls from the heart of New Orleans and beyond. It’s made for sharing, savoring, and enjoying without thinking twice about calories.

Drinks

Kick off your Southern feast with the iconic Sazerac, often considered America’s first mixed drink. This bold New Orleans cocktail blends rye whiskey, cognac or bourbon, bitters, and a rinse of herbsaint or absinthe. It’s strong, aromatic, and unapologetically Southern. Take a sip and you’re instantly in the heart of The Big Easy. Check out the recipe on New Orleans.

Appetizers

The Yellow House - Appetizer — Photo from Dude That Cookz

Start things off with a true Southern crowd-pleaser. Try Dude That Cookz’s crispy pan-fried pickles, coated in a Creole-seasoned crust and made for dunking in ranch or blue cheese. Pair them with deviled eggs that get a Cajun twist from All Recipes. Start with half the seasoning, then taste and tweak the spice and salt until it’s just right for your crew.

Salad

Brighten up the table with a vibrant kale and Brussels sprout salad from Once Upon a Chef. It’s tossed with crunchy walnuts, shaved Parmesan, and a lemon-mustard dressing that adds just the right amount of zing. This one’s refreshing, colorful, and easy to prep ahead so you’re not rushing before guests arrive.

Main

For the main dish, serve up golden, crunchy baked chicken tenders from Recipe Tin Eats. Made with chicken tenderloins, they cook quickly and are baked in the oven for easier cleanup. Add a pinch of cayenne to bring the heat and keep things on theme. Or if you’re in the mood for something authentically New Orleans, grab some Popeyes Fried Chicken from your nearest location.

Side

Round out your meal with Shaunda Necole’s Black Folks Homemade Cornbread from The Soul Food Pot. Baked in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet, it comes out with a perfectly crispy crust and rich, buttery flavor. The secret? Heavy cream and whipped cream cheese. It’s soft in the middle, golden on the edges, and guaranteed to disappear fast.

Dessert

Save room for the grand finale: a rich and silky Salted Honey Chess Pie from The Grey, Chef Mashama Bailey’s celebrated Southern restaurant in Savannah. This sweet, custardy classic is a longtime Southern favorite and the perfect balance of salty and sweet. One slice probably won’t be enough. You can find the recipe on Eater.

Hope you and your guests thoroughly enjoyed this culinary journey through the South, inspired by Sarah M. Broom’s autobiography, The Yellow House. More than anything, it’s a reminder that the places we come from shape us and that home is never just a building.