Du Jour: Shannah Spencer, Capitol Sports Restaurant Bar and Grill

Growing up in a rural area outside Donalsdsonville, Shannah Spencer and her family were all about family fetes with lots of food. Her grandmother lived on the same plot of land, and when Shannah’s four brothers (including New England Patriots Defensive End Jarvis Green), were out playing sports, Shannah was slipping into her grandmother’s kitchen for secret instruction. Georgina Caesar cooked by feel, and she had strong opinions about the way Southern staples ought to be delivered. Okra, for example, was cooked down for hours in the oven—not on the stovetop. Snap beans and black-eyed peas were enhanced by simple accoutrements, like onions and pork fat, then left to simmer until soft and mellow. “She never really used recipes, and neither do it. It just comes from experience,” says Spencer. To read the full article, click here.—Maggie Heyn RichardsonTo read previous Du Jour features on local chefs and other culinary experts, click here.?