Courtesy of Lutunji Abram
Lutunji's Palate
It all started with a peach cobbler, Harriet’s Escape peach cobbler to be exact. In the summer of 2018, Lutunji Abram went to Calvary Baptist Church, accompanied by her peach cobbler, to speak with Pastor Jeff Cowmeadow about her interest in starting a GED program for teen parents.
“In the middle of the meeting Pastor Jeff was like, ‘You need to be selling this peach cobbler.’ At the time I just laughed, but before I knew it, they were letting me use the church’s commercial kitchen and getting the license I needed to sell my peach cobbler at the Whittier Farmers Market,” Abram says.
Abram knew there was something special about her peach cobbler. Back in 2011 and 2012, Abram dealt with a discouraging string of job rejections by working on just the right crust. One that would one day reveal her true calling.
“Here I am an African American Woman with a master’s degree in organizational leadership with an emphasis on education, getting denied from jobs. It was a trying time, and I was being put into a place that was ensuring that certain opportunities weren’t presented to me because I’m outspoken and speak truth to power. But I knew I had a purpose and there was a plan for me.”
Abram is a fourth-generation baker with a modern twist—that crust she worked so hard to perfect came to her in a way that some might call divine inspiration. While Abram says that at the time, the word “vegan” wasn't even in her vocabulary, something made her decide to research vegan crusts. She chose a coconut oil-based crust, and Abram says her first bake was perfection.
“My grandma is looking down from heaven saying coconut oil crust? Excuse me, where is the lard and Crisco?" For Abram it was a surprising delight to cook with organic coconut sugar and vegan butter, giving Abram that modern twist she had been looking for.
“I’ve had total strangers say, ‘I can tell you put love into this peach cobbler,’ or ‘This lemon pound cake is baked with love.’” Love is what drives Abram’s baked goods and the overall mission of her business, from her partnerships with Minneapolis non-profits to naming each one her gourmet desserts after the many seasons of her life.
“With Harriet’s Escape, oppression couldn’t hold her back. She was a rebel. It’s called Harriet’s Escape because all along there was a plan for my future and economic stability and part of that is needing to reach back out to my community and pull out the people that need help. That leads me to being empowered and equipped to work with programs to help young people learn leadership while baking.”
When Abram launches Lutunji’s Palate Bakery and Cafe this spring, it will have a mission. Partnering with several non-profits, such as Step Up Program, Better Futures, and EMERGE, the cafe will give young people a chance to learn leadership and life skills while working in the new bakery.
As a former life skills coach, Abram worked closely with organizations providing opportunities for those who have been recently incarcerated to transition to life after prison. “These men were Barack Obamas, extremely intelligent, but they went to prison despite being innocent or for something extremely minor but charged for something major, putting a stronghold on their life. You come out with a mark on your back.”
When cooking with them she asks, What's something you’re so good at you’d do for free? “We have to find out what we love to do so much that we’d do it for free and that’s how you find your purpose.”
Lutunji’s Palate Bakery and Cafe is slated to open mid-April of 2022 at the Gatsby apartment building in the Elliot Park neighborhood. With over $70,000 raised in community funds, Abram is hosting a sneak peek event on December 2 to show her gratitude. All are welcome to the community event from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Visitors will get a chance to see the floor plans for the cafe and sample some of the treats like Sammy’s Avenue Eatery sandwiches, Peace Coffee, and also meet the folks who have been part of Abram’s journey.
And, of course, there will be peach cobbler.
