Homecoming is cancelled. But HBCU alumni will brunch remotely

For students of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), homecoming isn’t just a game day. It’s a lifestyle. On-campus tailgates are an experience, and defy the booze-and-barbeque routine of lesser academic communities. Crab boils, fish fries, and okra soup are common offerings at an HBCU homecoming. But those feasts are just one part of a food-and-fellowship tradition that extends far beyond a student’s four-year tenure. Brunch, a more recent homecoming tradition, has become an alumni favorite, whether hosted in town or hundreds of miles away. This year, of course, many of those festivities are canceled for public health reasons. But that won’t stop alumni from recreating the energy of game day remotely, Nicole Taylor writes, for The New York Times, by cooking homecoming brunch staples at home—namely, chicken and waffles, a dish with deep roots in African-American culinary history. Bottomless mimosas? That’s on you.