I didn’t post to the blog yesterday. With the news of the death of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, a post on food in fiction seemed trivial. I joined countless others in mourning the passing of an activist and artist, listening to her music and reading the moving tributes posted on social media. “Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well.”