"Our Last Meals" - A San Quentin death row Cookbook - by Albert "Ru-Al" Jones

San Quentin Death Row Cookbook
"Our Last Meals"

Albert Jones was sentenced to death in 1996 and is incarcerated on death row San Quentin. As well as creating some beautiful handkerchief art, he also has written & self published a cookery book, called "Our Last Meals". In the book several San Quentin death row inmates have provided their own personal recipes which they use when cooking for themselves and fellow inmates from their improvised kitchen in their cell. Here, Albert reminisces about his love of cooking which started when he was in junior school:-

 "Watching Mama cook every day, that's when I knew I wanted to be a cook myself. So I got into Mrs Stacy's cooking class at my junior high school.  She was surprised I was able to bake without any help. When I got to high school, my skills got even better.  My teacher showed me things that I didn't know and I was getting good grades for the three years that I was there.  I earned my gold  seal cooking certificate when I became a certified cook at high school. When I got out I went looking for a cooking job at many of the upscale restaurants, but none of them would hire me. I got very upset so I stopped looking for a cooking job and got back into street life.  Althouh my life of cooking for some prestigious restaurants had ended, I know my talent is being used in prison making delicious spreads".

Albert tells how he first started cooking in prison when he was at Los Angeles county jail:-

"My first time cooking in jail was at Los Angeles County Jail, where all the gangs from the Bloods neighbourhoods were housed. We had a major lockdown, and they punished us with this ugly, bad-smelling food called "juit balls". They were supposed to be all protein, red beans, with many kinds of vegetables all ground together then packed into a ball with no type of seasoning. It had a pungent smell and you definitely knew when it was time to eat when it came into the building. Once I got my first taste of them I couldn’t swallow one bite, neither could any of the other guys. I had to think if I wanted to eat at all because this would be our meal for the next three weeks. So I cleaned off the paint from the metal shelf and made a bong out of the toilet paper and this became our stove. I placed the juit balls on that hot shelf and cooked so all the grease from the meat came out. With that oil, we added some chopped beef sticks and some bbq corn nuts and we made a good meal out of something that no one could eat plain. That was the start of my cooking behind these walls…"

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"I know that prison food is not meant to taste good.  If I do eat it I still say a prayer because I know that I'm eating better than most people in third world countries.  I might complain and rant about how nasty the food it, but we on death row still have it good, as far as food, so I say my prayers at every meal.  If you dress the food up it's all good. If not, you got to stomach it.  Because on paper it looks good, but once it gets into your cell, it's all on you. At that point, the state has done its part by providing two hot meals every day." - Albert "Ru-Al" Jones, San Quentin death row

"Here on the row we still try to celebrate all special occasions like birthdays, holidays and sporting events, which are big in here".

Here are a couple of examples of recipes from "Our Last Meals"

Ramen Fettucini (by Letner)
(dinner for 1)

Ingredients:
1 Ramen soup
1 pinch of salt
1 pad of butter
1 tbs oil
2oz parmesan cheese
1 pinch of garlic flakes

Preparations:-
Boil one cup of water, add unbroken ramen noodles with sale.  When cooked, empty noodles into a bowl. Add butter, olive oil, and sprinkle parmesan cheese, stir until melted. Enjoy a real fettucini dish!
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Peanut butter milkshake - (by "Ru-Al")
(drink for 1)

Ingredients:
1 - 8oz glass of milk
2 tbs creamy peanut butter
1 small packet sugar

Preparations:-
Boil 1/2 cup water, pour into cup.  Wrap peanut butter inside piece of plastic, tie tight, put into hot water until melted soft.  Pour into cup of milk and add sugar.  Place lid on cup, shake for 3-4 minutes until well mixed and slightly foamy on top. Enjoy my peanut butter milkshake.

Albert talks a little about sharing food in the prison:-

"Many things have changed over the years in here.  We had to make many adjustments to our cooking and how we prepare these spreads.  The guards were instructed not to pass the cooked food to the guys in cells down the tier anymore.  So now we make it where it can fit into a plastic bag so it will slide under the cell door. Or if the guy is on the same tier and I'm going to the shower before him, I'm able to pack it good and place it in front of his cell door. When he comes out for his shower he can pick it up, put in his cell, and reheat to eat later.  The guards usually wont touch the food but sometimes they will do a cursory check for contraband.  For the guys living on other tiers, we have to put the food in a bag and attach it to a long fishing line so it can be fished to him.  So the new rules haven't completely stopped us from trying to bring some peace of mind and happiness to a guy that doesn't have anything.  It's okay to eat by yourself but there is nothing like the feeling of sharing with brothers less fortunate."

Albert also makes paints handkerchieves, creating colourful collages of his favourite bible verses  on fabric.

Albert "Ru-Al" Jones handkerchief art

A word from Albert, on gratitude:-

"Mama always made sure that we said grace before we ate because "There are people that don't have any food to eat, so say a prayer or give thanks to the Lord and be grateful for what he has provided".  I have not missed one meal in the twenty-one years I've been locked up, or in my life. I thank Mama for instilling those good values and the Lord for the blessings he's bestowed.
 
Lord, thank you for this food. Bless them that don't have anything to eat, and keep their stomachs humble until the Lord provides them nourishment.  Lord, put this food in the right place in my body, in Jesus' holy name, amen. Jesus wept!".

My Last Meal

"I pray that it never happens to me, or any other person on death row, but the warden has to offer a person that is about to be executed what he wants for his last meal.  Here at San Quentin death row you have a $50 budget to get anything you want, but you can't exceed that amount.

Since I 've been here there have been about six executions.  Some got their last meals, and one guy wanted to donate his $50 but the warden wouldn't allow him.

I have given a lot of thought about what I wanted for my last meal.  It would have to be very close to the favourite foods that Mama had cooked when I was growing up."

Albert "Ru-Al" Jones - San Quentin death row

You can purchase Albert's book here:

Purchase "Our Last Meals"

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Albert has a "J" plan (Jesus Plan) and knows that this plan cannot go wrong even if things aren’t always good. Albert has a strong faith which he tries to share with as many people has possible.
Thank you for reading.