DailyHeights

Lucas writes: “Were you aware that Sean “Puffy” Combs’ mother is the owner of Mama Duke (Flatbush/Bergen)? Oh, yeah; it’s in the latest edition of ‘Brooklyn!!’ Tagline: ‘Where New York City Begins.’ (? Uh ?)”

“Page three: ‘…Mama Duke’s owner is none other than Janice Combs, loving mother of a son named Sean, whom headlines tend to refer to as P. Diddy.’ Besides noting ‘regulars’ like Rosie Perez and Johnnie Cochran (er, how long ago was this written?) the piece does reveal that the chef is ‘privy to the treasure trove of original recipes belonging to the original Mama Duke, Jessie Smalls, Janice’s mother, whose homemade victuals were savored throughout Harlem in her day.'”

“Then the piece ends with perhaps the worst closer in publishing history. I can’t remember exactly, but it was something along the lines of, ‘And that, you can see, means everything has turned up just puffy.’ (In reference to Mama Duke’s being owned by Sean Combs’s mom.) (I guess.)”

“Anyway, word is, the BBQ is outrageously good. Maggie says it’s kickass. So there you go. The Combs are straight-up Midas all the way. Gold, gold, gold.”

I rummaged around the Pulp Pile at Ozzie’s but couldn’t find a copy of “BROOOOKLLYYYN!!!!1” magazine. Lucas says they list their website as www.brooklyn-usa.org, which is of course Marty Markowitz’s home page. PICTURED: Marty congratulates participants in a sweet potato pie cook-off judged in part by John Cabbell of Mama Duke.

Still skeptical? Looks like the Russians beat Marty to the punch. Go read this story about the Mamochki (mother) of “Reppyera Paffa” (“Rapper Puffy”).

Mama Duke Southern Cuisine | 243 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11217. 718-857-8700.

[Icon: Mr. Icon]