When Vanessa Williams was pregnant with her son, Omar, now almost 4, she became a student of parenthood. "I created my own syllabus and read everything on pregnancy," says the former Melrose Place resident. "I read everything about what I could do to be the best mother."
     That education has also helped her to play Maxine, the self-assured mother of three on Showtime's Soul Food. "Dealing with the concerns of a parent has given me insight that I could only approximate before I [had Omar]," says Williams, who is married to her manager, Andre Wiseman.
     Although Soul Food centers on an extended African-American family, Williams says it strikes a chord with all audiences. "It transcends class and race.... White people are surprised by how much they identify with it. I had the same discovery when I saw 'The Joy Luck Club.' I was astonished by how much I had in common with these Asian-American women. Even in our cultural differences, there are things that are equivalent. It's the staples—it's kimchi and corn bread."

VANESSA WILLIAMS'S FRIED TOFU

1 lb. tofu, drained and sliced into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried parsley
1½ cups cornmeal
2 tbsp. vegetable oil