Program Summary by Christine Dzujna Scott Alves Barton was mesmerized the first time he watched a braider in South America bury rice seeds deep in the thick weaves of a black woman’s hair. He’d read about enslaved women carrying grains from their homelands atop their heads in this manner to keep them safe and well […]
By Christine Dzujna Henry Voigt is an authority on American menus dating back to the mid-1800s, a culinary detective who traces American history by teasing out the hidden meanings in these culinary documents. Voigt opened with two examples of menus that ultimately filled in stories about Edgar Allen Poe and Walt Whitman. Remaining vigilant for unexpected […]
By Christine Dzujna The Japanese art of presenting food, moritsuke, was the subject of Elizabeth Andoh’s lavishly-illustrated presentation at the serene Globus washitsu. American-born Andoh has made Japan her home for more than 50 years and is a leading authority on Japanese culinary culture. She approached moritsuke by identifying three elements that govern the aesthetics of the traditional […]
By Christine Dzujna One of the stories that we Americans like to tell about our nation is that it is founded on freedom and the unfettered ability of each individual to choose her or his life’s direction. That freedom, however, comes with the responsibility to live with the consequences of our choices. As demonstrated by […]
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Program summary by Christine Dzujna & Cathy Kaufman Claire Alsup loves anchovies, fermented food, and Italian cuisine, so when she first encountered colatura di alici, a piquant fish sauce made from salted anchovies, in a specialty food shop in Naples in 2015, she immediately was hooked. But she was also slightly embarrassed and intrigued: she […]
Program summary by Christine Dzujna According to the authors of Halal Food: A History (Oxford University Press, 2018), there is one constant in the history of the rules regarding what is halal (permitted) food and drink for the Islamic faithful, and that is that there are no constants. Halal criteria have been debated, adjusted and […]
Another way colonists used alcohol was in this delicious dessert that was clearly part of upper class tables, with the brandy, lemon, and nutmeg as prized, if pricey ingredient. 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup white wine or sherry 2 tablespoons brandy Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon 1/3 to 1/2 cup superfine sugar to […]
Corin Hirsch’s fascination with the drinks of colonial New England began as an off-shoot of her interest in the artisanal food and beverage scene of Vermont and its environs. When an offer came her way to investigate the drinks scene from an historical perspective, she jumped at the chance to delve into the stories of […]
November 11, 1918, a date familiar to all students of history, as The Great War (to end all wars) was finally at an end. But for students of culinary history, that date has additional significance: it is the birth day of Karen Hess, who would become one of the earliest American culinary historians and mentor […]
