Time again for the annual wearing of the green wherever you might live! But first, here's a little history and a few favorite Irish Cookbooks! Read more about the history of St. Patrick's Day and Irish Foodways ...
We love history, we love books, we love cooking and we adore trains! We have 2 great books that will help you imagine you are on a luxury train heading to your favorite destination.
The Harvey House Cookbookby George H. Foster & Peter C. Weiglin is about the dining experience at the stops along the Santa Fe Railroad. in the late 19th and early 20th Century. More delectable recipes, history and photos to keep you refreshed on your journey. Click here to visit the online Harvey House Museum.
We love food that moves! Picnics, road trips, cruises, train trips, hiking and backpacking meals... you name it, and we love to bring food along.
This week, we are recognizing the birthday (March 5, 1836) of Charles Goodnight who is credited with creating the "Chuck" wagon to take food to the hungry ranch workers and cowpokes. Charles Goodnight was a rancher, a Texas Ranger and roamed the Western United States throughout the later part of the 19th Century. He saw a need to provide hot meals to the ranch workers and cowboys on the roundups and on the trail and outfitted an old surgeon's wagon as what might well be the very first chuck wagon. At first, the cooking was pretty plain and simple, but as the years have progressed, there are cooks who have elevated the simple fare of the chuck wagon and even compete in competitions throughout the American Southwest.
Take a look at some of the cookbooks available to help you experience life on the trail.
A Taste of Cowboy: Ranch Recipes and Tales from the Trails by Kent Rollins. If I knew the ranches served up food like this, I would have learned to ride a horse! This book is full of contemporary stories, photographs and recipes that share life on a ranch. We want to cook the WHOLE book!
Calf Fries and Cow Pies: Recipes and Remedies from the Old West Heritage. by Jayne Peace and Jinx Pyle. The authors are from some of the ranching families of Central Arizona. They've collected recipes from around the Southwest that highlight the history and evolution of ranch cooking - and a few stories to go with. Most people know what cow pies are, but are you wondering what Calf Fries are? Hmmmm?
Chuck Wagon Cookin'by Stella Hughes. Rooted in Arizona history and ranches around the west, this book gives both history and folklore about cooking out on the range. Hughes also includes some tried and true home remedies.
And don't forget to wet your whistle with Cowboy Cocktails!Take a swig of the Wild, Wild West with 60 historically inspired cattle kingdom cocktails. Based on trail life after the Civil War, the cow towns at the time, and on the drinks enjoyed there, Cowboy Cocktails gives you a true taste of the cowboy lifestyle. With charming sidebars throughout, learn some surprising history about cowboys and their experiences in the Wild West.
(ca. 1880) Cowboys Eating Out on the Range, Chuck Wagon in Background. , ca. 1880. [Between and Ca. 1910] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2012646306/.
This was quite possibly the first cookbook published in the United States by an African American author. Robert Roberts was the butler to Massachusetts's governor Christopher Gore. After the governor's death he felt the younger generation of servants needed some guidance and wrote this reference book.
The man on the 100 dollar bill lived an incredible rich, wildly active and even controversial life. He was a scientist, statesman, gourmand, historian, newspaperman, postmaster, ambassador, possible a spy, an enslaver in his early life, an abolitionist in later life and so much more. Rather than ramble on about all the life and times of Benjamin Franklin, I'll share some resources - including some food related history as well!
The Library of Congress holds a tremendous collection of Franklin's papers, biographies and ephemera. In this collection you can find hundreds of letters from Franklin as he traveled between Europe and the United States. Transcriptions are available for some of the items, otherwise, you have to be brave and try to decipher the writing of the 18th Century! One favorite item is this undated manuscript sent in a letter, the "Manner of Making Parmesan Cheese."
The National Archives has transcriptions of Franklin's early writings, letters and records from his businesses.
And take a look at this Recipe for Milk Punch, held by the Massachusetts Historical Society, which also has a large collection of papers from Franklin and the other early politicians and statesmen as well as letters to and from family and friends. There's nothing like getting lost in the rabbit hole of everyday life in the 18th Century!
We hope everyone in our small, but growing community has time to enjoy the fall weather! Here are a few of the things we are interested in this coming month.
Online Events
Ecuador's Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead) Celebration. Monday, November 4 · 5 - 6pm MST Join us for a special cultural presentation on Ecuador's Day of the Dead traditions, hosted by the Atlantic Institute. On November 4, 2024 LaRahna Hughes will offer an insightful look into this unique and meaningful celebration. Discover how Ecuadorians honor their ancestors through vibrant rituals, food offerings, and community gatherings that blend Indigenous and Catholic customs. Through captivating footage and personal photos, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of this holiday, known locally as Día de los Difuntos, and its role in fostering connection across generations. Whether you're new to the tradition or eager to expand your cultural knowledge, this presentation will provide a thoughtful exploration of Ecuadorian customs and values. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the rich cultural heritage of the Day of the Dead in Ecuador. LaRahna Hughes, Atlantic Institute FREE (Donations accepted)
History in the Kitchen - Native American Foodways Saturday, November 9 · 8:30 - 9:30am MST This online series illuminates what kinds of food were eaten by different people in colonial Virginia. In November 2024, we'll be exploring Native American Foodways. Every 45-minute class spotlights a dish eaten by one of the following groups: the Mason family; people enslaved at Gunston Hall; the white laborers, shopkeepers, and tenant farmers; and the peoples native to this land. Participants will learn how social class and wealth affected what food people had access to. Kids and adults alike will have a great time learning history while cooking! This program is designed for families with kids 10-18, but is open to participants of all ages. All sessions are complimentary. By Gunston Hall, FREE
Medieval Christmas Food & Customs by Prof Giles Gaspar Saturday, November 30 · 7 - 9am MST A fascinating illustrated talk exploring the Christmas food & customs shared between medieval and modern times. This talk will be presented on Zoom at 14.00 GMT. (UK time) Please log in between 13.45 - 14.000 to ensure we can start on time. We will ask attendees to mute microphones and turn off cameras (to preserve bandwith and ensure a smooth stream) at the start of the meeting. A Question & Answer session will follow the talk, with questions invited via the chat function. Richard III Society Gloucester Branch, £ 5.00 (about $ 7.00. The platform will figure it out for you).
Podcast Love
Comfortably Hungry Podcast, "where yesterday’s dinner is tomorrow’s history." It is the work of Sam Bilton, a food historian, writer and presenter. "If you’re a peckish person who is curious about the history of food and drink, then you’re in the right place." I saw a post on Instagram about the new (at the time) episode called "Dark Food," and immediately downloaded the episode. Bilton interviews author and historian Dr. Allesandra Pino about how food is tied to our darker memories and historical events, not just the celebratory ones. The two authors use Cristina Garcia’s novel Dreaming in Cuban (1992), to look at how food is connected to slavery, colonialism and the dark sides of capitalism swirl around food and food memories of the characters in the novel. They also discuss the release of A Gothic Cookbook: Hauntingly Delicious Recipes Inspired by 13 Classic Tales by Ella Buchan and Allesandra Pino (see notes on this book below!) I loved the discussion about food in gothic novels - the way that use of food lulls you into comfort just before something horrible happens!
The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny - just dropped last week, but my KOBO e-reader died so I waiting for my new e-reader. I could read it on my phone, but its just not as cozy. I love that I can order books from Kobo (and give a little to my local Changing Hands Bookstore) AND check out books from my local libraries. I love a well-written mystery series that has lots and lots of food references as well as some very complex issues and relationships.
Elysian Kitchens: Recipes Inspired by the Traditions and Tastes of the World’s Sacred Spaces by Jody Eddy (take a look at the online events to hear her speak about her book online). Just the book to be a part of our Booklady Cooks collection! A deep dive into sacred places and how food has been shaped by the work of those who care for the traditions and spirit of these beautiful places representing so many of the world's religions.
A Cheesemonger's History of the British Isles and A Cheesemonger's Tour de France by Ned Palmer. We love cheese! AND we love history and travel, too! So it's no wonder that Ned Palmer and his books became favorites around the Booklady Cooks community! Travel through the years, from the neolithic farmers through the postmodern cheeses of the 2000's explore the ways that historical events impacted foodways - especially cheese-ways around the British Isles.
Our collection of Native American Cookbooks. This collection features some old favorites in brand-new book format. Take this opportunity, as we enter November to learn about some historic foods and foodways and see how Native cooks and chefs have evolved throughout the years.
Social Things
Emma Kayand the Museum of Kitchenalia - Emma Kay keeps food history fun, exciting and all over social media, which we love! She has written 13 books and we are working to collect them all! We also love her YouTube channel with short, lively and fun snippets of food history and the unusual implements that have been a part of the kitchen arts in the deep, dark past. Her new project is the digitization of her extensive collection of historic kitchenalia. We can't wait to explore the online exhibits!
Kitchenlit.comwith Kimberly Reynolds. Kimberly has made her list of 2025 New Cookbook Releases available on her blog and does excellent reviews of all things food and cookbook related including online cooking class reviews. A great cookbook site!
Cookbook Divas is another site that does so much to review and share cookbook and cooking information. A great place to go to for cook alongs and a cookbook club!
Explore the wide world of tacos and agave liquor online - then head to Booklady Cooks Online shop to continue your journey with our curated selection of new, used and vintage cookbooks and kitchenware!
So many online opportunities in October! This month I'm highlighting 2 British organizations that do a superb job of creating meaningful online events. I was so grateful for all of the online events during the Covid years, and while I am so happy to be out and about at all the wonderful live events, sometimes its nice to stay at home with a cup of tea and learn on my couch! I want to give a tremendous THANK YOU! to Patricia Bixler Reber who writes the Researching Food History Blog for here extensive listings of both live and recorded online talks. You can see her current list HERE.
"...there was a time when your fathers, your husbands and your brothers were so often awakened by the call of the gleaner’s drum..."" — Critic, Léon Daléas
The 19th century social and class critique levied by Millet’s painting of women scavenging harvest leavings as gleaners contrasted by the harvest’s wealth in the background still resonates globally today. His painting inspired French New Wave filmmaker, Agnès Varda’s (2000) documentary, “The Gleaners and I.” Following collage artist Louis Pons’ admonition, “junk is a cluster of possibilities” forcing us all to not fritter away our resources.
Anyone outside of the economic elite out of necessity or for ethical reasons is tethered to obtaining adequate food, contending with waste, recycling, upcycling and repurposing of ingredients, prepared dishes, containers.
Our October Kitchen Table Conversation will include Eleanor Barnett, author of “Leftovers: A History of Food Waste and Preservation,” where she explores the ingenious ways our ancestors have extended the life of the foods they ate through preservation and recycling of food scraps; and Usha Thakrar, Executive Director of Boston Area Gleaners, (BAG). Her organization is committed to improving access to affordable, healthy food for our communities, and supporting equitable, just, and sustainable local food systems while supporting growers and reducing food waste. They rethink the local supply chain between regional family farms and consumers ensuring that fresh, healthy, affordable food is available to everyone."
Tuesday, October 24, 2024, 2:00PM - 3:00PM London Time
"Carla Baker: Where did northern Tasmanian apples go? (lightning talk) Chihyin Hsiao: Changes for Soup: Charitable Food and the Plight of Manchester's Paupers during the Early Victorian Era" The Institute of Historical Research. FREE - Requires advanced registration
Apples played a central role in the ecological colonization of lutruwita, Tasmania, also known as the ‘Apple Isle’. By the early twentieth century, much of Tasmania was covered in apple orchards, reaching 3 million commercial trees by 1950. An icon of British domesticity, the apple’s swift acclimatization was perceived to be legitimization of British settlement and used to justify the theft of Indigenous land. Land grants were offered to those who would farm the land ‘productively’. In the West Tamar region in northern Tasmania, ‘Anglo-Indian’ soldiers purchased orchards which were promoted as an investment or retirement opportunity. At the core of Tasmanian apple advertising was the imagined location of the ‘Apple Isle’, an idyllic, pure, English farming utopia. Apple crate branding and multi-faceted advertising campaigns were employed to support this distortion of Tasmania’s geographical and cultural remoteness.
The soup kitchen was a common form of poor relief in early Victorian England. Previous scholarship has indicated that hunger was a familiar experience for industrial laborers due to the rising cost of food and the growing population in urban areas. Building upon this, this research investigates the social aspects of soup kitchens, which have been marginally discussed and yet to be explored with public records. Here, the primary focus is on issues such as how local soup kitchens were set up, how these establishments were financed, what was considered nutritious for paupers, and the seasonality of such ingredients. Through an examination of cookery books, public announcements, advertisements, and readers' comments in provincial newspapers during the Hungry Forties, this research attempts to evaluate the accessibility of charitable soup kitchens in the Greater Manchester area, where industrial laborers were densely populated, and pauperism was on the rise. It begins by examining the fluctuating prices of staple food items such as corn, bacon, onions, carrots, etc., then delves into the setup of soup kitchens, grounded in the commonly accepted political ideology of 'self-help.' Finally, it explores the ticket system of soup kitchens, which ultimately provided paupers with the opportunity to access readily-prepared hot food. Through the exploration of archival materials mentioned above, it is hoped that more textual examples can be included in broader studies of Victorian philanthropy and working-class diets.
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 from 17:00 - 19:00 London time
"I asked how Cathy likes her bagel and this is her reply: “My standard order (because one always goes out to a local deli for bagels) is for a ’toasted everything with veg cream cheese,” a wonderful panoply of salty, crunchy, hot-cold sensations. More flavorful than the unadorned bagels of my New Jersey childhood, I’m a partisan, firmly believing that New York City bagels are the best in the world.”
Cathy Kaufman has lived in New York City for more than 40 years and teaches in the Food Studies department at The New School, including a course on the foodways of New York City.
As always, recipes will be sent to all who sign up, so you can bake along with me in real-time.