Category Archives: Culinary Historians of Chicago

How Macaroni and Cheese Shaped Human History, Karima Moyer-Nocchi

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Saturday, April 25, 2026 @ 10 a.m., central time via Zoom

 

What would it mean to view history through the lens of a single, familiar dish? At first glance, the idea of macaroni and cheese having an epic history may seem whimsical, even trivial. Yet its story begins in ancient Rome and unfolds across centuries of colonization, migration, labor, industry, and identity. In this talk, Karima Moyer-Nocchi will discuss her book The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese from Ancient Rome to Modern America, Continue reading →

The Dining Room with John Ota

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Wednesday, May 13, 2026: 7 pm via Zoom: Jon Ota on The Dining Room

Dive into history’s most captivating dining rooms as author and architectural writer John Ota investigates the architecture, interior design, and cherished history of twelve iconic dining spaces, including the dining rooms of Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo, Frank Sinatra, Jackie Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
 

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The Chicago Way: An Oral History of Chicago Dining with Michael Gebert

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From a city associated with steak and the stockyards, Chicago has become a capitol of innovative, even avant-garde cuisine—but how? That’s the story that James Beard-winning Chicago food journalist Michael Gebert tells in The Chicago Way: An Oral History of Chicago Dining (Agate, $36.00). https://www.agatepublishing.com/97815728…/the-chicago-way/

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Rich History of Lebanese Baking with Maureen Abood

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Join us on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 7 PM via Zoom

Podcast

Recipes:
Apricot Gems
Mocha Cardamom Snack Cake
Pomegranate Mousse with Lime Icing

Lebanon’s culinary repertoire includes a multi-faceted baking tradition that is influenced by the country’s history as much as by the diaspora the world over. Maureen Abood’s new book, Lebanese Baking, offers a sweeping, deeply personal guide to the baked traditions of Lebanon. With more than 100 recipes and detailed process instruction, this is the first English-language cookbook of its kind. A tribute to Lebanese baking in all its forms, the book provides a tour in chapters, photos, recipes, and stories of the many facets of baking that make up and express the Lebanese culture of hospitality, feasting, community, sharing, and family. 

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