Presented by
Documentarian Jan Thompson
Come join us as Emmy-award-winning documentarian Jan Thompson talks about her recently released film, “NEVER THE SAME: The Prisoner of War Experience.” Learn how American prisoners of Imperial Japan during World War II created and collected recipes as one diversion during their brutal captivity. Continue reading
Recollections by Chef Sanford D’Amato
It’s hard to believe, but before The Food Network, being a chef in America was often considered to be a last choice when one could just not make it in any other profession. Come join us as Chef Sanford (“Sandy”) D’Amato tells us personal anecdotes and gives readings from his memoir/recipe book “Good Stock” about the state of the American culinary profession in the late 60s and early 70s. Continue reading
Chicago’s Crusty History
Presented by
Paula Haney, Chef/Owner
We’re going to be rolling in dough as one of Chicago’s most renowned pie mavens gives us a hearty slice of Chicago’s sweet and savory pie history.
But wait, there’s more! Our pie mistress will also delve into the myriad pies of ancient times. She’ll then dish out her perspective on modern American versus British pie, and talk about the decline of pie companies and the rise of her tiny pie shop on West Chicago Avenue. Continue reading
When Life Hands You Lemons, Talk About History!
Presented by
Toby Sonneman
Author Lemon: A Global History
“The ordinary lemon is extraordinary.”–Toby Sonneman
Lemon: A Global History tells the story of the remarkable adventure of the lemon, starting with its fragrant and mysterious ancestor, the citron, adored by the Greeks and Romans for its fine perfume and sacred to many of the world’s great religions. The lemon travelled with Arabs along ancient trade routes, came of age in Sicily and Italy, and sailed to the New World with Columbus. It was an exotic luxury in seventeenth-century Europe and later went on to save the lives of thousands of sailors in the British Royal Navy after being recognized as a cure for scurvy. The last century saw the lemon’s rise to commercial success in a California citrus empire and the discovery of the Meyer lemon by the eccentric plant explorer Frank Meyer. Continue reading
Taste-Profiling Beverages with Spectroscopy
Presented by
Subda Das, PhD
Come explore the basics of taste and taste perceptions and then focus on flavor profiles of liquids, from morning java to cooling afternoon soda to crisp evening wine. Spectral data from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can detect specific analytes but offers also a broader window into the overall profile of these drinks. This presentation will examine how these profiles relate to genomics and metabolomics and how these complex profiles can be determined and used under real world conditions for education and enjoyment. And put theory to delicious practice — with taste tests. Continue reading