Presented by Patty and Tom Erd,
Spice Merchants and Proprietors of The Spice House
Anise-Almond Cookies
Cardamon Crisps
Spicy Pitas for Hummus
Throughout time, man’s destiny has been shaped by the search for the elusive spices coveted by nobility and royalty. The history of the spice trade reveals titillating tales of piracy, astounding adventures and fierce wars battled to control the spice trade. Exotic myths arose in explaining the astronomical costs of spice treasures. Continue reading
Presented Erik Schultz, Long time reenactor
While Lake County’s Civil War Days may be cancelled this year, it is our opportunity for Erik Schultz to offer his experiences as reenactor and experienced camp cook’s guide. Instead of sweating and trying desperately to keep up with his long strides, we will be in air-conditioned comfort. Continue reading
Margaret Carney, PhD, Director
The International Museum of Dinnerware Design
Margaret Carney, director and curator of the International Museum of Dinnerware Design will present Well of the Sea, all about the acclaimed seafood restaurant located in Chicago’s Hotel Sherman between 1948-1972. Why was dining there so memorable? Continue reading
Presented by Abra Berens, chef, farmer, author
It is true that we are a region known for steak houses, pizzas and pot roast, but what exactly is Midwestern food? Could it also be a dinner at Alinea? Is it the German chocolate cake made by Stephanie Hart’s Brown Sugar Bakery on 75th St? Is it the melting pot that gives us Cornish pasties from Michigan’s upper peninsula, as well as the roast duck from Chef Kelly Cheng Sun Wah? Continue reading
Presented by Joe Weintraub, PhD
Paris à Table: 1846 is the first English translation of an essential text in the literature of gastronomy. Written by the journalist and critic, Eugène Briffault, the book takes readers from the opulence of a meal at the Rothschilds’ through every social stratum down to the student on the Left Bank and the laborer eating on the streets. The author surveys the restaurants of the previous generation and his own–from the most elegant to the lowest dive–along with the eating habits of the bourgeoisie, the importance and variety of banquets, and even the plight of “people who do not dine,” offering the reader, according to Le Monde, “the richest view of Balzac’s time seen from the table.” Continue reading