Category Archives: Podcast

Recipes for Domesticity: Cookery, Household Management, and the Notion of Expertise

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Program and exhibit tour by
Julia Gardner, Exhibit Curator
and Head Reader Services, Special Collections Research Center

Special Collections Research Center Exhibition Gallery
Regenstein Library
1100 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL

How does one roast a fawn or properly set a dinner table for twelve? For centuries, people have been documenting and decoding the vast array of knowledge associated with domestic life, assembling cooking and household guides to assist with the tasks of daily living. Not merely collections of recipes and how-to instructions, these guides also document cultural  patterns and give insight into the development of modern-day kitchen and cooking practices. This exhibition, drawn primarily from the Rare Books Collection, provides a sampling of European and American cookbooks and domestic manuals from court chefs of the 15th century to cooking icons of the 20th century. Continue reading →

The Secret Financial Life of Food

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Presented by
Kara Newman

Kara Newman began her career as a financial writer.  Her inspiration for The Secret Financial Life of Food  began with two little words in the financial newsweekly Barron’s.  Jim Rogers, a noted commodities expert, gave the following advice:  “Buy breakfast.” He was talking about pork belly futures (which no longer trade) and frozen orange juice futures.  That one little comment snapped into focus the point that agricultural commodities aren’t abstract financial concepts – at heart, they’re about food. Pork bellies become the bacon on your plate; frozen orange juice becomes the OJ in your glass. In the end, it’s all about food. Continue reading →

The Old Girl Network: Charity Cookbooks and the Empowerment of Women

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Presented by
Janice Bluestein Longone
Curator of American Culinary History,
University of Michigan’s Special Collections Division

The Culinary Historians of Chicago had its first meeting in 1993, and we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary this year with a special lecture:  Before mass media, communication and transit, the first wave of the women’s movement was already active via the most ordinary of objects – the lowly cookbook. “Charity cookbooks,” a legacy of the Civil War, championed many causes: suffrage, education, temperance, prohibition, equal rights, working conditions, welfare, immigration, and legal rights and responsibilities, while benefiting churches, schools, sororities, the homeless, and others in need. The effort required to create, publish and distribute the books created networks of communication, which nurtured fledging political movements that transformed American culture.  Continue reading →

The Flavor of Africa

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Presented by
Wilbert Jones
Author, food scientist, cooking teacher

Please join Wilbert Jones as he takes you on a culinary journey throughout the earth’s second largest mass of land, Africa. This enormous continent contains 55 countries, where more than 1,500 languages are spoken. Jones will share his knowledge about the ancient Egyptian’s daily diet, national dishes from several countries, traditional use of some unique ingredients as well as cooking techniques, and current food and beverage trends emerging out of Africa. He will also address the lack of African culinary presence in America and offers some solutions to increase visibility. Continue reading →

Chocolate With a Taste of Pakistan

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East meets West in crossover confections

Presented by
Uzma Sharif, proprietor
Chocolat Uzma Sharif, Chicago

Uzma Sharif has some sweet tales to tell. Join us as this acclaimed Chicago chocolatier recounts the confectionary influences of her Pakistani heritage, and the history of pastries in South Asian countries. She will also touch on the special ingredients that are used in her culture.

Uzma says she has had a sweet life, surrounded by family and food. Growing up as a first generation Pakistani-American in Chicago and occasionally visiting her family in South Asia, Uzma recalls being greatly influenced by her grandfather, a renowned pastry chef in Pakistan. Continue reading →