Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. September 2018 Volume XXII, Number 1 Save these future CHoW Meeting Dates: The Swiss Contribution September 9 to Culinary History October 14 November 11 Speaker: Martin Dahinden December 9 Swiss Ambassador to the United States January 13, 2019 February 10, 2019 Sunday, September 9 March 10, 2019 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. April 14, 2019 Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center May 5, 2019 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 Welcome back to CHoW! witzerland is known for fondue, chocolate, and Martin Dahinden became Hope you had muesli. But did you know that some of the most the Swiss Ambassador to the a nice summer. Soutstanding contributions to culinary history were United States in 2014. He was made by the Swiss? Swiss cuisine is rich in anecdotes previously Head of the Swiss which connect the country’s history with its culinary Agency for Development and Renew Your achievements. Cooperation (DEZA). As a Membership in Ambassador Martin Dahinden went in search of diplomat he has worked in stories and anecdotes about dishes, chefs, bakers, and Geneva, Paris, Lagos, New CHoW NOW gastronomes. He came upon the story of the most York, Brussels and Bern. for 2018-19! important chef of the Renaissance, the first woman Martin Dahinden was born who ever wrote a cookbook, the tragic fate of a man in Zurich, Switzerland, in The membership year who arranged splendid banquets for the Sun King, and 1955. He earned a Ph.D. in runs from September 1 pioneers of the hotel business and of industrial food Economics (Business Admin- to August 31. Annual production. He found out about Napoleon’s chef, the istration) from the University dues are $35 for founders of the legendary Delmonico’s Restaurant in of Zurich. Before joining the individuals, households, New York, a revolutionary who wrote a monumental diplomatic service, he worked or organizations. Dues culinary dictionary and began to organize his col- as a postgraduate assistant at include e-mail delivery of leagues into groups throughout the world. the university, and was then employed by a bank and a the newsletter CHoW Line. He found out how Swiss confectioners and choco- late producers made a name for themselves publishing house. abroad, and discovered a resourceful “I like to bake Dues are $50 for members mind who invented the ice cream cone. bread and to spend who also wish to receive a In Washington, he met a Swiss Executive time making pies,” mailed, paper copy of the Chef who worked for five American presi- said Ambassador newsletter. dents in the White House. The result of his Dahinden, a culinary research is the book Beyond Muesli and connoisseur. I do not Other Benefits: Fondue. The Swiss Contribution to Culi- mind investing time • Priority registration for nary History. It was translated into English in studying recipes field trips from Ambassador Dahinden’s 2016 book, and running after • GoogleGroups notices Schweizer Küchengeheimnisse: Gesichter rare ingredients.” • Membership roster und Geschichten hinter bekannten Gerich- ten (Swiss Culinary Secrets: The Faces and Stories behind Well-Known Dishes). Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. (CHoW/DC) www.chowdc.org founded in 1996, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to the study of the history of foodstuffs, cuisines, and culi- nary customs, both historical and contemporary, from all parts of the world. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. What Happened at the May 6 CHoW Meeting? Past President Bruce Reynolds called the meeting to order at 2:16 p.m. Twenty CHoW members and two guests were CHoW Programs 2018-2019 present. ANNOUNCEMENTS: September 9 Ambassador Martin Dahinden, “The Swiss Contribution to Culinary History” 1. Bruce explained why the meeting was taking place in McLean instead of Bethesda. He spoke briefly about the October 14 Ivanova Decán-Gambús. “Venezuela at the difficulties CHoW was having reserving the Bethesda Table. Approaches to Its Food Culture from the Late 1800s space for the 2018 - 2019 year. He asked members for ideas to the Present.” for a Plan B meeting place in the event the Bethesda location becomes unavailable in the future. November 11 Joan Nathan, King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World 2. Bruce also explained why Board elections were not hap- pening in the usual manner. He noted that all the current December 9 Daniel Stone, “The Food Explorer: The Board Officers and Directors have agreed to continue for True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who another year. He asked for a vote to approve the existing Transformed What America Eats” slate of Board Officers and Directors to continue for one year. The vote was approved with no dissention. January 13, 2019 Susan Sullivan Lagon, “Thomas Jefferson, the Foodie Founding Father” 3. Francine Berkowitz, Treasurer, reminded everyone that CHoW membership dues are due for the 2018 -2019 year February 10, 2019 Shirley Cherkasky, “Midwestern Maple and have been increased to $35, with an additional $15 for Syrup and Wild Rice” anyone wishing to have a paper copy of the newsletter mailed to them. March 10, 2019 Mark Herlong, “Legislating through the Stomach: How John Chamberlin Helped Shape the Gilded WHATZITS: Age in Washington” Judy Newton brought a flour wand. April 14, 2018 Cooperative Supper, Alexandria House PROGRAM: May 5, 2018 Luke Barr, “Ritz and Escoffier” CiCi Williamson introduced this month’s speaker, Sandra Gutierrez from Cary, North Carolina, who presented “The New Southern Latino Table.” See a summary of her talk on How to Post to the CHoW Google Group page 6. The CHoW-DC Google Group is for communicating REFRESHMENTS: culinary history matters ONLY. It is not intended to be an open forum. Francine Berkowitz – Chocolate Babka Claudia Kousoulas – Korean Bakery Florentines You must be a member of CHoW, and your email ad- Jane Olmsted – Carrot Cake Cookies dress must be in the CHoW database. Clara Raju – Guava Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frost- ing (a recipe from Sandra’s book) It’s important to remember that if you change your email Amy Riolo – Mexican Almond Orange Cookies address, you need to inform the CHoW Membership CiCi Williamson - Corn and Black Bean Salad Director so that it can be updated and you will continue to receive messages and newsletters. DOOR PRIZES: The easiest way to post a message to the Group is simply Thank you to Claudia Kousoulas for donating the cook- through an email. Here’s how. books for this month’s door prizes. • Open a new email • In the address line or “To” box, enter The meeting was adjourned at 3:35 p.m. [email protected] • Enter a subject in the subject box Respectfully submitted, • Enter the text of your message Pam Simon, Director o NOTE: If you are announcing an event, please make sure you include all relevant information, plus a website or phone number for additional information. • Please sign your message as a courtesy to everyone. • Add your email address for replies. • Send the message! DONE! 2 CHoW Line News of Our Members Claudia Kousoulas will be speaking to the Culinary Historians of Boston on September 11. Her talk,”Making IN MEMORY Value Visible,” is based on her new book, Bread & Beauty, Jane Ramsey Olmsted A Year in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. The 1930-2018 book explores historical foodways around the C&O Canal and the County’s freed slave and Quaker communities. Long-time CHoW member and This 300-page, hard cover, full color tome features more former Board member Jane Olmsted than 120 recipes using local produce, along with profiles of passed away on July 14. She was a vi- farmers (they’re not who you think they are!) and essays brant, generous, adventurous woman about challenges to farming—from building soil health to with a great sense of humor. Always finding the right market. hospitable and engaged, Jane was at The Reserve was established in the 1980s and sets aside CHoW’s last meeting in May, bring- 93,000 acres, one-third of the County, for agricultural uses. ing cookies to share. Often she would Since then it has supported diverse local jobs, clean air and bring her Southern pimiento cheese water, outdoor recreation, and delicious local food. It has spread. She told CiCi, “Southerners also created a space for history—from Montevideo (built by don’t put big chunks of pimiento in Jane at her favorite the great-granddaughter of Martha Custis Washington) to their cheese. They blend the mixture Sugarland, a community founded by freed slaves. restaurant, The Inn at in a food processor so there are only Little Washington, taken You can get a glimpse of the book on the website: little specks of pimiento in it.” www.breadandbeauty.org/ this spring. Photo: Sallie The daughter of a U.S. Navy Admi- Olmsted MacKinnon ral, Jane grew up in China and on U.S. Pat Zickler and Pamela Simon gave a bacon-making dem- Navy bases during the childhood of her 87 years. She was a onstration July 29 at the Olney Farmers and Artists Market graduate of Sweet Briar College in Virginia and a talented and also introduced the audience to CHoW’s history and and collected watercolorist who studied painting at Ameri- programs. Judith Newton wrote a blog post that included can University and Corcoran School of Art. Before retir- coverage of the demo: ing, Jane was the assistant manager of the Sulgrave Club http://olneyfarmersmarket.tumblr.com/ in D.C., where she meticulously coordinated hundreds of post/176606994129/lisianthus-bacon-and-bug-eyed-mon- events, and was a restaurant reviewer for The Courier, an sters Arlington newspaper.