Chow Line Newsletter

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Chow Line Newsletter CH W Line Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. February 2008 Volume XII, Number 5 Cooperative Supper FEBRUARY 10 MEETING, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. April 13 “If You Don’t Want Grits, Why’d You Order Breakfast? CHoW will be holding its annual Cooperative Supper Church Ladies as Custodians of Culture and Tradition.” on the top floor of an apartment building By By Brenda Rhodes Miller overlooking Alexandria on Sunday afternoon, April 13. renda Rhodes Miller has always loved listening to story tellers. “When I was a little girl See page 5 for ten Bit was clear to me that if I sat quietly when old ladies started talking, I’d learn all sorts suggestions of possible of interesting things.” A non-profit executive themes for our potluck. director, Miller has written food focused newspaper and magazine articles as well as presented on such subjects as “Food and Take a look at the list and Family,” “Preserving Family Traditions with see if one appeals to you -- Recipes,” and “The Role of Hospitality in or if you have another African American Culture.” suggestion. We will vote on a theme at the February 10 With two published cookbooks and a novel to CHoW meeting but we are her credit, Miller is currently working on a open to other themes and murder mystery that expands the church lady discussion right up to the franchise introduced by Penguin in The Church voting time. Ladies Divine Desserts and Sweet Recollections, and The Church Ladies Celestial Suppers and Sensible Advice. Random House/Harvest Moon Once we decide on a theme, published Miller’s 2004 novel, The Laying on of everyone brings a “covered Hands. She earned her graduate degree in dish” to share that is Advertising from the University of Illinois, somehow related to the Champaign-Urbana. theme. The dinners over the last ten years have been terrific and everyone has a Calendar of CHoW Meetings good time dreaming up September 9 Tyler Cowen, “Every Meal Counts: How and Why an Economist Became what to bring that will fit in Obsessed with the Quest for the Perfect Meal” with the theme. October 14 Stefanie Walker, “ Bartolomeo Scappi’s “Art of Cooking” (Dell’arte del cucinare) of 1570 and Italian cookbooks from the 16th-17th centuries” In the past we have had November 11 Amy Riolo, “Incense and Spice: Entertaining in the Arabian Peninsula” “Foods of the Chesapeake December 9 Mark McWilliams, “From Raw Beef to Freedom Fries: Haute Cuisine, the Region,” “White Foods,” White House, and Presidential Politics” “Foods from Julia Child,” January 13 Professor Leni Sorensen, “Cooks and Slaves: Edith Fossett and Frances and “Foods from the Silk Hern of Monticello” (see page 2) Road,” and “400 Years of February 10 Brenda Rhodes Miller, “If You Don’t Want Grits, Why’d You Order Virginia Foods,” among Breakfast? Church Ladies as Custodians of Culture and Tradition.” other topics. March 9 “African Foodways in Books and Art,” A Field Trip to the Robbins Library at the National Museum of African Art April l3 Cooperative Supper May 18 TBA (Note: Not the second Sunday.) Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. (CHoW/DC) www.chowdc.org founded in 1996, is an informal, nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to the study of the history of foodstuffs, cuisines, and culinary customs, both historical and contemporary, from all parts of the world. What Happened at the December 9, 2007, Meeting? NOTE: Because the December 2007 and President Laura Gilliam reviewed the Clara Raju brought Nanaimo Bars; January 2008 CHoW Line issues were meeting policy in case of bad weather. combined, included in the February issue The building is open no matter what, Amy Riolo brought Date, Sesame and is the report on the December 9 meeting. but meetings will be canceled in case Almond Balls from her book Arabian of bad weather. E-mails announcing Delights; The meeting was called to order by any cancellation will go out to Randy Clarke, Vice-President, at 2:40. members as soon as possible the Tom Weiland brought Chocolate- evening before or the morning of a Covered Cherries; and Announcements: The treasurer meeting date. People also can call or reminded everyone that memberships e-mail board members for information. Zina Pisarko brought potato chips need to be renewed by November 30. because “potato chips were served to Any memberships after the due date Refreshments: Krushchev, who had never will not appear in the directory. There encountered such delicacies before, will be an addendum in the Spring of Phyllis Krochmal brought Bailey’s and who went wild for them and names of subscribers who renewed or Irish Cream Cake; hoped that Soviet Russia would start became new members after November to produce them.” 30. Sue Latini brought “Grandma’s Tea Cakes” from At the Hearth; Whatzits: Bryna Freyer brought in a silver Zina Pisarko brought in various CiCi Williamson brought in antique spoon warmer that stumped everyone. molds for cheese, butter and cookies. miniature cast iron cornstick pans that had been in her family for about 70 years. She wanted CHoW members’ opinions: were they meant for baking tiny cornsticks or were they traveling salesmen’s “samples.” (Program, continued on page 3) Photographs were taken of several previous whatzits that people brought back in today. These photographs will be made available at our www.chowdc.org website. Welcome, New Members! Linda Benkin Bruce Reynolds Virginia Ann Ruskell Interests: Antiquarian cookbooks and Jennifer Moore Howe manuscript collecting Doreen Thompson Interests: Slow Food, original food, Interest: African Diaspora holistic eating for health Richard Roepke Interest: Cooking 2 CHoW Line December 9 Program (continued from page 2) Maryland Humanities Council “From Raw Beef to Freedom Fries: This program was made possible by the Maryland Humanities Council. The meeting was free and open to Haute Cuisine, the White House, and the public and the location was handicap accessible. Presidential Politics” Sign language interpretation was made available with By Professor Mark McWilliams a two-week advance notice. Mark McWilliams writes about food and culture. An Associate the comforts and joy of foreign foods but were scared of the Professor in the English ramifications. In the late 1780s, what to eat became a Department of the United political question. The association was made that eating States Naval Academy, he simple “American” food reflected the values of the specializes in the shifting politician. The myth of Republican simplicity came about portrayals of food in literature, after the American Revolution. Food of the lower class particularly in the nineteenth- became considered patriotic and reflected the virtues of the century United States, but he working class. An example was corn and how it became a has also explored topics as patriotic virtue by cooking with it. Americans preference for diverse as fusion cuisine and corn showed the connection that we had with the land and the morality of bread. His our being self-sufficient. work has appeared in numerous scholarly journals Martin van Buren was seen as losing touch with the and in the proceedings of the American people when he served a six course French meal Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery. He received his M.A. in the White House. This was not the first time that a and Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Virginia. president had been criticized for serving French cuisine at an American state dinner. But the media focused on Professor McWilliams began his talk by bringing our negative imagery and it stuck with the American people. In attention to a recent cover story in The New York Times. The the next presidential election campaign, Van Buren’s story described what Hillary Clinton and family had for opponent William Henry Harrison capitalized on this issue breakfast: What the candidates are eating sometimes is by presenting himself as a people’s candidate. He claimed getting more news coverage than the issues that the candidates to subsist on “raw beef without salt.” One can still question stand for. The food that the various candidates ate at the how much of this influenced the American people to elect Iowa State Fair also received much media attention. Harrison over Van Buren. Food creates connections: candidates try to reach out to The food prepared in Bill Clinton’s White House kitchen people via the food that they eat. Eating local foods says, has also received much debate. When Clinton was first “I’m one of you. Vote for me.” Hence, at the state fair you elected, Alice Waters wrote a letter to him urging the will see candidates eating the regional foods of the area. adoption of American cuisine. The letter urged him to focus Even though connections can be made, bad experiences can on our environment and on organically grown food. also be created which show that the connections are only During the Clinton administration, the menus at state visual. President Ford had such an experience when he ate dinners appeared in English and not in French. Hillary a tamale without removing the outer husk wrapper. Clinton wanted food that was healthy and low fat. The chef at the time, Pierre Chambrin, left after one year because of Food and politics have had a long history. Food, his disagreement with the Clinton’s dietary choices. He particularly the “elitist” and foreign sounding “haute was replaced by Walter Scheib, who focused on regional cuisine,” has been linked to Presidential politics. French American cuisine. However, after George Bush entered the fries were renamed Freedom Fries to show our disapproval White House, Scheib was fired. Scheib categorized the food of the French stand on the Iraq war.
Recommended publications
  • Former White House Chef to Speak in NP
    THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH LOCAL SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2013 A3 Former White House chef to speak in NP By HEATHER JOHNSON According to his biography, the time, was so impressed by that offers talks, meals and [email protected] Scheib has been enamored the comprehensive spa menu cooking demonstrations at cor- with food preparation ever Scheib had developed for the porate events, homes and cook- A former White House chef since he discovered his moth- Greenbrier resort and his high- ing schools. will kick offthe spring season er’s pots and pans as a child. By lighting of American cuisine He has made appearances on of the Town Hall Lecture Se- the time high school gradua- that she hired him personally. “The Daily Show with Jon ries in North Platte. Walter tion rolled around, he was con- For 11 years, he prepared Stewart,” “The Early Show, ” Scheib will speak at the North vinced he wanted to pursue a everything from simple family “Good Morning America,” Platte Community Playhouse culinary arts career. In 1979, he meals to elaborate state din- “Nightline” and “Iron Chef on April 4 at 10:30 a.m. America.” graduated with honors from ners. His culinary creations Brenda Klemm, publicity the Culinary Institute of Scheib has also written a dazzled and delighted White chairwoman, said Scheib America. book, “White House Chef: would share stories about his Immediately thereafter, House guests such as Nelson Eleven Years, Two Presidents, Courtesy photo experience. They will include Scheib started as a rounds cook Mandela, Emperor Akihito, One Kitchen,” which will be how he got the job at the White Boris Yeltsin, Lady Diana Walter Scheib, former White House at a premier Washington, D.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspirational Eating: Class Anxiety and the Rise of Food in Popular Culture
    ASPIRATIONAL EATING: CLASS ANXIETY AND THE RISE OF FOOD IN POPULAR CULTURE by Stephanie Mariko Finn A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (American Culture) in The University of Michigan 2011 Doctoral Committee: Associate Professor Paul A. Anderson, Chair Professor Susan J. Douglas Professor Penny M. Von Eschen Professor Warren Belasco, University of Maryland-Baltimore County Shaka Freeman, “#4,” Michael Pollan or Michel Foucault? © S. M. Finn 2011 To my parents ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe a large debt of gratitude to all of the people who supported me in the writing of this dissertation. Paul Anderson first suggested to me that rather than leaving graduate school with the vague hope of becoming a sommelier, perhaps I should write a dissertation about the significance of wine in U.S. popular culture. His support for the project that grew out of that inquiry and my development as a scholar has far exceeded the obligations of an advisor or committee chair. Warren Belasco provided generous, thoughtful, extensive feedback on chapter drafts and conference presentations, as well as many kind words of encouragement along the way. Susan Douglas and Penny Von Eschen helped shape my thinking from the very beginning of my graduate coursework and have also given generously of their time and expertise. I hope this project does some credit to their collective efforts and brilliance. Marlene Moore provided invaluable assistance in navigating the institutional pathways of the Ph.D. process. In addition to her expertise and tireless work on behalf of all graduate students in American Culture, her deep compassion humanized what might have otherwise been a formidable bureaucratic gauntlet.
    [Show full text]
  • Bill Clinton Bibliography - 2002 Thru 2020*
    Bill Clinton Bibliography - 2002 thru 2020* Books African American Journalists Rugged Waters: Black Journalists Swim the Mainstream by Wayne Dawkins PN4882.5 .D38 2003 African American Women Cotton Field of Dreams: A Memoir by Janis Kearney F415.3.K43 K43 2004 For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics by Donna Brazile E185.96 .B829 2018 African Americans--Biography Step by Step: A Memoir of Hope, Friendship, Perseverance, and Living the American Dream by Bertie Bowman E185.97 .B78 A3 2008 African Americans--Civil Rights Brown Versus Board of Education: Caste, Culture, and the Constitution KF4155 .B758 2003 A Matter of Justice: Eisenhower and the Beginning of the Civil Rights Revolution by David Nichols E836 .N53 2007 Winning While Losing: Civil Rights, the Conservative Movement, and the Presidency From Nixon to Obama edited by Kenneth Osgood and Derrick White E185.615 .W547 2013 African Americans--Politics and Government Bill Clinton and Black America by DeWayne Wickham E886.2 .W53 2002 Conversations: William Jefferson Clinton from Hope to Harlem by Janis Kearney E886.2 .K43 2006 African Americans--Social Conditions The Mark of Criminality: Rhetoric, Race, and Gangsta Rap in the War-on-crime Era * This is a non-annotated continuation of Allan Metz’s, Bill Clinton: A Bibliography. 1 by Bryan McCann ML3531 .M3 2019 Air Force One (Presidential Aircraft) Air Force One: The Aircraft that Shaped the Modern Presidency by Von Hardesty TL723 .H37 2003 Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes by Kenneth Walsh TL723 .W35
    [Show full text]
  • Chefs on Campus Presents Former White House Executive Chef Walter S
    University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Media Relations UNH Publications and Documents 4-9-2008 Chefs On Campus Presents Former White House Executive Chef Walter S. Scheib III April 15 - 16, 2008 Jody Record UNH Media Relations Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news Recommended Citation Record, Jody, "Chefs On Campus Presents Former White House Executive Chef Walter S. Scheib III April 15 - 16, 2008" (2008). UNH Today. 412. https://scholars.unh.edu/news/412 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the UNH Publications and Documents at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Chefs on Campus Presents Former White House Executive Chef Walter S. Scheib III April 15 - 16, 2008 Chefs On Campus Presents Former White House Executive Chef Walter S. Scheib III April 15 - 16, 2008 Media Contact: Jody Record 603-862-1462 UNH Media Relations April 9, 2008 2008 DURHAM, N.H. - Former White House chef Walter S. Scheib III, who worked for President Bill Clinton and briefly for President George W. Bush, will be at the University of New Hampshire April 15 and 16, 2008, as part of the Great Chefs on Campus series offered by UNH Hospitality Services. Scheib, who was hired in 1994 by then-first lady Hillary Clinton, will talk about his White House experiences from the unique vantage point of the kitchen on Tuesday, April 15, at 1 p.m.
    [Show full text]
  • Culinary Historians of New York• from Raw Beef Without Salt to Freedom
    • CULINARY HISTORIANS OF NEW YORK • Volume 22, No. 1 Fall 2008 From Raw Beef without Salt to Freedom Fries Haute Cuisine, the White House, and Presidential Politics W By Mark McWilliams illiam J. Clinton Presidential N politics, food makes news. Be- Ifore the Iowa caucuses, we learned that Barack Obama munched a corn dog, Bill Richardson ate pork chops, L Mike Huckabee sampled pork-on-a- ibrary stick, and Hillary Clinton enjoyed a Women’s Wonder Bar. Consuming food, notes Walter Scheib, White House Chef for the Clintons and the first Bush administration, says, “I’m one of you. Vote for me.” This at- tempted connection can go horribly wrong, as with John Kerry’s request for Swiss on his Philly cheese steak or Gerald Ford’s attempt to eat tamales without removing the wrappers. But even when candidates pull off the culinary feat, not all locals feel con- Continued on page 4 Hillary and Bill Clinton at the New York State Fair, September 2000. Shaker Culinary Traditions IN THIS ISSUE By Mary Rose Boswell remain to practice “Gospel Order” at Sabbathday Lake in Maine. While N 1774, a small group of religious their membership has dwindled, they From the Chair ...................... 2 Idissenters sailed from England to still fascinate us for unique faith, America and settled in New York beautifully crafted items, high quality A Podcast History City. They were called “Shakers” agricultural products, and nutritious, of Cooking ............................. 3 because of their ecstatic devotions, flavorful meals. and they practiced celibacy, pacifism, Living in separate communi- confession of sin, and communal ties allowed the Shakers to practice Recipe for Literacy ...............
    [Show full text]
  • First Ladies of the United States-Advocates for Children, Women Leadership and Social Causes: a Historical Examination of Nancy Reagan and Hillary Rodham Clinton
    Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 2013 First Ladies of the United States-Advocates for Children, Women Leadership and Social Causes: A Historical Examination of Nancy Reagan and Hillary Rodham Clinton Nimsiha Bhatt Kumar Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons Recommended Citation Kumar, Nimsiha Bhatt, "First Ladies of the United States-Advocates for Children, Women Leadership and Social Causes: A Historical Examination of Nancy Reagan and Hillary Rodham Clinton" (2013). Dissertations. 526. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/526 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 2013 Nimsiha Bhatt Kumar REwwwwwwLOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO FIRST LADIES OF THE UNITED STATES-ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN, WOMEN LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL CAUSES: A HISTORICAL EXAMINATION OF NANCY REAGAN AND HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TOTHE FACULTY OF THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAM IN ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION BY NIMISHA BHATT KUMAR CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MAY 2013 Copyright by Nimisha Bhatt Kumar, 2013 All rights reserved. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation represents a major accomplishment in my career as a scholar, a teacher, an administrator, and a leader. My journey has been a long rendezvous with destiny to impact the educational lives of children.
    [Show full text]
  • Chef Connect 26, March, 2016
    Issue 26 Chef Connect March JOURNAL OF THE TEXAS CHEFS ASSOCIATION http://www.texaschefsassociation.org 2016 TCA Winter Board Meeting P.1 Texas Chef of the Year Wins ACF Regional P.2 Texas Pastry Chef of the Year Earns Silver at ACF Regional P.2 President’s RVG Wild Game Feast for Ronald McDonald P.3 Challenge Austin Host Certification Seminar P.4 TCA 2015 State & National Awards Nominees P.5 State Officers Another Fold in the Toque, Ten Top RSVP, & Electric Chef P.5 Find a new Culinary Vision Membership Drive: The Results P.6 Partner and send me TCA Cruise Convention P.7 their contact information so Mercy Chefs Update P.7 we can pursue these new TCA State Convention P.9 partnerships together. TCA Culinary Vision Partners P. 10 Directors The second is a TCA proposal to the ACF for a Our Winter Board Culinary School Graduate Program. This proposal would be a program for Culinary School Associate Graduates where they could enter and stay engaged Bring Registration Forms Meeting with the ACF / TCA by working for outstanding ACF Certified Chefs and their respective properties. This for your members to sign The 2016 Texas Chefs Association Winter Board proposal has now been sent to the ACF Educational Meeting was a great success with very positive feed- up for The State Convention Department and we are awaiting word to see if this is back and work from all of the Local Chapter Directors, Cruise on August 4th—8th, a program that the National office would like to work State Chairs, and Executive Team.
    [Show full text]
  • The Right Recipe for a White House State Dinner by Feifei Sun Wednesday, Jan
    The Right Recipe for a White House State Dinner By Feifei Sun Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011 U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at a state dinner hosted by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, right, in Jakarta, Nov. 9, 2010 Charles Dharapak / AP Former White House chef Walter Scheib compares pulling off a State Dinner to opening a Broadway show. "There are so many non-culinary components coming into play, from fashion to art to music to glamour," he says. And so, with China's President Hu Jintao in town, it's curtains up for the Obamas. On Wednesday night, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle will host the Chinese delegation at the White House for a formal State Dinner, just the third such affair of Obama's presidency, and the first to take place entirely in the White House. Ulysses S. Grant was the first president to throw a State Dinner in 1874, when he hosted King David Kalakaua of the Hawaiian Islands. Since then, the gatherings have served as celebratory events in which state heads reaffirm diplomatic ties while enjoying dinner and entertainment. The formal festivities, which typically last about four hours, follow strict protocol and are the result of months of planning. "It's a tremendous team effort," says Scheib, who served Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush from 1994- 2005. "Each part has to come out with equal success for the dinner to happen seamlessly." Among the components that must be finalized are the evening's location, entertainment act, floral arrangements, guest list, seating chart, and perhaps the most important factor, the menu.
    [Show full text]