Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. March 2013 Volume XVII, Number 6 Daylight Savings Time! Civil War Bake Ovens in the U.S. Capitol Building Don’t miss the meeting! Set clocks forward 1 hour at 2:00 a.m. on March 10. Speaker: Patricia Bixler Reber Sunday, March 10 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern daylight time Inclement Weather Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD Advisory If there’s a question about n April 1861, tens of thousands of volunteer troops whether the weather will arrived to protect Washington, D.C., and they needed cause a cancellation of a to be fed. The official army ration specified a loaf of CHoW meeting, first check bread (or one pound of flour or hardtack) a day. Since your e-mail. Ithousands of soldiers were using the Capitol building as a barracks, gas heated brick ovens were hastily con- structed in the basement. At its height, the Army bakeries produced 58,000 loaves of bread a day. Within months, complaints were raised about the black smoke and soot, but it would take a year of the Senate trying to convince Civil War Bake Oven the House and then the Army, before the ovens were removed. CHoW member Pat Reber is a culinary historian whose focus is researching cooking A CHoW-DC Google apparatus (stew stoves, brick and iron bake ovens, Rumford Roasters, and early cook group message will be stoves) and foodways using primary resources. For two decades she has demonstrated e-mailed to members. and taught bake oven and hearth cooking. Her website Hearthcook.com contains If you are not part of the thousands of links relating to online historic culinary resources, and she posts recipes, CHoW Google group or articles and events on her blog, Researchingfoodhistory.blogspot.com. do not have e-mail, call any Board member to The U.S. Capitol in learn of possible program 1861. President Lin- cancellations due to coln insisted that con- weather (see page 9 for struction of the United contact information). States Capitol continue during the Civil War. Any decision to cancel The “wedding-cake would be made the night style" cast-iron dome before, if possible, or no that stands today was later than 10 a.m. on the completed in 1863, and day of the meeting. weighs almost 9 million pounds. Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. (CHoW/DC) www.chowdc.org founded in 1996, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization Dues to: Bruce Reynolds dedicated to the study of the history of foodstuffs, cuisines, and culi- 6804 Hampshire Rd. nary customs, both historical and contemporary, from all parts of the McLean, VA 22101 world. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. What Happened at the Sunday, February 10 CHoW Meeting? President CiCi Williamson called the meeting to order at 2:43 p.m. welcoming 51 attendees (44 members and seven APRIL 14 Cooperative Supper Themes visitors). Two visitors saw the Washington Post announce- CHoW members will vote on a theme at the March 10 meeting. ment of the meeting. Past themes were: ANNOUNCEMENTS: To reach a wider audience on your 2001. “White Foods” announcements of events, symposiums, culinary tours, 2002. “Middle East/Silk Road” blogs, exhibits and other CHoW related matters, members 2003. “Food of the Chesapeake Region” are reminded and encouraged to submit the information in 2004. “Recipes from Community Cookbooks” advance to CHoW Line Editor Dianne Hennessy King or 2005. “Recipes from Julia Child.” CiCi for the [email protected]. 2006. “Caribbean Holiday” 2007. “Foods of Virginia” (400th Anniversary) COOPERATIVE SUPPER: CiCi asked members to submit 2008. “Good Food for Bad Times” themes for the April cooperative dinner. A pad was passed 2009. “Presidential Recipes” around for members to submit a theme (see right). Mem- 2010. “Indigenous Pre-Contact New World Foods” bers will vote on the theme at the March meeting. 2011. “A Book Report.” 2012. “Civil War Foods” (in honor of the sesquicentennial) FIELD TRIPS: Two field trips being considered are 1) a private tour of the Julia Child exhibit at the Smithson- IDEAS SUBMITTED AT THE FEBRUARY 10 MEETING: ian and 2) a visit of the Mooseum in Maryland and the 1. Chinese Food by Region University of Maryland dairy. 2. Japanese Festival Food 3. Turkish Food NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS: CHoW will have 4. Moroccan Food (2 people submitted this topic) elections in May. Katy Hayes, our current vice president, 5. Spanish Food is a nominee for president. Sheilah Kaufman, who has 6. Medieval Foods written over 26 cookbooks, is a nominee for vice president. 7. European Foods Pre-New-World Bruce Reynolds, treasurer for the past three years and 8. James Beard (2 people submitted this topic) who obtained the 501 (c) tax exempt status for CHoW last 9. El Camino Real (foods of California Spanish/Mexican) year, will continue as a director/assistant treasurer to help 10. Potatoes with the transition. Stacey FitzSimmons is nominated for 11. Chocolate treasurer. CHoW also needs a nominee for recording sec- 12. Downton Abbey Upstairs/Downstairs retary. Beverly Firme has agreed to be on the nominating 13. Developing a Palate committee, which needs two more members. Please contact 14. Pie on the American Table through History from Main CiCi if you can serve on the committee or you would like to Dish to Dessert volunteer as recording secretary. 15. Favorite Foods of Childhood Remembrances 16. Garden Fresh Foods WHATZIT: Laura Gilliam passed around a celadon 17. Farmers Markets ceramic vessel similar to a tea pot without a spout and lid. 18. History of Recipes Named after People or Places Members were stumped. She demonstrated its usage as a (trite examples: Pavlova, Peaches Melba, Beef Stroganoff, wine vessel which is filled upside down and pours wine Caesar/Cobb/Waldorf Salads, Chicken Kiev, etc.) out in the upright position. The vessel has a double internal wall. REFRESHMENTS: Thank you to our members: PROGRAM: Katy introduced speaker Sasha Gong, co- writer of A Cultural Revolution Cookbook. Co-writer Scott Francine Berkowitz: Sesame balls, sticky rice cakes for Seligman was unable to participate because of a family Chinese New Year (Wong Gee Asian Restaurant) emergency. (Look for a program synopsis in April.) Dianne Hennessy King: Refreshment supplies Audrey Hong: Triple ginger cookies (Country Living) DOOR PRIZES: Members attending the monthly meetings Claudia Kousoulas: Almond cookies (adapted from Penzey’s) can enter for a door prize. Thank you to Claudia Kou- Katherine Livingston: Marinated tofu soulas for donating the cookbooks and Katy Hayes and Quentin Looney: Biscotti (almond/crystalized ginger, CiCi for the food storage container and valentine-related almond/apricot and pistachio) and coffee service prizes. Evelyn Bunoan, last month’s speaker, donated some Jane Olmsted: Fresh fruit slices Chicken Sisig condiments. Clara Raju: Split pea cake Amy Riolo: Cicirata calabrese The meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m. Thank you to the vol- Amy Snyder: Dove milk and dark chocolate hearts for unteers who helped reset the meeting room. Valentine’s Day Respectfully submitted, CiCi Williamson: Beverages Audrey Hong, Recording Secretary 2 CHoW Line NOMINEES FOR 2013-14 BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHoW Programs 2012-2013 September 9, 2012. Deb Peterson, “Packaging in the 18th Via email, Katherine Livingston seconded and the board Century: What Came in What?” approved the slate of 2013-14 CHoW officers proposed by President CiCi Williamson. October 14, 2012. Jim Gibb, “Making Cheese: Cheese Factories and the Transformation of New York State” The Board recognized the fact that the President was un- able to secure the consent of three members to serve on a November 11, 2012. (Veteran’s Day). Shirley Cherkasky nominating committee, and the Board waived, for this fis- & Claire Cassidy, “More Than Bars, Brats, and Beer: Wisconsin’s Traditional Foods“ cal year, the requirement in section IV:3 of the Bylaws, that a nominating committee be assembled to propose candi- December 9, 2012. Michael Olmert, “The Architecture of dates for officers and directors for the upcoming fiscal year. Taste: Building, Working, & Living in the 18th Century Kitchen“ CiCi explained, “It’s interesting that only one CHoW mem- ber I asked was willing to serve on a nominating committee January 13, 2013. Regina Newport & Evelyn Bunoan, but others agreed to serve as officers.” “Philippine Cuisine: History and Culture in a Caldero” Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor at February 10, 2013. Scott Seligman and Sasha Gong, the April meeting. The election will be held at the annual “A Revolution is Not a Dinner Party: The Cultural meeting on May 5. Revolution and the Cultural Revolution Cookbook” President - Katy Hayes March 10, 2013. Pat Reber, “Civil War Bake Ovens in the Vice President - Sheilah Kaufman U.S. Capitol Building in D.C.” Treasurer - Stacey FitzSimmons April 14, 2013. Cooperative Supper (theme to be Recording Secretary - Beverly Firme determined by members), Alexandria House. See below. Membership Secretary - Quentin Looney Director - Claudia Kousoulas May 5, 2013. Amy Riolo & Sheilah Kaufman, “Turkish Cuisine Director - Bruce Reynolds and the Ottoman Culinary Legacy in the Arab World” Past President - CiCi Willliamson (ex officio) Candidate for President: Katherine A. Hayes Candidate for Vice President: Sheilah Kaufman Currently serving as CHoW Vice The author of 26 cookbooks, Sheilah is President, Katy has managed speaker often a guest on TV and radio shows. arrangements during her recent term. Her books include The Turkish Cookbook: Previously she served as a Director on Regional Recipes and Stories; and Upper the CHoW Board. She is an archivist Crusts: Fabulous Ways to Use Bread. As a at a small local university, a charter traveling cooking teacher, she teaches member of the Riversdale Kitchen classes at Cooks Warehouse, Sur La Guild (since 2002), and has immersed Table, Kitchen Affairs, and Publix, and herself in culinary history through for organizations such as Hadassah, reading, workshops, and travel.