Upcoming Event: “Cast Iron Curious? Learn More about a Hot Topic”

Dr. Katie Hoffman, co-founder of Vintage Kitchen Cast Iron and Collectibles and Executive Director of Create Appalachia, will present “Cast Iron Curious? Learn More about a Hot Topic” at the annual Peacock Harper Culinary History Friends Lecture on October 14, at 4 pm at the Montgomery Museum of Art & History in Christiansburg, VA, a co-sponsor of the event.

Cooking in cast iron has grown in popularity in recent years, as more people appreciate its superior benefits. Hoffman will speak about why she prefers cooking in vintage cast-iron pans as opposed to newer ones and will share the fascinating history of cast iron cooking vessels in the US, as well as advice on choosing the right cast iron for cooking styles and cast iron care and maintenance. Hoffman is an avid gardener and cook, with a passion for Appalachian foodways. A talented musician, she will also sing a song or two about food and display some of their vintage kitchen cast iron, with plenty available for purchase. A wine and cheese reception follows the lecture.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but attendees should register at https://forms.gle/WEzqzvoQWm1fW6rT7. The Peacock-Harper Culinary History Friends supports the development and use of the Peacock-Harper Culinary History Collection in the Virginia Tech library.

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Upcoming Event: April 5, 2019

The Peacock-Harper Culinary History Friends are hosting an upcoming luncheon on April 5, 2019, in Roanoke. Please note that registration for the event is due by March 27, 2019. A downloadable flyer (same as the image below) and registration form are at the bottom of the post.

Frappalachian Frolic Registration Form (downloadable PDF, which includes directions to register by mail OR via Paypal)Download

Frappalachian Frolic Flyer (downloadable PDF of the image above)Download

Upcoming Event: October 4, 2018

Hello tomato fans and food history lovers! Just a quick note about an upcoming event in the library on Thursday, October 4, 2018. It’s a talk on the vast and global history of tomato, along with a tasting of some various tomato-based foods. In addition, Special Collections will feature a small exhibit of tomato-related materials from our collections, which should be in place by Tuesday, October 2nd. So, if you’re going to attend the event on the 4th, be sure to swing by Special Collections before or after and check it out (plus, I’ll post some pictures here next week)!

What: Tomato Pathways: From the Andes to the Apennines to Appalachia: Following the Agriculture Value Chain

When: Thursday, October 4, 2018 from 5-6pm

Where: Multipurpose Room, 1st floor Newman

Local Exhibit: Teetotalers & Moonshiners: Prohibition in Virginia, Distilled

Last year (wow, it feels weird to say that!), the Library of Virginia, with support from Virginia ABC and the Virginia Distillers Association, developed an exhibit that was on display in Richmond. Now, that exhibit, “Teetotalers & Moonshiners: Prohibition in Virginia, Distilled,” is on the road. For the next 4-5 weeks, it’s here in town at the Blacksburg branch of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library!

There are a couple of sneak-peek pictures on their Facebook page, but I encourage you to visit the exhibit in person and learn more about an exciting time period (and one of my favorites!) in cocktail history! I suspect there will be some events going on in conjunction with the exhibit and I’ll try to post updates. And, if all goes according to plan, we’ll also have a small display of materials from our collection related to this topic and time period in the next couple of weeks. (More on that soon!)

Upcoming Local/Regional Events

Just a quick announcement about some upcoming events, fresh from my email box to yours!

Tuesday, October 24, 4-5:15 p.m.

“Clean Plate Club​: Combating Food Waste in America” by Susan Chen

Multipurpose Room, Virginia Tech Library (first floor)

Free and open to the public.

Up to 40 percent of all edible food is wasted in the United States. Food waste has recently gained traction in social media, and within the last couple years, many initiatives have been created to combat this extensive problem. Join us as we explore the past and present issues around food waste and explore solutions to prevent this in the future.

Susan Chen is currently a graduate student in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise and is researching food waste behaviors in children. Susan has held an internship at the U.S. Department of Agriculture where she worked on projects related to nutrition and economic analysis. She ​was the recipient of the 2017 ​Janet L. Cameron Scholarship. 

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Saturday, November 18, 1-2 p.m.

“What Happens to your Leftovers? Food facts and food fun!” by Susan Chen

Blacksburg Library Community Room. Free and open to the public. Children are encouraged to attend.

So, what’s the big deal about throwing some leftovers into the trash? It can’t be that bad, right? But if everyone throws away their leftovers, that would surely create a giant mess! Come join us as we play fun food games to learn about where your leftovers go!

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Friday, April 6, 11: 30 a.m.
Memorial lecture and luncheon in honor of Jean Robbins featuring Ronni Lundy, author of Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes.
Roanoke Country Club.  

Winner of the James Beard Foundation Book of the Year Award and Best Book, American Cooking, Victuals is an exploration of the foodways, people, and places of Appalachia.

Born in Corbin, Kentucky, Ronni Lundy has long chronicled the people of the hillbilly diaspora as a journalist and cookbook author. She is the former restaurant reviewer and music critic for The Courier-Journal in Louisville, former editor of Louisville Magazine, and has contributed to many national magazines. Her book Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes and Honest Fried Chicken was recognized by Gourmet magazine as one of six essential books on Southern cooking. In 2009, Lundy received the Southern Foodways Alliance Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award. She has contributed to Eating Well, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Esquire, and other magazines.

Upcoming Event: September 29, 2017

The Peacock-Harper Culinary History Friends are co-sponsoring an upcoming even to be held in Newman Library on September 29, 2017. “Apple Cultures in Appalachia” will include speakers, music, and even an apple tasting. We encourage you to attend!

Richmond-Area Event

If you happen to live or be in the Richmond area anytime soon, there’s a GREAT exhibit at the Library of Virginia you should check out! Teetotalers & Moonshiners: Prohibition in Virginia, Distilled is all about the history of prohibition in our state (which, believe me, is fascinating!). You can read a bit more about it online. It’s on display through December 5, 2017.

Women’s History Month 2017

This year for Women’s History Month, Special Collections has some special things going on! We will have a display on the second floor of Newman Library near the main entrance. “Remarkable Women Throughout History: Snapshots from Special Collections” is a month-long display (March 1-31) with posters, items in exhibit cases, and a book display from the circulating collection. In addition, we will also have more materials from our collections on display in the exhibit cases in our reading room on the first floor near the cafe. We invite you to visit our exhibits during the month of March and learn about our collections and some of the remarkable women represented in them.  (We’re grateful to our amazing colleagues throughout the library who helped us make this happen, as well as the students who delved into our stacks and boxes to find the stories of these women to share.)

For the fifth year running, our “What’s Cookin’ @Special Collections?!” blog will continue its “Women’s History Month” series, highlighting the contributions of women to the culinary and agricultural fields! You can view the posts to date here: https://whatscookinvt.wordpress.com/category/feature-items/womens-history-month/. New posts should also show up under this category as they are published. We don’t have all the posts planned out just yet, but we know will be featuring the work of Frances Harriet Whipple Green McDougall (cookbook author, artist, and activist), Mrs. D. A. Lincoln (author and educator), and Ellen Swallow Richards  (one of the first women to teach at MIT).

And, although we didn’t build a new digital display this year, we do still have our exhibit from 2016 available in case you missed it! You can view it online here: http://digitalsc.lib.vt.edu/exhibits/show/womens-history-2016.

Keep in mind there will be events all over campus in March 2017. The Women’s Center at Virginia Tech has a calendar here: http://womenscenter.vt.edu/Program/womens-month.html. We encourage you to check it out and join in where you can!

Upcoming Food History Events!

At the end of September, there will be a guest speaker coming to Newman Library! This event is free and open to the public. The flyer below has a description and details (plus, we’ll have some materials from Special Collections on display!). Please note: The organizers are asking attendees to register in advance to help plan. You can register using this link: https://goo.gl/forms/yxRxOegj6eIFbMCx2.

The following day, there will be a second event, a luncheon, in Roanoke. Please note: This event requires registration and the deadline is September 22, 2016. The pdf version of the flyer, which contains links and can be printed, is available for download here: PHCHF September 30 2016.

 

Upcoming Event on March 11, 2016: “Cookery, Cocktails, Chores, and Cures: Food History in Special Collections”

Join us on Friday, March 11 at 3 pm for “Cookery, Cocktails, Chores, and Cures: Food History in Special Collections”

Archivist Kira Dietz will talk about the history and evolution of the History of Food and Drink Collection and will share American culinary history, classic and unique recipes, and creative uses of collection materials. This will be a chance to engage “hands-on” with items from the collection, including cookbooks, manuscripts, artifacts, and take a behind-the-scenes tour! Refreshments will be served.

PLEASE REGISTER BY MONDAY, MARCH 7 AT http://goo.gl/forms/vsMvnEdNXS

Location: Newman Library Multipurpose Room (Cafe entrance) on the first floor.

Parking: Stop at the Visitor’s Center on 925 Price’s Fork Road (near the Inn at Virginia Tech) to get a visitor parking pass. Park in the Perry Street garage (near Bishop Favrao Hall). You may also park in any F/S/GS spot, but the pass does not allow you to park in metered or carpool spaces. For more information, contact Elizabeth Fine at bfine@vt.edu.