Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. October 2012 Volume XVII, Number 2

Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. (CHoW/DC)founded in 1996, is a 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.

www.chowdc.orgDues to: Bruce Reynolds

6804 Hampshire Rd. McLean, VA 22101

Speaker: James G. Gibb

Sunday, October 142:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center,4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD

Making Cheese: From Kitchen to International Corporation, 1850-1900

Welcome Back!

Renew Your Membership in CHoW NOW!

The membership year runs from September 1 to August 31. Annual dues are $25 for individuals, households, or organizations. Dues include e-mail delivery of the newsletter CHoW Line.

Dues are $35 for members who also wish to receive a mailed, paper copy of the newsletter.

In addition to receiving CHoW Line, other benefits of membership include priority registration for field trips, eligibility to vote, hold office, and serve on committees.

Members also receive all meeting notices, special interest notices via GoogleGroups, and a printed membership roster.

CHoW/DC publishes CHoW Line eight times each year. More information can be found at www.chowdc.org.

SEE PAGE 9 to join or renew your membership.

During the 1850s and 1860s, thousands of small cheese factories popped up all over New England, New York, the Upper Midwest, and parts of Canada. Cheddaring had all but left the farm kitchen by the 1870s and butter making followed a few decades later. This illustrated talk demonstrates how early factories made cheddar, and then recounts the transformation of rural cheese-making from kitchen to coopera-tive dairy to family-owned conglomerates to international corporations, with the railroads

playing a leading role in the final shift. It’s a story about an Anglo-American staple, but also of environmental degradation, the destructive power of monopolies, and the abandonment of large portions of central New York State.

James G. Gibb is an archaeologist with over thirty-five years of experience, special-izing in the archaeological and historical study and interpretation of seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth century communities. He has published numerous articles in professional and general venues, a book titled The Archaeology of Wealth, published by Plenum Press, and he is the co-editor with Dr. April Beisaw of The Archaeology of Institutional Life, published by the University of Alabama Press. His most recent publication examines the effects of central New York’s developing cheese and butter factories on agricultural production strate-gies. Currently he is managing director of the Port Tobacco Archaeological Project and adjunct faculty at Anne Arundel Commu-nity College and Stevenson University. He holds Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in anthropol-ogy from Binghamton University. Jim and his wife, Bonnie, live just outside of An-napolis with two ill-behaved dogs.

2 CHoW Line

What Happened at the September 9 Meeting?

September 9, 2012. Deb Peterson, “Packaging in the 18th Century: What Came in What?”October 14, 2012. Jim Gibb, “Making Cheese: Cheese Factories and the Transformation of New York State”November 11, 2012. (Veteran’s Day). Shirley Cherkasky and Claire Cassidy, “More Than Bars, Brats, and Beer: Wisconsin’s Traditional Foods“December 9, 2012. Michael Olmert, “The Architecture of Taste: Kitchens, Smokehouses, and Dairies in the 18th Century “January 13, 2013. Regina Newport & Evelyn Bunoan, “Philippine Cuisine: History and Culture in a Caldero”February 10, 2013. (Chinese New Year). Scott Seligman and Sasha Gong, “The Cultural Revolution” (their cookbook, recently published, on Chinese food in this period)March 10, 2013. Pat Reber, “Civil War Bake Ovens in the U.S. Capitol Building in D.C.”April 14, 2013. Cooperative Supper (theme to be determined by members), Alexandria HouseMay 5, 2013. Amy Riolo & Sheilah Kaufman, “Turkish Cuisine and the Ottoman Culinary Legacy in the Arab World”

CHoW Programs 2012-2013

President CiCi Williamson called the meeting to order at 2:45 PM. There were 36 attendees including five visitors (two joined CHoW).

ANNOUNCEMENTS: To reach a wider audience on your an-nouncements of events, symposiums, culinary tours, blogs, exhib-its and other CHoW related matters, members are reminded and encouraged to submit the information in advance to CHoW Line Editor Dianne Hennessy King or CiCi for the chow-dc@google-groups.com.

WHATZITS: Everyone was stumped by the four items:Katy Hayes had a citron resembling a small watermelon which she grew from an heirloom seed. The red-seeded Spanish melon, which cannot be eaten raw, was presented to our speaker.

Laura Gilliam had what looked like a plastic meat grinder about 12” high. Store bought ice cream is inserted at the top and then “ground” through the body to make soft-serve ice cream emerge.

Judy Newton had a stainless steel cylinder, resembling a toilet paper holder, with one area having ribbed ridges. It was a garlic crusher.

Amy Riolo had a plastic rectangular box with a “conveyer belt” on the top side. It was a grape leaf stuffer from Egypt .

TREASURER’S REPORT: Bruce’s report highlighted the follow-ing:• Dues are being accepted for membership from September 2012-June 2013.• CHoW’s change of status to a 501(c) nonprofit educational organization has been secured.• There is a small deficit at the end of the CHoW year (Septem-ber 2011-June 2012) to pay for filing an IRS determination letter, for incorporation and for the bonus June meeting room rental. • Revenue from dues increased with 24 new members.• Clarification of deductible vs. nondeductible and acceptable vs. unacceptable donations to CHoW. The treasury is in good financial shape with a reserve fund. CiCi thanked Bruce for his efforts to acquire the nonprofit status.

PROGRAM: Vice President Katy Hayes introduced Deb Peterson who spoke on “Packaging in the 18th Century: What Came in What?” (see right column for synopsis of her talk) Deb prepared a 10 page handout which will be sent electronically to members.

DOOR PRIZES: Members attending the monthly meeting can enter for a door prize. Thank you to Claudia Kousoulas for do-nating cookbooks and to CiCi for donating condiments.

At the end of the meeting, CiCi asked members to help reset the room as required by the county. Meeting was adjourned at 4:32 p.m.

REFRESHMENTS: Thank you to our members. Kari Barrett: Mary Randolph’s tavern biscuitsClaudia Kousoulas: Peanut butter cookiesKatherine Livingston: Hazel nut financiersQuentin Looney: CoffeeJane Olmsted: Elena Ruz sandwiches (Cuban) (turkey/cream cheese/strawberry jam)Amy Riolo: Gluten free chocolate chip-apricot cookiesAmy Snyder: Kettle corn cookiesAnne Whitaker for her continuous and generous monthly contri-bution of providing the beverages and supplies.Respectfully submitted, Audrey Hong, Recording Secretary

Packaging in the 18th Century: What Came in What? Speaker: Deborah Peterson

“My idea of a good time is doing research into 18th century foodways with a Philadelphia focus as I live fairly close by. I enjoy looking into colonial foodways to support the products I offer in my small business, DEBORAH PETERSON’S PANTRY. www.deborahspantry.com. I am very fortunate that Philadelphia offers so many resources for me to utilize. While research-ing these goods I ended up working a parallel project that covered just what items came in what containers. The many packaging containers we talked about were bags, baggage, bales, barrel, butts, casks, firkins, hogs-heads, pipes, baskets, bet-ties, bladders, the many, many types of bottles, boxes, bundles, canisters, redware, stoneware, box-es, cases, chests, hampers, crates, trunks, sacks, and parcels. There was a ten page hand-out supplied to members via e-mail listing the many, many items found in the above mentioned containers. It is a very interesting listing of the huge variety of goods imported into the colonies in the 18th century. Also covered were the ways a lot of these containers were used in everyday life. Wine bottles would do duty holding beer, ale, milk, even olive oil. Depending on the size of the barrel, especially the smaller kegs, they could be used to store most any-thing. The differences between jars and bottles were discussed, but with unclear results. Research goes on! -- Deb Peterson

Kar

i Bar

rett,

Deb

Pet

erso

n, a

nd S

hirl

ey C

herk

asky

.

CHoW Line 3

By Anne-Gaelle Laplanche

The island of Hispaniola, currently known as Haiti and Dominican Republic, was inhabited by the Caribes and Arawak tribes during the Pre-Columbian period. They are said to have emigrated between 500 and 800 BC from the Yucatan and the region of what is now known as Florida. Around the 1500s, the island was divided in five territories or “caciquat” individually ruled by a chief or “cacique”:• Marien: governed by Guacanagaric• Xaragua: governed by Bohechio and later Anacaona• Maguana: governed by Caonabo• Higuey: governed by Cayacoa and later Cotubanama• Magua: governed by Guarionex In 1492, when the first Spanish conquistadors landed on the island, they realized how rich Hispaniola was. They discovered exotic fruits, gold and most importantly cas-sava bread. Columbus, in his journal quotes “The Indians sow little shoots, from which small roots grow that look like carrots. They serve this as bread by grating and knead-ing it, then baking it in the fire.” Rubin/Donalds, 100. The bread quickly replaced the wheat biscuits the Spaniards used because it kept longer during their long sea adventures. Like gold, the Spaniards became dependants of cassava bread and in 1496, the Caciquat of Higuey, now part of the Dominican Republic, became the most important provider of cassava bread. In his article, Samuel Turner of the Institute of Maritime history, describes the importance of the production of cassava during the Colum-bian period and how it contributed to the exploitation and killing of the Indians. To make the bread, the Indians used clamshells to peel the cassava and rough stones to grate it. They then stuffed it in a large snake-like woven basket which was then suspended in the air and stretched, using big rocks as weight. This method was used to squeeze out all the toxic juice which contains cyanogenic glycoside. The cassava was then taken out of the basket, spread by small por-tions on a flat heated clay utensil, and cooked until golden brown. Many centuries after, the Indian culture is still present in the Haitian culture. Indians words such as “hamac” are used, and cassava bread is a big part of the Haitian cuisine. Recipes vary by region and the bread can be: sweet, salty, spicy, or with shredded coconut. In the United States, it can be found in any Asian or Latino mar-ket.

Anne-Gaelle Laplanche is a culinary expert specializing in Caribbean cuisine, history, and culture. The Cassava bread recipe and complete step by step process is posted on Gaelle’s blog: www.caribbeanfoodhistoryandculture.blogspot.com

Bibliography• Alegria , Ricardo E. . Taino : pre-Columbian art and cul-ture from the Caribbean, edited by Fatima Bercht, 1997• Fombrun, Odette Roy. Ayiti des indiens : textes d’historiens, 1992• Fouchard, Jean. Langue et litterature des aborigenes d’Ayti, 1912• Grunberg, Gregory. Indiens des petites Antilles: des premiers peuplements aux debuts de la colonisation Europeenne, 2011• Nau, Emile. Histoire des caciques d’Haiti 1812-1860• Rubin, Jane Gregory & Donalds, Ariana. Bread made from Yuca : selected chronicles of Indo-Antillean cultivation and use of cassava 1526-2002, 2003• Turner, Samuel. The conquest of Higuey. The eyewitness account of las casas examined and the archeological implications for the parquet nacional del este, Republica Dominicana www.indiana.edu/~r317doc/dr/higuey/higuey3.html• William, Herbert. Aborigines of the ancient island of His-paniola, 1889

Cassava Bread: Hispaniola’s Golden Food

Welcome, New Members! • Esin Erkin - Mediterranean & Turkish food; “health” recipes• Odd & Astrid Brenden - Norway/guests of Tom Wei-land; Interested in forming a similar group in Norway• Diana & Michael Ash - Everything!• Valerie LaTortue - Rare spices, history of spice route• Margaret & Gerald Fauss - Every aspect

4 CHoW Line

Board of Directors Meeting, September 9, 2012All Board Members Present. CiCi Williamson, PresidentKaty Hayes, Vice PresidentAudrey Hong, Recording SecretaryQuentin Looney, Membership SecretaryBruce Reynolds, TreasurerClaudia Kousoulas, Director (Publicity)Jane Olmsted, Director (Room Coordinator)Dianne Hennessy King, CHoW Line EditorCiCi called the meeting to order at 1:04 p.m.

FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE GROUP: Facebook “likes” have increased to 152. The Google Group helps publicize CHoW’s monthly speakers.

MEETING ROOM: CHoW member Paula Jacobson, a Mont-gomery County resident, handles the reservations for the meet-ing room to obtain the county resident rental rate. The room is reserved until December. We should have a copy of the permit for the room available at each meeting. For 2013, reservations must be made by December. The county is stricter now about the clean up and room set up after each rental. The room must be returned to the ar-rangement set by the county. Instead of a committee, it was decided to have the Presi-dent make an announcement at the close of each meeting asking for volunteers to help re-set the room. ELECTIONS: As we have done in the past, nominations for of-fices will be closed the month before elections. Candidates will be published in CHoWLine and a mail-in ballot will be included in CHoWLine for those who cannot attend the Annual Meeting in May. For the first time, CHoW will also accept email votes.

TREASURER’S REPORT: 501(c)(3). Bruce mailed the applica-tion for nonprofit status to both the State of Maryland and the IRS. The receipt of the application has been confirmed and accepted by both governments. It takes about 90 days to complete the process and neither government entity has indicated any additional ques-tions. CHoW should have its papers of incorporation by Decem-ber when CHoW reserves the meeting rooms for 2013. Conflict of Interest: Bruce handed out the Conflict of Interest policy which follows IRS guidelines. He strongly sug-gested that the Board adopt this policy, which is separate from the by-laws. The policy is to protect CHoW’s interest when consider-ing a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer or director or may result in a possible excess benefit of transac-tion. After discussion, Bruce moved to adopt the policy, Quentin seconded the motion. The Board was in favor of its adoption. Bruce is retaining electronic copies of the articles of incorporation, the by-laws and Conflict of Interest. The Board expressed its appreciation to Bruce for his continued work on the nonprofit status change.

Financial Report: Bruce highlighted the following:• Operating loss of $280 because of a one time expense of $625 to change CHoW to a 501(c).• Revenue from dues increased to $285 with new members while cost of mailing has gone down. About 24 members are receiving hard copies of CHoW Line. Board members suggested that the increase in members has been helped by publicity through the food blogs, creating a friendly environment with name tags, and door prizes to build a camaraderie.• Expenses: Refreshment supplies, $100 allotted: Anne Whitaker generously donates the beverages and supplies for the meetings. She has not submitted receipts for reimbursement for several years.

Overall, the treasury is in good financial shape.

FIELD TRIPS: There has been no contact from the Folger Shake-speare Library or the Hillwood Estate during the summer. Peirce Mill: Quentin said that on Rock Creek Park Day, September 23, a miller from Mt. Vernon will demonstrate grind-ing cornmeal. Peirce Mill is advertising for its own miller. Katy will check with Claude Moore Colonial Farm about a possible field trip.

MEMBERSHIP: Bruce now requires that the membership form must accompany checks and cash as confirmation of dues paid.

Bruce and Quentin need to update the membership spreadsheet so that Katy can be current with the members for the Google Group.

HANDBOOK: Bruce has volunteered to prepare a handbook, continuing to formalize CHoW’s nonprofit status, after his term on the Board ends.

Discussion ensued about Board members sharing their knowledge in their respective administrative positions. It was decided that each Board member write a detailed job description of his or her duties and related responsibilities (e.g., procedures for publicizing CHoW meetings, making changes in the Google Group, reserv-ing the meeting room) for inclusion in the future handbook. The write-ups are to be completed by the January board meeting for publication in the February CHoW Line.

With a significant turnover of Board members in June 2013, the job descriptions and handbook are critical for incoming Board members to understand their responsibilities and how they can contribute.

CHoW Line: Dianne asks for any write-ups on culinary byways, which centers on local food events. She also solicits reports of other food related events that are not local.

A motion was passed to adjourn the meeting at 2:00 p.m. Next Board meeting: January 13, 2013, 1:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,Audrey Hong, Recording Secretary

The Election Day Pie law is talked about in the Sioux Falls, SD Argus Leader newspaper and in a 2002 book by Pascale LeDraoulec, "Ame The Election Day Pie law is talked about in the Sioux Falls, SD Argus Leader newspaper and in a 2002 book by Pascale LeDraou-

CHoW Line 5

Look no further than Gadsby’s Tavern Mu-seum for the latest 18th century fashions and accessories! Have you been thinking about buying your first period dress and coat? Does your wig need restyling? What jewelry goes well with your Birthnight Ball gown? All of these questions and needs can be answered at the Sutler Market! The Market is open Satur-day 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday Noon – 4:00 p.m. $5 admission to visit the vendors, view period garments, sample colonial sweet-meats (candy), and listen to special lectures. Refresh-ments available for purchase. Costumed shop-pers welcome! http://alexandriava.gov/GadsbysTavern

PIEBy Jane Mengenhauser

In 1890, in order to “ preserve the purity of the ballot, and to punish crimes committed against the elective franchise,” the very 1st Legislature of the State of South Dakota enacted a law to make it illegal for any voter to make a gift, or promise of any “valuable thing” at any election. Although the legislators did not specifically mention Apple Pie (or any other flavor), the bribe of a delicious homemade pie might ensure that the recipient could show their thanks for the gift of a pie by voting in a certain way. The new law meant, “Don’t ply with pie!” The 1890 law stood firm but often was ignored. In 1994, the prac-tice of offering free food at early vot-ing rallies (called “political feeds”) had become popular and wide-spread. In 1998, with a presidential election in the offing, Mark Barnett, then-Attorney General, issued a warning to politicians, political par-ties, (voters, too) about the evils of “a meal, money, gifts or whatever” in exchange for votes. Has there ever been a time American women have not sold their homemade food to support political and social issues? They, no doubt, did in the 1800s and well into the 1990s, and beyond. Historic trivia in South Dakota election memories tells of the women in the small town of Wasta, SD, who had always held a bake sale and luncheon on Election Day, but sud-denly were denied their fund-raising pie project. They had run smack into The Law: no gifts or sales of food on Election Day. Delectable pies fell into the category of “a valuable thing.” A lack of “good eats” by the town folks of Wasta on Election Day that year added insult to injury. There was to be no food for farm family voters who came in to town to socialize. They didn’t come and they didn’t vote ei-ther. It has been said that Wasta’s voter turnout was down almost 20 percent from the previous presidential election in 1994.

Attorney General Mark Barnett’s Poem

There was a town called Wastawhere they fed the voters pie.The people came from miles aroundTo vote and nibble, eye to eye.

It was a fine traditionThese hot apple pies from Mom Until the prosecutors dropped a legal bomb.

The law, you see, is very clear...No pie, no steak, not even beer!The Legislature’s spoken,The tradition must be broken.

Said one hungry rancher“Who will make this nightmare right?We hardly get a turnout If there isn’t food in sight...”

“I can't help you with your problem," Said the General on his horse..."If it's pie that is the troubleI will buy you some, of course!

Come ye to the CapitolTo see the Christmas trees...A week before the Lord is born,Is when we plan to please.

Have your pie and eat it too...On the 19th of DecemberWe'll bring the food and hope you haveA Christmas to remember!"

Jane Mengenhauser, food columnist and book author, is Boston born and bred and a South Dakotan by marriage. She says both places are filled with quirky little laws and lore.

October 13-14, 2012 134 North Royal Street Alexandria, VA 22314

Vendors & Lecturers include:

• Deborah Peterson’s Pantry (hard-to-find-ingredients & sweet-meats for culinary historians)• The Silly Sisters (women’s 1750s-1790s clothing)• Joyce McDonald, seamstress (men’s & women’s Regency clothing)• Ageless Artifice (period cosmetics)• William Hettinger, Silversmith (jewelry)• The Wig Dresser (men’s & women’s wigs)• At the Sign of the Gray Horse (Jewelry)• Common Hands Studio (books)

The Election Day Pie law is talked about in the Sioux Falls, SD Argus Leader newspaper and in the book American Pie: Slices of Life (and Pie) from America's Back Roads, by Pascale LeDraoulec (2002, Harper Collins).

Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Sutler’s Market & Lectures

6 CHoW Line

Comus Market: An Edible Autumn

ExcursionLast year, CHoW members visited Distillery Lane Ciderworks in Burkittsville Maryland and those returning on their own this year for heirloom apples may want to make a day of it and stop at Comus Market at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain for heirloom squash and pumpkins.

Market customers are drawn initially by the hillocks of color and shape perched street-side. They lift for heft, marvel over size and shape, and try to imagine the taste and texture of what lies beneath the hard, colored shells. David Heisler primarily grows his squash and pumpkins for food and chooses varieties for table quality, though he does offer a wagon load of huge and bright orange Connecticut field pumpkins. It’s a variety once used for livestock feed, but has more recently been bred for perfect jack-o-lanterns.

But the usual orange pumpkins are plain Janes next to the ex-travagant patterns of Dreamsicles and Carnivals—acorn shaped and stippled with white and green stripes, the dusty gray blue of a New Zealand, the yellow spattered stripes of a curvy Curshaw, the golden beige of a pillowy Long Island Cheese, or a glowing blue-white Lumina. The flavors of these winter squash are nu-anced, hinted at by their names—Sweet Dumpling, Ambercup, and just-right-for-pies, Sugar Pumpkin.

Comus Market is a simple, tin-roofed building, a picturesque backdrop for the mounds of squash and pumpkins. Inside are shelves of honey, preserves, pickles, cider, and a simmering crock-pot. One day it may be filled with pumpkin chili, another day, a pumpkin bean soup. Heisler, who prepares the soup himself, is an instinctive cook, following his tastebuds where they lead.

Comus Market will be open until December 24, from 10 am to dusk, with extended holiday hours in November and December. 23830 Old Hundred Road, Dickerson MD 20842. Directions are on the web site. The Market is near The Comus Inn.

A much longer version of this article by Claudia Kousoulas ap-peared in the winter 2008-09 issue of Edible Chesapeake.http://comusmd.com/ AND http://distillerylaneciderworks.com/

Culinary Bywaysby Claudia Kousoulas

State FairsBy Dianne Hennessy King

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the time of the state fairs

throughout the land. Both weather and food are studies in extremes: hot, sticky, oozing, flabbergasting and/or de-lightful. I remember hearing about deep-fried Twinkies and Snickers as being the surprise hits of state fairs but that now seems ages ago.

This year’s crop of summer fairs brought a cornucopia of incredible edibles: the New York State Fair in Syracuse (site of the original state fair in 1841) featured The Big Kahuna Donut Dog, a bacon-covered hot dog nestled inside a maple glazed doughnut; bacon ice cream was at many fairs (and currently in some D.C. restaurants). Deep fried items have always been showcased at fairs but fried candy bars are almost passé. In 2012 you could sample deep fried sticks of butter at Minnesota’s State Fair, deep fried biscuits with sausage gravy at the Texas State Fair, or deep fried lasagna back in New York.

Like the “How did they do that?” response to Baked Alas-ka, it is often the surprise of technology that makes state fair food appealing. Sometimes it is just the challenge of fig-uring out how to fry butter, for example, and not come up with a mess of melted fat dribbling down your arm. Not to mention the challenge of how many kinds of unlikely foods can you put on a stick, such as spaghetti and meatballs at the Wisconsin State Fair. The image brings to mind the old children’s song, On Top of Spaghetti, All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody sneezed./ It rolled off the table, It rolled on the floor, And then my poor meatball rolled out the door. The gasps you hear from snacking fair goers at America’s state fairs may be gasps of pleasure or disbelief.

There are many County fairs and World fairs (see Bryna Freyer’s May 1, 2011 CHoW presentation on “Foods Popularized by U.S. World’s Fairs 1876-1904” CHoWLine Volume XV, Number 8 and Volume XVI, Number 1) and, beginning last year, there is an urban DC State Fair. This year the DC State Fair was held on September 22 as part of The Barracks Row Fall Festival. Contests included best pie, homebrew, pickled vegetables, honey, tastiest tomato, and funkiest looking vegetable, among other food categories. Non-food contests included subjects such as knitting, cro-cheting, and bicycle accessories. http://dcstatefair.wordpress.com/event-details/ (continued on page 7)

Dianne Hennessy King is the CHoWLine editor, former CHoW president, and memoir writing teacher.

Book Review Food and Social Media: You Are What You

Tweet By Signe RousseauAltamira Press, 2012

$29.95, paper119 pages

CHoW Line 7

Claudia Kousoulas is an urban planner who also writes cookbook reviews.

Review by Claudia Kousoulas

The Zen koan asks if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound? Apparently, the same came be asked of cupcakes. If you don’t tweet or other-wise post it, was it sweet?

According to Blogher, the predominant topic for blog-ging (and related tweet-ing and facebooking) is food. This book explores “prosumption”—“the con-flation of production and consumption” that makes everyone and every cupcake a participant in the online food conversation.

Rousseau says it is a phenomenon that raises new ques-tions about copyright, information overload, oversharing, and food fatigue. For example, while recipe copyright has always been a slippery rule, social media seems to make any law irrelevant by supplanting the value of ownership with the value of personality. As Rousseau puts it, not only knowing, but known.

Likewise, the Internet has upended ideas of ethics in credit-ing work. For an open community of people blogging without pay, lifting work seems okay. But as Rousseau recounts, when print magazine, “Cooks Source,” lifted a blogger’s work without permission and responded to her request for credit with an arrogant letter, the online blog-ging community swiftly and snarkily enforced norms. “Cooks Source” was out of business within the year.

The community conversation continues—about loving or hating Julie/Julia or in a more positive worldwide dis-cussion prompted by a site like, What’s Cooking In Your World, meals from every country, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. These conversations can be fulfilling and liber-ating. As (former CHoW speaker) Tyler Cowen is quoted, “The Internet liberates us from the ‘tyranny of place.’”

But, as Rousseau points out, the Internet offers a “chaotic and contradictory liberty.” So at the same time chef Jamie Oliver runs and anti-obesity campaign and Johns Hopkins researchers track tweets about weight loss as a potential public health tool, the Internet offers lots of information, often with little depth and unclear sources of authority.

If we are all prosumers, everyone is a critic, which twists the positions and responses of both chefs and traditional media critics. Chefs are subject to Yelp and Urbanspoon and often lash out at bad reviews. Others dive into the fray by posting bad reviews and using them to improve both service and their image. Critics who write for established media outlets often have no more expertise or experience than the average blogger, and in fact may have significantly less than an obsessive hobbyist who had made food trucks or ramen their specialty. Cultural critic Neal Gabler sees this crowd wisdom as part of a longstanding American tradition of “resistance to cultural elites.” And as Rousseau warns, as media outlets expand and change, so will the speech—apps are next.

But crowds can easily turn into mobs, as the one that took out “Cooks Source.” Along with scholarly references, Rous-seau marshals plenty of anecdotes that make for enjoyably voyeuristic reading. But even within a shifting media land-scape, it’s hard to deny that social media has clearly linked food and pleasure—through adventures, experiments, pictures, and memories. And social media has done what food has always done—bring us together.

The Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance annu-ally features Family Heirloom Recipe Competi-tion from selected state fairs. Their website www.greater-midwestfoodways.com includes wonderful recipes and stories from the winning contestants and other competitors. The ground rules of the competition are: Contestants bring a prepared dish along with a brief story of who passed the recipe down to them, ethnicity, if rel-evant, number of years the recipe has been in their family, and any interesting information about their pre-1950 recipe.

The 2012 state fairs visited were Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. On the Alliance’s Web site you can click on State Fairs 2012 for winners from those states or click on State Fairs 2009, 2010, or 2011 to find recipes and history from other states. The Heirloom Recipe Con-test is a fascinating culinary and cultural lesson from the people of the Midwest.

State Fairs (continued from page 6)

Blogs, Radio, TV & VideoJulia Child’s 100th Birthday. In last month’s CHoWLine we had an article about Julia Child’s birthday. You can see a PBS Newshour 7:45 minute video that aired on her birthday, August 15, 2012. The video includes some clips from the Julia Child’s cooking shows on television plus a glimpse of the re-opening of “Bon Appétit! Julia Child’s Kitchen” at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Ameri-can History. There is also an interview with Julia’s grandnephew, Alex Prud’Homme, the co-author of her memoir of My Life in France. He quotes her advice: “Work hard. Take risks. If you make a mistake, don’t apologize. Have fun.” www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec12/julia_08-15.html

CHoW 2012-2013Board of Directors

PresidentCiCi Williamson(703) 533-0066ciciwmson@aol.com

Vice PresidentKaty Hayes(301) 317-0950artemiscooks@gmail.com

Recording SecretaryAudrey Hong(301) 681-5114audreyhng@aol.com

Membership SecretaryQuentin Looney(202) 332-8724qlooney@verizon.net

TreasurerBruce Reynolds(703) 821-3213bwreynolds2@cox.net

DirectorClaudia Kousoulas(301) 320-6979appetite@kousoulas.com

DirectorJane Olmsted(703) 524-1949brunello59@aol.com

Editorial Positions

CHoW Line EditorDianne Hennessy King(703) 281-5281tuckking@aol.com

CHoW Line DesignerCiCi Williamson(703) 533-0066ciciwmson@aol.com

Past President &Website CoordinatorKatherine Livingston (202) 332-0923k.livingston@att.net

DIRECTIONS TO THE MEETINGCHoW/DC usually meets on the second Sunday of each month, September through May, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, Maryland.

DIRECTIONS: Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center is located at 4805 Edgemoor Lane in downtown Bethesda, Maryland, in the two-story County office building on the plaza level of the Metropolitan complex, above a County parking garage. The building is across the street from the Bethesda Metro station.

From the Metro Station, take the escalator from the bus bay to the plaza level, turn left, walk past the clock tower and across to the Metropolitan plaza using the pedestrian bridge. The Center’s street entrance at 4805 Edgemoor Lane (corner of Old Georgetown and Edgemoor) is marked with American and Montgomery County flags. Take the elevator to Level Two for meeting rooms.

If you are coming south on Old Georgetown Road (from the Beltway use exit 36) turn right on Woodmont Avenue - the entrance is the second driveway on the left.

If you are coming south on Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike, turn right onto Woodmont Avenue, go south for approximately one mile, cross over Old Georgetown Road, and the parking garage entrance is the second driveway on your left.

Coming north on Wisconsin or west on Rt. 410, take Old Georgetown Road north, turn left at the second traffic light (Woodmont Ave.) and the garage entrance will be on your left. Take the elevators from the parking garage to the plaza level (P). The building is located at the center of the plaza. The American flag, Montgomery County flag, and the County seal mark the entrance to the building.

PARKING: Parking is free on weekends in the county parking garage. The entrance to the parking garage is marked with a large blue Bethesda Center parking sign.

8 CHoW Line

CULINARY HISTORIANS OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

Col

onia

l Cof

fee

Roa

ster

170

0s

CHoW/DC Membership Form

CHoW/DC Membership Form

[ ] Renewal. No changes to contact information or culinary interests listed on 2012 roster. Please print name and city of residence only. Name(s) _________________________________________________ City __________________

[ ] Renewal with new or changed information; print below.[ ] New membership. Please provide all information requested (for use on the printed roster mailed to members only).

Contact Information and Interests This data will be included on the Membership Roster. Please print.

Name(s) ________________________________________________________________Street Address __________________________________________________________City, State Zip __________________________________________________________Work phone _________________________Home phone _______________________Cell phone __________________________ Fax _______________________________ E-mail ______________________________________ Culinary Web site _______________________________________________________Culinary Interests ________________________________________________________

Membership Dues (Membership year is September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013) Membership including e-mailed color PDF file of CHoW Line newsletters. ($25) _______ Individual, Household or Organization OR

Membership including printed black/white copies of CHoW Line via U.S. postal service AND via email as a full color PDF file.

($35) _______ Individual, Household or Organization

Today’s date _________________________________ Bring this form to a meeting with cash or a check made payable to CHoW/DCor mail (checks only) to CHoW’s Treasurer: Bruce Reynolds, 6804 Hampshire Rd., McLean, VA 22101