Minutes

November 27: Barbara Wheaton
Culinary Historian; Honorary Curator of Culinary Collection, Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College

Attendees: Barbara Wheaton, Ted Selker, Susan Knightly, Malia Kilpinen, Stephanie Dalquist, Tim Hirzel, Taly Sharon, Noyuri Mima, Andrea Lockerd, Marco, Matt Tragert

"America's First Original Cookbook"
Barbara Wheaton presented the first original American cookbook, "American Cookery" by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796. This 48-page pamphlet was quite successful at the time of its publication. A 2nd edition was published the same year and at least 14 additional editions were to follow. An original copy of an early edition, as well as newspapers, cookbooks and a printing press of the era, can be found at the American Antiquarian Society Museum in Worcester, MA. This cookbook had a "longish life for a cookbook of its day." An interesting component is the "Errata Sheet" included at the end of the publication correcting measurements and other errors missed during editing. Simmons focused on gardening (i.e., suggesting which peas to plant and when, etc).  This pamphlet  is rich in both social and historical commentary including Simmons’ suggestions on how to buy local fish and how to bake common dishes.

Ted Selker mentioned that the "use of culture and politics [which is] interspersed in historic culinary accounts as in cookbooks and food literature" seems to have been lost in contemporary publications. Barbara added that recently publishers have been allowing more "context" in recipes to add "color" to the work ("clarity, culture, science, history of cooking and the history of the dish"). Amelia Simmons’ personality is present in her writing. This book was written to a specific audience, and is presented to orphans and "American women" who sought to learn cooking skills in order to change their state in society. Simmons "address[es] the young person," providing skills to become a "domestic." Every cookbook has a different perspective (i.e. cook, lady of the house, etc).

Barbara read aloud the recipe "To Dress a Turtle." She mentioned that Simmons had most likely never made the stew because it was such an ordeal. (One later cookbook went as far as to suggest hiring a servant to prepare it.) Turtle soup/stew recipes were almost always included in cookbooks and recipe collections of the period. Even in contemporary cookbooks, some recipes are included simply because people want to see them, not because they are readily used or the dishes often made at home (Beef Wellington, Crème Brulee).

In general, no illustrations are included in 18th century cookbooks except for diagrams of table settings. Ted mentioned other manuals of the period that focused primarily on illustrations such as carriage building texts with representations of chassis embellishments. He also remarked that formerly experts did not often collaborate or share their expertise over fields but focused on knowledge specific to their trade. The "spirit of the age" was represented in their manuals and writing. He mused that an interesting topic of research would be to trace how this expertise is passed on and to note accuracy and mutations within a field. Tim Hirzel added that he was doing similar research on the transference of computer expertise.
 

November 20: Barbara Wheaton
Culinary Historian; Honorary Curator of Culinary Collection, Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College

Attendees: Barbara Wheaton, Ted Selker, Susan Knightly, Polly Guggenheim, Deb Widener, Tim Hirzel, Stephanie Dalquist, Taly Sharon, Matt Tragert

"Feasting"
Barbara Wheaton describes a feast as "an abundance of food eaten with gusto!" She chose this topic to coincide with the Thanksgiving holiday.  Feasts are present in virtually every culture, though with varying methods and meanings. Food is generally associated on such occasions with sociability and love. Festivities are often organized to commemorate the completion of a project or activity. Barbara complemented this talk with a slide presentation of drawings and paintings. One slide featuring an account of a "Feast of the 12th Night" with revelers in all stages of disarray was shown in contrast to a representation of a banquet of typesetters in extremely regimented fashion and poise.  At a banquet held at Versailles, servants presented each course in costumes representing a different season. At these extravagant affairs, few people were invited to actually eat the food, though most were content to watch the choreographed elegance, as it was socially important to have been invited at all. Louis XIV once had staircases built up to the 2nd floor windows so the servants could pass food in and out without carrying it through the building. In the early 1800’s a feast at the Royal Pavilion at Brighton featured elaborately decorated molded foods, table ornaments made of candied almonds, cream puffs and pastiche that were shown but not consumed.  A representation of "Dives and Lazarus" depicts the morality of feasting. Due the undependable quality and amounts of food available, "the more one ate, the more someone else starved": "If one goes too far in feasting, there will be retribution." Barbara pointed out in regards to feasting that "what seems to be an act of pure self-indulgence is so much more than that." To further substantiate this, she asked that everyone share his or her plans for the upcoming holiday. The participants, locations, and reasons for gatherings such as those during the Thanksgiving holiday speak volumes in comparison to the actual food that is provided.
 

November 13: Lora Brody
Author, "The Kitchen Survival Guide" and "Bread Machine Baking -Perfect Every Time"

Attendees: Lora Brody, Barbara Wheaton, Ted Selker, Taly Sharon, Malia Kilpinen, Susan Knightly, Win Burleson, Andrea Lockerd, Amy Holden, Noyuri Mima

[archived webcast URL]
Lora Brody began the meeting by asking members of the luncheon to introduce themselves and provide a little background on individual interests and research. Ms. Brody then shared her thoughts regarding groups that could most benefit from new technology: children, elderly, physically handicapped. She mentioned her concern that technology sometimes adds "glitz" without consideration of how it will support the cook. Ms. Brody fears that the kitchen will be reinvented such that people will assume that they don’t need the basic skills and knowledge of cooking.  Intimacy with ingredients and the value of trial-and-error experiences may also be sacrificed. New technologies should consider the "pleasure factor" of making something in the kitchen. Lora has written 3 books on the bread machine, an appliance that, according to Ted Selker, is the single most sophisticated example of technology in the home. Despite Lora’s success with these cookbooks, she finds several shortcomings inherent in this appliance: 1) The humidity of the environment is a factor when baking bread, though the machine has no means of measuring it; 2) Success with the bread machine results in a loaf with the same texture every time, leaving little room for experimentation and play. Amy Holden introduced the topic of creating technology that is focused on replacing the "annoying tasks" without losing the more enjoyable, pleasurable activities of cooking.

The group, led by Lora and Barbara Wheaton, then began listing both current and suggested technologies for the kitchen: better, quieter disposal with metal detector and safer power switch; appropriate task lighting; storage on level of cook, no need to bend and reach; inherent danger of smooth, glass stovetops; floor that provides comfort, cleanliness and is attractive; large kitchen clock with timer and remote alarm belt attachment; a calendar that can be changed anywhere and will subsequently update all other copies; remote that will move oven shelf in and out; humidity reader for a bag of flour. Lora is currently working on a chocolate book and welcomes comments and favorite recipes (blanche007@aol.com).
 

November 6: Adam Ried and Amy Klee
Adam Ried, Senior Writer, Cook's Illustrated
Amy Klee, Art Director, Cook's Illustrated

Attendees: Adam Ried, Amy Klee, Barbara Wheaton, David Tames, Andrea Lockerd, Susan Knightly, Malia Kilpinen, Taly Sharon, Tim Hirzel, Stephanie Dalquist

Adam Ried began the meeting with an overview of Cook’s Illustrated. He discussed the magazine’s format and the writing process of the staff. One thing that is unique about Cook’s Illustrated is the editorial aspect of its presentation—the reader does not get the impression of an expert’s preaching, more of experience sharing among peers.  The research involved in preparing recipes for publication includes several steps. 1) Roughly 40 example recipes for a particular dish are collected and reviewed for common ingredients, methods, tools, etc. 2) These variables are tested to determine the most favorable result, with a "first hand reporting of these tests" included in the resulting article. 3) The published recipe is meant to present the "simplest, best, and easiest way" to prepare the dish.  In general, recipes are for very simple, everyday common dishes. The cooks aim for the lowest common denominator of American classic meals-- anything from hard-boiled eggs to roasted turkey. After testing these recipes in the "cooking circle", the recipes are sent out to other individuals and departments of the magazine to test in ordinary kitchens for further input prior to publishing.

Adam handed off the talk to Amy Klee, the Art Director of Cook’s Illustrated. Amy mentioned the fact that the magazine contains absolutely no product advertisements. This allows the magazine staff to have more control over appearance and layout. The goals of the publisher, Christopher Kimball, include creating a timeless and authoritative appearance. The text is structured more as a reference book than a food magazine. Colors are minimal, with color photos used only on the index page. Illustrations are a focal point and are presented from the point of view of the cook. Photographs are used primarily to show "mistakes," different levels of "doneness" and other details that are difficult to present as a rendering. The magazine is heavily formatted like a reference book, very dense with information though with a purpose of being "very readable, clean and understandable." Both Adam and Amy agree that the magazine is not about or for "food stylists." Barbara Wheaton added that their "food is made to be eaten, not to be photographed."
 

October 30: Barbara Wheaton
Culinary Historian; Honorary Curator of Culinary Collection, Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College
Presentation: "Manuscripts, Receipts, and Relationships"

Attendees: Barbara Wheaton, Ted Selker, Noyuri Mima, Taly Sharon, Win Burleson, Susan Knightly, Stephanie Dalquist,  Josh Lifton, Mike Gay, Surj Patel

Ted began the meeting speaking of the three current spaces that CI work is in: supply-line tools for change, technology and food, and domestic technology and lifestyle. He provided an update of research in the kitchen and shared some ideas regarding better use of the space. A "Coffee in Car" prototype, inspired by our group and envisioned by Winston Maue and his team at Lear, will be brought here within the next few weeks. Barbara mentioned ideas to renovate and reorganize the kitchen: seperate the work space from the research space, open the window to the atrium more easily, make a more efficient kitchen or scrap it for a more research-friendly space.

Barbara's talk centered on her Oracle database with heavy reference to "Ladie Borlase's Receiptes Booke" by David Schoonover. She discussed the relationship between printed books and manuscript collections. An early collection that is often referenced is "Mrs. Gardner's Receipts."  In the mid-19th century, recipes began to call for brand named ingredients. As ingredients were beginning to be mass-produced, the consistency of flavor and product allowed for precise measurements. The invention of the lithograph led to the printing of trade cards with recipes. Community cookbooks of today, collections of recipes from individuals of some affiliation or organization, resemble the manuscripts of yesteryear. Ted introduced the idea of examining relationships and evolutions between and among the following participants in recipe development and publication: Do-ers, Communicators, Filters, Writers, and Presenters.

 

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