Dining and Opining

Big news around here. Last week, I successfully defended my dissertation, In Cans We Trust: Food, Consumers, and Scientific Expertise in Twentieth-Century America ! This was a real milestone in its own right, and deserves many words--about how exhilarating it felt to bring the writing experience to a close, to have five brilliant committee members discuss my work and guide my thoughts on revisions for the book manuscript, and to have many friends and colleagues support me. But, for now, let me share the snacks I baked for the defense: my dissertation in mini-quiche form: You see, each of my dissertation chapters is framed around one particular canned food: Chapter 1 takes on Borden's condensed milk, Chapter 2 agricultural breeding in Wisconsin peas, Chapter 3 botulism in black olives, Chapter 4 grade labeling in canned tomatoes, and Chapter 5 postwar concerns about canned tuna. So, I combined all five of these foods into baked mini-quiches. Tangible, edible dissertation chap...

A really interesting event worth checking out! Register and more info: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/8411728707/efbnen 2013 Food Summit Connecting with the Land  October 24th 5:30 pm - 8 pm   Fitchburg Public Library 5530 Lacy Road, Fitchburg, WI Registration fee: $5 (by Oct. 15) or $10 (after Oct. 15 or at the door) Please bring a non-perishable item for the Fitchburg Food Pantry Food Summit Agenda 5:30-6:00     Great local food and Welcome by Mayor Shawn Pfaff 6:00-7:30     Panel of local and international speakers to address food sovereignty,  facilitated by Jack Kloppenburg 7:30-8:00     Thank you by Supervisor Jenni Dye, Chair of Dane County Food Council Event Partners include:     Dane County Food Council     Madison Food Policy Council     City of Fitchburg     Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin  ...

I was really inspired by this post that our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, Vermont Valley, just posted on its blog, and wanted to share it here: "Our Produce in the Community" In addition to producing delicious, abundant shares for its CSA members, Vermont Valley vegetables are finding homes at the Goodman Community Center's Seed to Table program and Thanksgiving Baskets Project; in lunches of the Mt. Horeb Area School District; at Badger Camp serving those with developmental disabilities; at the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin; FairShare CSA Coalition's Bike the Barns event; the AIDS Network AIDS Ride; the First United Methodist Church Food Pantry; and the Middleton Outreach Ministry. All of these diverse homes for fresh, local, seasonal vegetables--all within our community! Such promise! It makes me just dream about the possibilities for connecting local farms with varied venues for getting that produce to as many different audien...