Moderators: Katy van Geel and Nina Scott
Role of participants: Choose one or more dishes to prepare; introduce the food to other members of the group; tell why you chose it, talk about the history of the food, and share your memories of it. Stories about food memories are an important component of the fun.
Number of participants (including the moderator): 8
Time: Tuesdays, 9:30–11:30 am
Place: Seminar locations will vary from week to week, with participants taking turns hosting the workshop in their homes or elsewhere.
This workshop’s title comes from a book with the same name by food writer Mimi Sheraton; its subtitle is A Food Lover’s Life List. Note the book is a nicely illustrated and annotated list, not a cookbook (it contains some recipes, and refers readers to websites for other dishes’ recipes). We encourage participants to use this book as an inspiration for cooking throughout the workshop.
The host chef will prepare one or more dishes (we don’t expect 3-course meals) for the other participants to enjoy tasting on the day that we meet. Each chef will be expected to provide others with a copy of the recipe(s) made. We anticipate a very relaxed, informal gathering of people; fine china is not a prerequisite.
Format: Workshop
Resources: Mimi Sheraton; 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die
The Moderators: Nina Scott has participated in 3 food-related seminars before (Food & Film, Cooking & Eating, and Around the Jewish Table). She has taught two food-and-culture courses at Amherst College, and over the years has published many culinary articles in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Katy van Geel’s claim to fame was winning first place in the 2010 Emily Dickinson Baking Contest for her recipe for Emily Dickinson’s Black Cake, and second place for her rendition of Emily Dickinson’s Rye and Indian bread. Her hobby is making jams, jellies, and marmalades.