Virtually step into the Smithsonian Instit ution&rsquo\;s National Museum of American History with Curator Paula John son as she discusses the book \;Smithsonian American Table: The Foods\ , People\, and Innovations That Feed Us.
\nAmerican Table \;is a sweeping history of food and culture that summons everyone to the table f or a fresh look at some of the people\, ingredients\, events\, and movemen ts that have shaped how and what we eat.
\nJohnson\, curator and pro ject director of the American Food History Project\, will discuss several stories featured in the volume\, with an emphasis on those that intersect most directly with the Smithsonian&rsquo\;s research\, collecting\, and pr ogramming around food history.
\nDuring this event\, Johnson will en gage viewers in discovering the connections between food and American hist ory:
\nHow immigration and migration has shaped (and continues to sh
ape) American tables\,
How food companies have influenced home cooks
through advertising\, from Jell-O salads to Crock-pots.
How individua
ls from Brownie Wise to James Beard and Julia Child inspired generations o
f cooks and eaters across the United States.
And show viewers how uni
ting in the kitchen can change the shape of our collective futures\, speci
fically highlighting growers and chefs who are reclaiming and reinventing
regional and cultural traditions\, including Indigenous ingredients and co
oking techniques.
After this enlightening\, enriching\, and entertain
ing webinar\, you can cook your way through the recipes that are featured
in the volume that reflect American history and culture. \; \; Hun
gry for more? Register now!
\;
\nAbout the Speaker
\ nPaula Johnson \;is a Curator in the Division of Work and Industry at the \;Smithsonian&rsquo\;s National Museum of American History and is responsible for strengthening and maintaining the food history and mari ne resources collections. She is also the Project Director for the Smithso nian's multi-faceted American Food History Project and director and co-cur ator for the exhibition\, \;FOOD: Transforming the American Table\, wh ich opened in 2012\; a refresh of the exhibition was completed in 2019. As one of the curators who collected Julia Child&rsquo\;s home kitchen in 20 01\, she was also on the team that developed the exhibition \;Bon Appe tit! Julia Child&rsquo\;s Kitchen at the Smithsonian\, on view from 2002 t o 2012. Over more than three decades at the Smithsonian\, Johnson has coll ected a wide range of artifacts and archives reflecting the work and exper iences of diverse Americans and communities.
\nJohnson has published books and articles on the Chesapeake Bay\, maritime communities\, and mat erial culture\, and has lectured widely on these and topics related to Ame rican food and wine history\, field research\, oral history recording\, an d community-based documentation. She is an inaugural member of the editori al collective for \;Gastronomica: The Journal for Food History \;a nd received the 2020 Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar in the Humanities A ward. Johnson is working on a book about Julia Child&rsquo\;s home kitchen for publication in Fall 2024.
\nRegister online or by calling the l ibrary at (973) 584-2400.
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