Culinary Historians’ Groups

Detra Denay Davis had the great good luck to attend the Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor for several years.  It’s one of the oldest groups in the US, was founded by Jan Longone and friends, and has been going since 1983.

She moved to North Carolina and founded a group there.

"I started a small group titled the Culinary Historians of North Carolina and
it is truly in the infancy stage. Can you offer any suggestions for
getting speakers and organizing the meeting so they are insightful,
educational and of interest to not just old fogies like me, but
a younger group too? Any info you are willing to share would be appreciated."

Most people have no idea what culinary history is and it sounds totally unconnected to their lives.  So I would think that you start by thinking of people or topics that already excite people and let them see how this seemingly rarefied activity actually means something to them.

Get together a few friends with like interests and just talk amongst yourselves. Ask them each to bring another friend

Copy some from other culinary historian groups.

Tap the local universities for people doing research.  Tap agricultural extension, local food industries, restaurants.

Address local issues and bring history to bear.

Get in touch with the Washinton DC group, people in south Virginia, Southern Foodways and see how you can mutually help.

Address how to issues (round table on food history blogs, round table on doing family cookbooks, local publishers and libraries).

Make it social, and fun, and welcoming. Annual dinners with period food. Outings to places people otherwise would not have access to.  Signings and insider information by authors.

Make it accessible but never skimp on quality.   And enjoy it.

But lots of readers of this blog have experience.  Anyone care to offer ideas?

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