The Culinary Historians of Southern California present Andrew F. Smith, writer and lecturer on food and culinary history, who will be discussing his soon-to-be published books: Starving the South: How the North Won the Civil War (St. Martin's) and Potato: A Global History (Reaktion Books).
Founded in 1995, the CHSC is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Public Library and has contributed to the library's culinary collections, one of the most extensive in the country.
From the website:
Did hunger defeat the Confederacy? Culinary historian Smith will take a gastronomical look at the war and its legacy. From the first shot fired at Ft. Sumter to the surrender of the Confederacy in April 1865 food - or its absence - played a crucial role in how the war was fought and its outcome. While the Civil War split the country in a way that affects race and politics to this day, it also affected the way we eat and drink.
He will also discuss the rags to riches story of the potato, examining how the once lowly vegetable that has changed - and continues to change - the world. Despite its popularity, in this era of fast food and health consciousness, the potato is now suffering negative publicity. Its health benefits continue to be debated, especially since it is most often associated with the ubiquitous but high-calorie french fry.
The event is free.
Image by Flickr user Muy Yum, using a Creative Commons License.
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