Congratulations to Sheila Fisher, whose comment on last week's post, "A fire place with hickory wood burning and crackling. Nothing makes a house smell more like a home than a wood burning fireplace on a frosty winter morning! MMMMMM" was randomly chosen by Patty Mason, the editor of Eating with Uncle Sam. The Foundation for the … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday: Giving thanks for the calorie?
If you really want to be scared by food, don't miss "Food Frights" on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the National Archives Building! David Gregory of NPR will moderate this discussion about how America's government became involved in food safety and how food safety will look in the future. One of our panelists is Chef José Andrés … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday: Halloween BBQ
In the "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?" exhibit, curator Alice Kamps notes that American citizens have demanded that food be safe, cheap, and abundant. From the records in the exhibit, you can see how the Federal Government has responded to these needs over the past decades. But food isn't just a historic record. We continue to talk about food … Continue reading Food Day Open House
Schools around the country are back in session, and while course loads may vary greatly, students from kindergarten to high school all have a slot in their schedules for lunchtime. On Wednesday, September 8, the National Archives in Washington will be showing the documentary film Lunch Line as part of our series of programs related … Continue reading Time for (school) lunch
Today's post comes from Gregory Marose, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. The only five-star general ever to be elected President of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower was a man of many accomplishments. That is why it should come as no surprise that Ike was a leader in the kitchen … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday: A Commander-in-Chef’s Recipe for Vegetable Soup
“What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam?,” our current special exhibition in Washington, DC, examines the Government’s effect on what Americans eat. Government influence was especially visible during wartime, when many food products were reserved for feeding the troops and our Allies. During World War I, the U.S. Food Administration, headed by Herbert Hoover, urged the American people … Continue reading World War I food conservation: “Pan de la libertad”
The Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, has housed some famous and infamous inmates, such as “Birdman of Alcatraz” Robert Stroud and Machine Gun Kelly. In the early 20th century, the prison took in some less likely felons—violators of the Oleomargarine Act of 1886. How did trafficking in this popular butter substitute become a Federal offense? … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesdays: Crimes against butter
Last week's photo of men swinging from the trees inspired many noteworthy captions, from the Pirates of Penzance to pigeon interception. Overwhelmed by choice, we turned to our guest judge James Kratsas of the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Michigan. James was also overwhelmed—by grim memories of dancing at weddings, and he chose Marene B's caption. … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest
These records are featured in our new "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?" exhibit which opens this Friday! To celebrate the opening, the Foundation for the National Archives is giving away a free copy of the exhibit catalog. Leave a comment below telling us what food you like to put ketchup on, and the Foundation will randomly choose a … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday–Exploding Ketchup!
Our new exhibit "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?" opens on June 10 and has over 100 original records about food. But what if you could do more than just look at the records? What if you could taste them—and taste history? Chef Jose Andres—the 2011 Outstanding Chef at the James Beard Foundation Awards, host and executive producer … Continue reading The Archivist and the Chef
