Monday, February 22, 2010

Food of a Younger Land

Thursday evening Brenda lead us in a discussion of Food of a Younger Land, a book that Mark Kurlansky created from newly discovered submissions to a 1930s WPA project called America Eats. Brenda told us that the project was never published.
We learned a great deal about WPA projects from Brenda's research. For instance, at the time of the WPA, government support for the arts was a brand new concept.

Several members of the group brought regional dishes to share. Brenda, who is from Virginia, brought Brunswick stew. Cathy brought a corn dish often served in her native Iowa. Micki brought a local dish called Shrimp Bog, while Judy brought my childhood favorite, Snickerdoodles!

No, we haven't become a cooking club, but we were treated to some very fine food as part of our discussion of what people ate before the advent of the Interstate and fast food. I think we found that regional fare has survived in our homes, if not in restaurants.