Nearly every society banishes the dark of winter with festivals of joy and light, accompanied by foods imbued with cultural meanings, and Christmas is no exception. Cathy Kaufman will talk about the background and history of some of these practices, such as the many Christmas festivities that can be traced to pre-Christian societies and the many sweets that have cultural resonance because they symbolize other ways of combating darkness (the bûche de noel), expressing imperialism and power (the plum pudding), or embodying Christian ideology (the Provençal “thirteen desserts” and candy canes). Traditional feasts, too, harken back to religious tenets, whether the Italian feast of the seven fishes and the French Réveillon or the now-classic Dickensian turkey dinner.

The presentation will be preceded by a reception with tastes of traditional Christmas foods such as Twelfth Night cake and brandade de morue.

Cathy Kaufman, an adjunct professor of Food Studies at The New School, is the chair of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery, the annual international conference at Oxford University, and was the longtime chair of the Culinary Historians of New York. She was the senior editor of Savoring Gotham, a history of food and drink in New York City, published by the Oxford University Press, as well as one of the senior editors of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, also published by the OUP. She is the author of Cooking in Ancient Civilizations (Greenwood Press).

A talk by Brian Dott about his book, The Chile Pepper in China: A Cultural Biography. Chili Margarita Recipe and Demonstration with Kara Newman. Program facilitated by Charity Robey, Introduction by Christine Dzujna. Culinary Historians of New York program from October 19, 2020. Held on Zoom.

00:00:00 Opening and Introduction by Christine Dzujna.

00:02:00 Cocktail Recipe and Demonstration with Kara Newman.

00:06:09 Welcome to Brian Dott from Charity Robey.

00:08:34 Brian Dott’s Presentation

00:49:09 Question and Answers

01:03:48 Wrap Up and Goodbye!

A talk by Marcia Chatelain about her book, Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America. Facilitated by Linda Pelaccio, Introduction by Cathy Kaufman. Culinary Historians of New York program from September 25, 2020. Held on Zoom. 

By India Mandelkern. Culinary Historians of New York program from November 14, 2013. Mandelkern's In Da Club: Dining and Taste-making in 18th Century London.

By Anne Willan. Featuring Cathy Kaufman. Culinary Historians of New York inaugural online program from August 28, 2020. Held on Zoom.

Erin Allaire-Graham. Culinary Historians of New York program from September 12, 2012. Allaire-Graham's 'A Collection of Choice Receipts.'

Elizabeth Field. Culinary Historians of New York program from September 12, 2012. Field's 'Marmalade: Sweet and Savory Spreads for a Sophisticated Taste.'

Kara Newman. Culinary Historians of New York program from September 12, 2012. Newman's 'Butter and Eggs.'

By Bruce Kraig. Intro By Andrew Smith. Song Performed by Rory Carroll. Culinary Historians of New York program from May 30, 2013. Kraig's Man Bites Dog: What Hot Dogs Tell Us About America.

By Arno Schmidt. Culinary Historians of New York Lecture from September 12, 2012. Schmidt's 'Peeking Behind the Wallpaper.'

By Gary Allen. Culinary Historians of New York program from March 20, 2013. Allen's Spring Rituals: Fertility Rites (Canibalism).