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The Food of a Younger Land

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Federal Writers' Project in the 1930’s was part of FDR’s efforts under the New Deal to provide work for authors and artists. Under the program a number of writers were dispatched all across America to chonricle of lifestyles and traditions of local people, including cuisine. Mark Kurlansky looks at this forgotten literary treasure, and American food before highways and chain restaurants, in his book The Food of a Younger Land.

Event: Mark Kurlansky will be reading and signing books
Thursday, May 21, at 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble Tribeca
97 Warren Street, at Greenwich Street


Comments

  • [1] Gabrielle from Brooklyn May 21, 2009 - 09:28AM

    Does Mr. Kurlansky see this trend coming back at all with the organic grassroots movement focused on eating local? or is our food supply too centralized to "get back to basics"?


  • [2] yael herzog May 21, 2009 - 01:02PM

    Of course we will return to canning our own food. Many of us never stopped and those of us who are pushing the local food movement are busy organizing workshops to handle the hordes of people who want to learn basic food preservation techniques.


  • [3] kelly moyers from new jersey May 21, 2009 - 01:03PM

    Hi Leonard, as a recently unemployed person I am rediscovering your show, there's a silver lining to every cloud! I make depression cake using my family recipe. I learned from my great-aunt who learned during the depression. All of my daughter's classmates love it and I use it all the time for birthdays because it can so easily be made vegan, or nut-free. All of the substitutions in depression era cooking make it really vital right now with the growing emphasis on fresh seasonal produce and on frugality. There are wonderful recipes online for this cake with many variations, the core ingredients stay the same; I urge people to experiment!


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