This week I am celebrating a birthday, and although I am more of a pie or tart kinda gal, a birthday calls for cake- and that cake must be the one that- in my opinion- rules over them all. Drum roll please, the thin, chewy, chocolate and nutty Texas Sheet Cake. I wish to thank …
Today’s post is by 2012 Junior Fellow Brian Horowitz of the University of Maryland, College Park. The Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is both the Maryland state reptile and the official mascot of the University of Maryland (UMD). The bronze statue of Testudo, a gift from the class of 1933, sits with pride on the campus at College …
With summer winding down and our interns returning to school, we are featuring a Five Questions post with intern Shayela Hassan. Shayela’s assignment in our division gave her the opportunity to immerse herself in the Library’s collection of cookery and food history books. 1. What is your background? I’m a first-generation American girl born to …
In 2010 Jennifer Harbster, my co-blogger, did a post about ice cream that mentioned the beginning of National Ice Cream Month in 1984, but I ran across this advertisement in Chronicling America that ran in the Washington Times on May 26, 1920. This was long before Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month …
Americans have been celebrating George Washington’s birthday since he became president. We have continued this tradition for over two hundred years with the help of Congress who, in 1879, officially designated Washington’s Birthday (February 22) as a Federal Holiday. You might be asking yourself some questions right now: Do we still celebrate Washington’s birthday on February …
You might find yourself this holiday season with extra food from gatherings with family and friends. You certainly do not want to let the food go to waste – so what do you do? How about turning your leftover food into a new tasty meal? Of course you can make classic soup and sandwiches from …
This black and white photograph of Christmas shoppers from the early 20th century made me think of the modern Black Friday shopping frenzy. But since Black Friday has already been a blog topic, I thought I would use this as an opportunity to re-feature posts from Inside Adams and the other Library blogs, posted in …
By all that is sacred in our hopes for the human race, I conjure those who love happiness and truth to give a fair trial to the vegetable system- Percy Bysshe Shelley. When I asked our culinary specialist, Alison Kelly, for advice for a Thanksgiving blog post she eagerly shared with me The Vegetarian Thanksgiving …
In 1378, Richard II issued an ordinance controlling pie prices in London. Even Geoffrey Chaucer mentions pie in the Cook's Tale of his Canterbury Tales