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Category: Heritage Months, Holidays, and Today in History

Print showing a family preparing tamales in a large kitchen

Tamales and the Tamalada: a Christmas Tradition

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

During the holiday season there are many diverse traditions.  One food that is traditional in many Latine households is tamales, prepared at a tamalada, or tamale making party.  Tamales are a Mesoamerican dish made with nixtimalized cornmeal dough—masa—steamed in a cornmeal husk, or banana leaf, and seasoned with cheese, beans, meats, and other flavors. 

Photograph of young African American students gardening at a rural school.

George Washington Carver and Nature Study

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

Today’s post is guest authored by Michelle Cadoree Bradley, a science reference specialist in the Science, Technology, and Business Division of the Library of Congress. She is also the author of the blog post, “Stumbled Upon in the Stacks, or the Chimp in my Office.” …a very large part of the child’s education must be …

Silver stylized owl with radiant circles around its head, surrounded by a gold frame

Presidential Food Book Display at Main Reading Room Open House

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

Today’s post is authored by Constance Carter, head of the science reference section. Connie has written for Inside Adams before- see her posts on Presidential Wheels, Civil War Thanksgiving Foods,  Food Thrift, the Chocolate Chip Cookie, LC Science Tracer Bullets, and her mentor Ruth S. Freitag. On the 16th of February, in honor of George Washington’s birthday …

Cover from Harry Johnson's new and improved bartender's manual. Features a portrait of the bartender

In with the Old…Early American Mixology Books

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

Today’s post is written by science librarian and culinary specialist Alison Kelly. She has provided her expertise in a number of Inside Adams blog posts related to food history and cooking such as Early American Beer. New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, so this seems like a good time to raise  a glass to …

Silver stylized owl with radiant circles around its head, surrounded by a gold frame

The Library’s Shop: I Cannot Live Without Gifts

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

The Library of Congress is an amazing and beautiful place to visit, conduct research, and work. When you walk through the doors you are engulfed in history, art, literature, architecture, and mythology. The Library of Congress shop offers visitors keepsakes and mementos from their visit, as well as themed gifts for the bibliophile and history …