Theodore Roosevelt, Upton Sinclair, and the Poison Squad: The Great 20th Century Food Battle

Among Theodore Roosevelt’s many accomplishments is the creation of modern food policy, including laying out the groundwork for the FDA. In this talk, historic gastronomist Sarah Lohman will paint the scene of the sometimes horrific food world at the turn of the 20th century and tell the stories behind the somewhat eccentric advocates for change.

You’ll learn about how “Sanitary” became a buzzword akin to “organic;” why a group of scientists ate borax for breakfast, and what happens when you put a famous writer and an imposing president in a room together.

Taught by Sarah Lohman

Dubbed a “historic gastronomist,” Sarah Lohman recreates historic recipes as a way to make a personal connection with the past. She chronicles her explorations in culinary history on her blog, Four Pounds Flour, and her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She appears on the Cooking Channel’s Food: Fact or Fiction? and is 1/2 of the Masters of Social Gastronomy with co-founder Jonathan Soma.

Currently, she works with museums and galleries around the city to create public programs focused on food, including institutions such as The American Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Science, Boston, and The Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Her first book, Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine, was published with Simon & Schuster in 2016.











When: Wed., Mar. 14, 2018 at 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Where: Prospect Heights Brainery
190 Underhill Ave., Prospect Heights

Price: $12
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Among Theodore Roosevelt’s many accomplishments is the creation of modern food policy, including laying out the groundwork for the FDA. In this talk, historic gastronomist Sarah Lohman will paint the scene of the sometimes horrific food world at the turn of the 20th century and tell the stories behind the somewhat eccentric advocates for change.

You’ll learn about how “Sanitary” became a buzzword akin to “organic;” why a group of scientists ate borax for breakfast, and what happens when you put a famous writer and an imposing president in a room together.

Taught by Sarah Lohman

Dubbed a “historic gastronomist,” Sarah Lohman recreates historic recipes as a way to make a personal connection with the past. She chronicles her explorations in culinary history on her blog, Four Pounds Flour, and her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She appears on the Cooking Channel’s Food: Fact or Fiction? and is 1/2 of the Masters of Social Gastronomy with co-founder Jonathan Soma.

Currently, she works with museums and galleries around the city to create public programs focused on food, including institutions such as The American Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Science, Boston, and The Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Her first book, Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine, was published with Simon & Schuster in 2016.

Buy tickets/get more info now