In his Summation of All Theology (published in the 1260s), Thomas Aquinas stated categorically that God was not present in sacred breads made from any grains other than wheat. Aquinas further advised that the wheaten host should be made as small, flat, white discs without any leavening, completely unlike the bread people ate at home. Yet a thousand years earlier Christians had celebrated Jesus’s Last Supper using whatever breads they had at hand.

Ethnographer Marcia Stegath Dorr traveled to the Sultanate of Oman in the 1980s and encountered a timeless culture virtually unknown to the rest of the world. Join her to learn about Oman’s kaleidoscopic food culture, from cosmopolitan souqs to desert camps, mountain terraces and coastal plantations – and encounter authentic traditional recipes along the way.

Amaizin’ Pop LLC is an Ann Arbor-area seed company that develops new, improved strains of the popcorn plant and also wholesales popcorn to a dozen local retail outlets. Today, corn hybrids pioneered by Amaizin’ Pop are being grown in the US, Brazil, Hungary, Russia, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, South Africa, and India. In this presentation, owner/operator Dr. Charles Sing will explain the biology of the popcorn plant, describe his personal experiences developing hybrids, and outline how popcorn is grown, processed, and distributed to consumers.

Due to an ongoing national monopoly on beef, in May 1910 Detroit’s kosher meat prices jumped 250%. To feed their families amid rapid inflation, working-class Orthodox Jewish women fought back, organizing boycotts and even opening co-op markets to feed the community. Riots sometimes erupted when they targeted people breaking their boycott. In this lecture, historian Catherine Cangany recovers a forgotten moment in Michigan’s culinary past.

Join Pastry Chef Keegan Rodgers for an engaging lecture and demonstration exploring the history, ingredients, process, and fillings of the macaron. This wildly popular French baked confection is not quite a cookie, and not quite a pastry— but it is decidedly delicious! Participants will dive into how deceivingly simple it is to make these treats, and how their preparation can also reach toward high artistry. Macarons will be available to those attending in person, while supplies last (please be aware that they contain tree nuts and milk but are gluten-free).

The International Museum of Dinnerware Design was established in 2012. On its tenth anniversary, Margaret Carney, the director and curator of the museum, will share stories of delicious exhibitions, interweaving culinary delights along the way.

Margaret Carney is a ceramic historian who holds a Ph.D. in Asian art history. Curated IMDD exhibitions include The Art of High Chair Fine Dining, Cake, Butter, Breakfast and the upcoming 2023 invitational and juried exhibition, Entomophagous Dining.

Journalist Micheline Maynard will discuss her new book, Satisfaction Guaranteed: How Zingerman's Built a Corner Deli into a Global Food Community. Certain businesses are legendary, exerting immense influence in their field. Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is one of those places.

Biography as it's usually practiced rarely pauses at the kitchen table to examine the food. Yet ordinary meals give us an incomparable vantage point on anybody's life, whether it's a person who loves to eat or a person who couldn't care less. After all, food happens every day; it's associated with every appetite, and it's entangled with all the social and economic conditions that bear upon our days.

When German-speaking immigrants came to America, they brought with them their culinary traditions. Before long, cookbooks specifically written for Germans appeared in this country. This presentation will examine changes in the foodways of German Americans through the lens of these cookbooks.

Tammy Coxen will discuss the cultural and political forces that led America to enact Prohibition and about the alcoholic drinks that were created and consumed during that time period, both in America and globally as a consequence of American bartenders leaving to work elsewhere. She will also talk about how Prohibition ended with the repeal of the 18th amendment on December 5, 1933.