Speaker Series: "A Culinary History of Southern Delaware"

 

The Lewes Historical Society is proud to welcome Lewes author and food writer Denise Clemons at 7:30 pm Friday May 19 at the Lewes Public Library as she features highlights from the images included in her book, A Culinary History of Southern Delaware: Scrapple, Beach Plums and Musket. She will share insights into how local agricultural practices dictated many of the culinary traditions that shaped the history of the region. She will discuss examples from the time of the Native Americans through current day about the foods we all enjoy and the recipes we treasure. Copies of her book will be available for purchase.

 

Historic farms and waterways crisscross Southern Delaware, connecting its residents to a set of rich culinary traditions. The original Nanticoke inhabitants baked hearty johnnycakes and hunted wild game. Hungry for a taste of home, German settlers developed scrapple from local ingredients. Today’s home cooks and chefs draw their bounty from the land and sea for a distinct, seasonal cuisine. Summer strawberries and peaches from local farms and orchards become delectable preserves thanks to treasured family recipes. Come springtime, succulent blue crab reigns supreme. With recipes for regional favorites like beach plum jelly and chicken with slippery dumplings, author Denise Clemons explores the history behind the ingredients and savors the story in every dish.  

 

Denise Clemons is the author of the weekly cooking column, Cape Flavors for the Cape Gazette, focusing on seasonal ingredients, culinary trends and food history. Last year, the History Press published her book, A Culinary History of Southern Delaware: Scrapple, Beach Plums and Muskrat in their American Palate series. In her book, she takes readers on a journey through the history of the region as seen through the culinary traditions that have evolved over the centuries. Denise holds a BA in Biopsychology from Vassar College and an MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She spent the first twenty years of her career as an executive in the technology industry before leaving the corporate world to devote her energies to the non-profit arena.

 

The program is free and open to the public. For more information contact 302-645-7670 or www.historiclewes.org