The American Plate with Libby O’Connell | SF

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Popular food documentaries like Food, Inc. and King Corn have shown Americans how their food gets to the table, but how much do Americans really know about the history of the foods they consume? Emmy Award-winning documentary producer and chief historian for the History Channel and A+E Networks, Libby H. O’Connell, introduces readers to lost American food traditions and takes them on a mouthwatering culinary journey through the evolution of food in The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites.

Tracing the history of the United States through a series of 100 iconic dishes and delicacies (or Bites), O’Connell offers a unique multilayered overview of the American people and the transformation of their palates from the 1400s to today. Ranging from unusual delicacies like grilled beavertail to traditional meatloaf, and social edibles like beer and pretzels, O’Connell explores how different cultures and their traditions have shaped our national diet and have influenced the foods we eat and cook today; and the indelible footprint they’ve left on the foods we savor.

“Our food decisions impact not only our own lives, but the lives of people everywhere and for generations to come,” says O’Connell. “Along the way we should remember to preserve the delicious edible heritage that we share in our country today on the American plate.”

Delicious recipes, menus, photos, and fun historical tidbits are sprinkled throughout: from why politicians incorporate barbecue feats into their campaign tactics to the real reason Americans call a dollar a “buck” and why takeout is not the modern convenience you thought it was!

Libby O’Connell, PHD, is an Emmy Award-winning producer, educator, historian, and preservationist. As Chief Historian and SVP of Corporate Outreach and Education for the History Channel and A+E Networks, Libby’s work in historic preservation and history education has been recognized by the White House. She has appeared on the Today Show, has a regular blog on the History Channel’s Hungry History page called Lunch with Libby, and has been featured in the New York Times, Businessweek, and Forbes magazine. She lives in New York.

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