Chicago Foodways: Pumpkins and Squashes 11/7 @ 10 AM

Chicago Foodways Roundtable

Pumpkins and Squashes:
Evolution in an American Family’s Folk Food

Presentations by
Aggie “The Tomato Lady” Nehmzow

Saturday, November 7th, 2009
10 AM
Kendall College
900 North Branch Street, Chicago
(West of Halsted Street, North of Chicago Avenue)
Free Parking
Cost: $2 per person, free to Kendall students and faculty with ID.

Last October on a sunny day with puffy clouds arranged gloriously across the horizon, three generation of Nehmzow women set out for Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm. Our mission was threefold: culinary, decorative and diversity. Our repertoire of folk food, food of the common man, was in transition from its Adriatic European roots. The mission of our ancestors was to escape peasant life. From the second to the fourth generations later, there is escaping to farms. We shun the technology that produces canned pumpkin and fabricated decorations. At Heap’s the task of the moment was aesthetic with criteria as to contrasts in shape, color and size. However, tantamount to choices, the majority of the selections had to be of culinary use. The farm staff guided “The team” in finalizing a sizeable purchase numerous in varieties.

In the months to come, the team proceeded to researching and recording, plus preparing and presenting their cache of pumpkins and squashes for everyday and holiday use. There will be several varieties of pumpkin and squashes on display as well as samples of our folk cookery for tasting. Recipes will be available.

Aggie Nehmzow, aka “Tomato Lady,” is the 68-year-young matriarch of the Nehmzow women and an avid organic gardener. Aggie’s sights are global. She promotes heirloom gardening as active participation in the diversity of the world’s seed banks. Her immediate folk food task is the research and creation of baby food, which will include nutritious squash for her great granddaughter, Audrey.

This program is hosted by the Chicago Foodways Roundtable. To reserve, please PM, then leave your name and how many people in your party or e-mail: chicago.foodways.roundtable@gmail.com

Cathy - Your subject line states that the event starts at 7:00 p.m., yet the text body contains the starting time of 10:00 a.m. I would assume the 10:00 a.m. start time is the correct time. Please confirm as I may be able to make the 10:00 a.m. (My husband is in charge of a pancake breakfast that morning, but maybe I can slip out early), but an evening event wouldn't work for me.

Thanks

Hi,

I posted nearly at the same time a program on Mrs. Charles Darwin, which is 7 PM Tuesday November 10th. I guess my mind was a bit distracted.

If you can make it on the 7th, I'll be pleased to see you there.

Regards,

Hi,

For tomorrow's event, I made a Chilean bean and winter squash stew. It was better than I thought it would be.

Regards,