CHEW: The Spoon Saga, February 1, 2012

Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin

“The Spoon Saga”
by Traci Nathans-Kelly

February 1st at 7:15 pm

Inevitably, a crude variation of the spoon was likely one of the first tools that people ever used, fashioned of wood, rock, or shell. To scoop water, to stir a mixture, to move foodstuffs from bowl to mouth—the spoon is culturally ubiquitous and universally recognized as a tool used for eating and cooking. Consider, too, the spoon as instrument or tool. Spoons have also taken on cultural, artistic, academic, romantic, and religious meanings. Traci will review the travels of the humble spoon during this month’s talk, bringing along some of her own collection for viewing, including hand carved wooden spoons that are so worn down that they no longer can serve as spoons!

Traci Nathans-Kelly currently teaches technical communication in the College of Engineering at the UW-Madison. However, her dissertation in English was entitled “Burned Sugar Pie: Women’s Cultures in the Literature of Food.” This topic is an extention of her love for culinary history in its often “unseen” artifacts.

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Meeting Venue: Goodman Atwood Community Center, Bolz Room A;
149 Waubesa Street, Madison 53704; 608-241-1574.

To get on the mailing list, or for more information, call Joan Peterson at 608-233-5488 or Jean DeVore at 608-836-1368.

I saw this thread title and hoped it would explain the hit or miss experiences at Spoon.