Cooking from Early American Recipes

Lauren Anderson loves cooking. She studied culinary arts for two years after high school -- but long before that, she figured out a cooking example for each history project she tackled. One of her favorites: early American "Johnny Cakes." Her workshops gathered so many teens signing up for them that we actually split one of the groups -- so that I (Beth) offered a workshop specifically on baking through the American centuries (sourdough, yeast breads, baking soda [cornbread], baking powder [biscuits], and how to substitute for common early ingredients that aren't as common now, like sour milk). By the way, it wasn't only teens -- Lauren and I both noticed quite a few teachers and assistants slipping into our workshops! Guess they were all hungry ... or willing to taste test!

Interested in a chart of conversions for measurements like "gills" and "pecks"? Leave a comment here with your e-mail, and I'll send you the one we handed out. Recipes also available on request.

Summer News: Caro Thompson's Film Wins Emmy!

We're still looking for input on how this year's conference went, and hope you'll leave a "Comment" someplace on this blog if you were there!

Meanwhile, some great news just received from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LBCP) about an important film produced by MY STORY MATTERS presenter Caro Thompson:

Champlain: The Lake Between is a dramatic one hour documentary reenacting historic events of Lake Champlain. The LCBP provided funding for a CD ROM that accompanies the DVD, for use at home or in the classroom, and to distribute the DVD and CD ROM free to all Champlain Basin schools. The DVD recently won the Historical/Cultural Program category at the Boston/New England Emmy Awards on June 1st, 2009! For your copy call 802-759-8412 or visit www.historicvermont.org/chimneypoint.

My Story Matters: History Takes the Stage

Bess O'Brien and eight students spent April 8 crafting a provocative and entertaining revue that wrapped up the big conference. Tackling three big issues -- the arts, gay marriage, and violence -- the students on stage took on the personas of figures from earlier days, and commented audaciously in those voices.

Bess, who is an award-winning film and stage director and producer, e-mailed afterward: Thank you! The kids were great and it was a lot of fun!

Here's the list of contemporary issues that the group first brainstormed:

*First Black President
*Gay Marriage
*Intelligent Design -- Texas
*Child Left Behind -- education
*Invasion of Iraq/Bombs/North Korea
*Religion Reform/Separation of Church & State
*Immigration
*Economy and Recession
*Jazz or Hip Hop/Rap
*Texting/cell phone/language/twittering/FaceBook/MySpace
*Shootings/Hand guns/Video games/aggressive games
*Global warming & how it is affecting VT: sugaring / Burlington Best City
*Divorce

Sounds global to me ... Then participants brought out figures from history and wrestled with what they did and didn't know about those other times and voices, to come up with dramatic streams of commentary:

Charlotte Bronte - writer - "Jane Eyre" - 1700s
Obama - first Black President - 2009
Duke Ellington - jazz - piano / Duke Ellington orchestra / speakeasy
Martin Luther 1600 - brought on Protestant Reform./Catholic reform
Henry VIII - six wives -- ruled England - 1400s? - started Church of England - wanted to divorce wife Anne
Jesus Christ - the son of God - Messiah - can walk on water?
Winston Churchill - Second World War - Lead - Prime Minister England
Hitler - We knew! - Evil -- World War II -- very smart! - he wanted to go to art school and Dad wouldn't let him
Anne Frank - World War II - teen who wrote book!
Harriet Tubman - Underground Railroad, African
Clara Barton - Civil War - started the Red Cross
Whoopi Goldberg - Sister Act, Color Purple -- Canadian, lived in Vt
Madonna - major rock star
Hillary Clinton - first feminist candidate - Sec'y of State
John Lennon - Beatle -- assasinated ... conspiracy?
Abe Lincoln - major - top hat - Civil War - end of slavery
Albert Einstein - major inventor - Special Theory of Relativity/Newton idea/The Bomb, E = MC2
George Washington - first President of United States
Kennedy -- 1960s - assassinated, 1963 -- Catholic
Shakespeare - major playwright
Roosevelt?
Oscar Wilde - gay playwright
George Bernard Shaw - major playwright
Sylvia Plath - daring poet - 1950s - Bell Jar - committed suicide - Ted Hughes
Virginia Wolfe - "Mrs. Dalloway" - committed suicide

Special moments that hit me hard were listening to "Sylvia Plath" give advice about avoiding violence; John Lennon pleading for peace; Madonna on "the arts." What did you hear or say?

[Hey Alexis -- thanks for letting us use the conga drum! It added a lot ...]

Were You There on April 8? Your Story Matters!

[photo: Melody Walker brings her Wabanaki life to the stage as the conference keynote]
We had 181 people at My Story Matters, the first history conference for high school students and teachers held at Lyndon State College on April 8. A hundred and thirty-six of the people there were students -- awesome!

Were you there? Did you cook with Lauren Anderson, sort through Census records with Tony Booth, try out some interviewing with Peggy Sapphire? It would be great to hear from you if you worked with Caro Thompson on how to generate compelling video, or with Cyndy Bittinger on the "what if" of Grace Coolidge, Dorothy Thompson, and Anne Frank. More, more, more!

So use the Comments button here, and make your voice heard. Keep an eye on the blog, too, because soon we'll be able to post links to the amazing narratives that some of you recorded in the My Story Matters History Booth.

I'm counting on you to speak up. Beth

The Night Before the Big Day...

I can hardly wait to hear Lyndon State College President Dr. Carol Moore talking about her career path tomorrow. I know she was a biologist -- how did she get from there to heading up Vermont's northernmost college? Just a few more hours until I'll find out.

When I talked with Jenny Mackenzie earlier, she was excited about the two totally different presentations she's giving tomorrow: the first one with an amazing array of -- ooops, I almost told the surprise -- well, with an amazing amount of cool stuff, and about 50 students. And the second one, the writing intensive, with about 18 students, when she's especially looking forward to the conversations.

I heard a rumor that Joanne Bertrand, who is coaching the Story Booth before people go to record with Charlotte Albright, is arriving in full costume from another time and place! (Charlotte is giving up a day of her vacation to record your stories -- mega thanks, Ms. A!)

Melody Walker is putting finishing touches on the PowerPoint presentation she'll give in salute to her life as a young Wabenaki in Vermont. Look for her special exhibit in the theatre lobby.

At the college, Donna Wheeler's crew is rearranging rooms tonight, making sure we have plenty of seating, tables, tech support, and more. Donna, you rock!

Two "mystery guests" are coming tomorrow -- one in the morning, one in the afternoon -- for students who soak up interview skills from Peggy Sapphire, to test their new abilities. Wonder how much they'll reveal??

Just checked in with Lauren Anderson, who's been grocery shopping for her fabulous "History's Kitchen" presentation -- wow, this will be fun. Barnet's librarian Sherry Tolle, who bakes for her own Bed-and-Breakfast, will help if needed!

Caro Thompson told me she had a brainstorm and is working on some radically new handouts to go with her workshop on "Compelling Video."

Last I heard from Bess O'Brien, she was considering a raid on Jasper's music collection. I've packed a drum for her musical group!

And there's an enormous poster of Anne Frank in my car, for Cyndy Bittinger's group.

Did I mention that Tony Booth, the awesome archeologist from New Hampshire, is bringing some artifacts to check out?

Joan Alexander invented a folded paper device that's going to be great fun for investigating and retelling family stories.

I hope that the amazing Renee Kelly, whose organizing skills have kept all of this on track, is getting some sleep already. She and the folks from Burlington and Montpelier are getting up way early tomorrow ...

Me, I've got bags and boxes of supplies and handouts, -- oh, I read the one that Julia Lewandoski is using with her plunge into researching Vermont's significant women, and she's going to pack SO much into that 45 minutes that I bet everyone gets breathless ... wish I could be in that presentation room!

I've packed the card decks for "Mysteries in History." And since I'm diverting some of the crowd from Lauren's kitchen group to a special presentation on "Bakers' Tips for History Kitchens," I've been measuring out sourdough starter and packing taste-test samples of traditional New England recipes.

I can hardly wait to see you all in the morning!

203 People Are Coming on Wednesday!

Yes, that's our count for MY STORY MATTERS -- and we can hardly wait. An amazing number of people are giving time, food, skills, wisdom ... and 152 students have registered.

Even the arrival time in the morning will be full of things to do and see, as Melody Walker has offered to bring some of her Wabenaki clothing and other items; Joanne Bertrand will share her latest research at a display table; and the indomitable and ever-reading Kim Crady-Smith sets up her own bookstore, Green Mountain Books, in both the lobby and the cafeteria.

The Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium has a special partnership role in Jenny Mackenzie's "Listening for Secrets" -- I promised not to reveal details ahead of time, but oh wow!

Special news: Due to a flood of enrollment for Lauren Anderson's "In the Kitchen with History" presentation, Beth Kanell (that's me!) will give a session on "Baker's Tips for History Kitchens" at the same time as Lauren's first session. We'll sample hardtack (yes, in the picture here!), cornbread, biscuits, and rolls; go over how "leavening" has changed; check how to adapt old-time recipes; and more.

Partners Make Extraordinary Challenges Easier!

Mega thanks to the Passumpsic Savings Bank, which is sponsoring producer/director Bess O'Brien at My Story Matters! The Passumpsic team supports community and the excitement of three-dimensional history, and we're grateful for such terrific support.

FLASH NEWS! There are still some slots open for students in Bess O'Brien's day-long workshop "High School History: The Musical." Whether your talents are in acting, music, creative thinking, or the quirks and mysteries that make history such an adventure, consider joining this group for your adventure on April 8. You'll develop a real musical with Bess's coaching, and perform a "first draft" of it on stage. Bring one small costume prop (a hat, gloves, moustache, apron, shovel, you name it) and have in mind your own top character from the past. There's lots of room for action and delight at this workshop.