news release
Library Adds 3,000,000th BarcodePeacock-Harper Culinary Friends Donate 1798 edition of The New Art of Cookery
The Culinary History Collection
PHCF sponsored events
May 23rd in Surry, VA: "The Romance of Virginia Ham: History and Production" with Sam W. Edwards, III, owner of Edwards' Virginia Hams. Registration deadeline: April 22. Details[PDF 305 KB]
Virginia Culinary Thymes newsletter promotes the Culinary History Collection at Virginia Tech and the growing interest in culinary history and food culture.Out of the initial donation in fall 1999 that resulted in the establishment of the Peacock-Harper Culinary Collection, came the first few of many more donations destined to become the part of Special Collections. The Culinary History Collection brings to the public over three centuries of historical information about the domestic sciences, including customs, eating behaviors, food choices and habits, social and economic history, and scientific and technological progress.
"Receipt books" (the old name for recipe books), photographs, curriculum materials, as well as cookbooks, nutrition literature, and social commentary have been donated by many generous individuals. To find images digitized from this collection, browse or search the VT ImageBase.
In 2006 Ann Hertzler, who was instrumental in bringing the Peacock-Harper Collection to Newman Library, initiated a $100,000 endowed fund to establish and support the "Ann Hertzler Children's Cookbook and Nutrition Literature Archive." This is the first historical children's cookbook collection that also emphasizes nutrition literature.
To retrieve titles from the library's online catalog, Addison, enter the keyword search phrase "culinary collection" or "children's cookbooks."
Digital AdditionsThe Bibliography of Virginia-Related Cookbooks,© compiled by Cynthia D. Bertelsen in spring 2006, currently has over 1300 entries. It is available in: [PDF 226K] and HTML.
Digitized Manuscript Recipe BooksCollection Development
- Book for Receipts (1731) Acc. 2005-126 (PDF 5.4MB) [39 pages]
- Cooking Recipes (~1940s?) Acc. 2005-126 (PDF 5.4MB) [43 pages]
My Dear Girlie. I am giving you this little gift, hoping that when this one great event comes in your life, you may be better prepared than I am. You know what they say is the way to a man's heart and I do not want you to lose "the way," for there is nothing like it. Thanking you for doing me this little favor on my wedding day I am lovingly yours. Helena- Nancy Figgat Recipe Book (inscribed Oct. 29, 1860) Ms2000-092 (PDF 5.4MB) [144 pages]
In the Southwest Virginia Counties Collection- Receipts and home remedies (~ 1869) Ms2000-092 (PDF 3.7MB) [88 pages]
In the Southwest Virginia Counties CollectionThe Culinary Collection continues to develop through gifts as well as purchases enabled by generous donors. Please see our culinary collection policies. Related collection development policies, may also be of interest: "Southwest Virginia Collection" for "Food Science and Technology," and for "Human Nutrition and Food and Exercise."
Jean Robbins chaired the initial Culinary History Collection Advisory Committee. Now known as the Peacock-Harper Culinary History Friends, their website is at: CulinaryCollection.org. They now publish the Virginia Culinary Thymes . Special Collections continues to archive older issues.
The Peacock-Harper Culinary History Friends hosted a symposium in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, and much more. The Friends and a growing group of supporters meet monthly September-May. Everyone is welcome to attend. Contact Caryl Gray
Committee members from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and Education Alumni Board, the VT University Libraries, and others have included:
- Martha Akers
- Sandy Bosworth
- Jane Ewing
- Caryl Gray, College Librarian
- Ann Hertzler, Professor Emerita of Human Nutrition, Foods & Exercise
- Dorothy Herndon
- Alice Johnson
- Charlotte Kidd, College of Human Resources and Education
- Gail McMillan, Director, Digital Library and Archives
- Roberta Minish, College of Human Resources and Education
- Ida Powell
If you have materials that may be appropriate for the library's Culinary History Collection, please contact Caryl Gray at 540-231-9229 or Special Collections at 540-231-6308. You may also write to them at Newman Library, Virginia Tech, P.O. Box 90001, 24062-9001.
Culinary Research at Virginia Tech
Several theses and dissertations have focused on culinary topics:
Spencer, Maryellen. Food in Seventeenth Century Tidewater Virginia: A Method for Studying Historical Cuisines, Ph.D. 1982. (Chair, Dean Laura Harper)
Merrell, Mindy. Societal food-related values as reflected in magazine advertisements: A content analysis. 1933 -1983. 1985 (Chair, Dr. Janet Johnson)
Sheffield, Rebecca. The Nutritional Quality of the Diet of 18th Century Moravians (1775-1800) in Salem, North Carolina: A comparison of present dietary trends. 1993 (Chair Dr. Nancy Barclay)
Miles, Saranette Denise. A Fighter To The End: The Remarkable Life and Career Of Laura Jane Harper. Master of Arts
McSorley, Charles P. Forming A Culinary Architecture, Master of Architecture, 2003 (Chair, Prof. Paul Emmons)
Parrett, Matthew Barton. The Give and Take on Restaurant Tipping, PhD, Economics, 2003 (Chairs, Dr. Catherine Eckel, Dr. Mark Stegeman)
Stauffer, Heather Elizabeth. Grocery Store, Master of Architecture, 1999 (Chair, Prof. Marco Frascari)
Other Historical Culinary Arts Collections
- Core Historical Literature of Home Economics Cornell University
- University of Denver, Husted Culinary Collection
- Griswold, Madge. A Selective Guide to Culinary Library Collections in the United States 2001
University of Arizona
- Culinary Institute of American, Conrad G. Hilton Library
- Indiana University, Lilly Library: Food and Drink
- International Association of Culinary Professionals Foundation
Selective Guide to Culinary Library Collections in the United States- Culinary Archives & Museum, Johnson and Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Kansas State University Libraries
Special Collections: Rare Books: Cookery Collection- Library of Congress
Joseph and Elizabeth Robins Pennell Collection
Graphic art, papers, and cookbook collection of Joseph and Elizabeth Robins Pennell- Michigan State University Libraries' Cookery Collection
- New York Public Library Culinary History
- University of Pennsylvania Household Words: An Exhibition from the Esther B. Aresty Collection of Rare Books in the Culinary Arts
- Rutgers University Libraries
Special Collections and University Archives
Sinclair Jerseyana Cookbooks- Tulane University, Nadine Vorhoff Library
Newcome College, Center for Research on Women
The Culinary Collection- University of Denver, Penrose Library, Special Collections and Archives
Husted Culinary Collection- University of Iowa Libraries, Special Collections
Szathmary Culinary Archives
If you have materials that may be appropriate for the library's Culinary History Collection, please contact Caryl Gray at 540-231-9229 or Special Collections Reference at 540-231-6308. You may also write to them at Newman Library, Virginia Tech, P.O. Box 90001, 24062-9001.
Support Virginia Tech's Culinary History Collection:
Join
Peacock-Harper Culinary Friends
Gail McMillan, Director, Digital Library and Archives
DLA Staff
