Cookbooks and Culinary Collections

Summer Seminar Series

Date: -

In this seminar, participants were introduced to the many genres of material that are part of culinary collections held at the Fisher Library. They learned about the flow of culinary information through the international book trade and the first cookbooks published in Canada.

Presenters discussed creating contemporary editions of historic cookbooks, interpreting historic recipes, conducting outreach, teaching, selection, and exhibition preparation, as well as introducing some digital tools used in the field. An opportunity to prepare historic recipes in the open-hearth kitchen of Toronto’s historic Campbell House will close out the seminar.

The seminar was led by Elizabeth Driver, Director/Curator of Campbell House Museum and author of Culinary Landmarks: A Bibliography of Canadian Cookbooks, 1825-1949 and A Bibliography of Cookery Books Published in Britain, 1875-1914. It also included presentations by Vicky Hayward, author of New Art of Cookery: A Spanish Friar's Kitchen Notebook by Juan Altamiras; Fiona Lucas, Co-founder of CHC, cookbook historian and co-editor of Catharine Parr Traill's The Female Emigrant's Guide: Cooking with a Canadian Classic; Elizabeth Ridolfo, Rare Book Librarian, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library; and Mya Sangster and Sherry Murphy, volunteer historic cooks and board members of the Culinary Historians of Canada.