TERESE ALLEN

Public Presentations:

The Flavor of Wisconsin: History and Culture through Recipes
Culinary historian Barbara Haber has written that if we really want to understand our past, we’ve got to “follow the food.” That’s particularly true in Wisconsin, whose food traditions reflect the richness of an ethnically and agriculturally diverse region. In this presentation Terese Allen shares the stories behind (and recipes for) such varied foodways as cream puffs, Hmong egg rolls, fish boil, and brandy old fashioneds. From Ojibwe wild rice to arugula pesto pasta, Allen tracks the amazing cornucopia of what Wisconsinites have gathered, grown, produced, cooked, and eaten.

The Sustainable Table: Reasons and Resources
Contemporary concerns about health, the environment, animal welfare, social justice, and national security have created a groundswell of interest in alternative agriculture and diet. In this talk, Allen explores the pleasures and benefits of sustainable eating and offers resources for those who want to eat more responsibly and deliciously. She clarifies terms like “eco-gastronomy,” “food shed” and “food miles” and explains why and how more and more people are supporting small-scale, organic food production and practicing local, seasonal cooking. Illustrating Wisconsin as a leader in the sustainable foods movement, Allen details such phenomena as subscription farms, community gardens, local food challenges, sustainable restaurants, agritourism, and eco-labeling.

Have Tastebuds, Will Travel: Discovering the World through the Medium of Food
Most travelers visit museums and monuments to learn about a region, but one of the best ways to discover a country's history and culture is through its cuisine. Humanity and universal meaning are revealed at such places as a tapas bar in Andalucía, a cheese shop on the Isle of Skye, and a family picnic in Lima, Peru. Restaurants, open-air markets, street stands, specialty shops, and festivals reflect regional tradition and personality. From a humble home-cooked meal in third-world Nicaragua to the wealth of cross-cultural foodways here in Wisconsin, food can transport you to the core of a destination. Allen draws from the growing body of literature on food travel and from her own experiences in Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

Food and Folklore at Wisconsin’s Church Suppers and Small-Town Cafes
For a feast of homemade ethnic specialties—plus large helpings of camaraderie and local history—there's nothing like downtown cafes and annual church dinners. Wisconsin history and culture are revealed in such events as booyah picnics, pork hocks and sauerkraut suppers, and madagh memorials, and in such diner dishes as beer cheese soup, chicken mole enchiladas, and cream pies. Allen leads a folkloric tour around the state to explore the meals and meaning behind these beloved repositories of Dairyland culture.

Other Public Program Ideas: Terese Allen is available to discuss your program ideas. Visit her website for more information about her work and interests: http://www.tereseallen.com