Food Events @ Penn: Food Studies Edition

Penn's Food Studies department has plenty of exciting upcoming events. The first one occurs this coming Tuesday, so be sure to come hear about Sicily's history of sweets!

Sicily and its Sweets
What: Talk presented by acclaimed pastry chef, author & educator Nick Malgieri
When: Tuesday, March 20, 5:30 pm
Where: Class of 55 Conference Room, 2nd floor, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library
More Info: Free and open to the public. RSVPs appreciated but not required. Please email rbml@pobox.upenn.edu to RSVP.

Sicily has long been renowned for the quality and diversity of its cakes, pastries, and confections. A result of the early Saracen domination of the island and their introduction of refined sugar, Sicily was one of the first places in Europe to develop the art of confectionery. Many of these sweets still survive in the form of cannoli, candied fruits and even vegetables, and sweets based on almonds and pistachios (another Arab introduction). Where Saracen pastry cooks left off, monastic bakeries quickly followed; each had a sweet specialty. During the nineteenth century, Swiss confectioners arrived in Sicily, bringing with them new techniques and chocolate. The pastry shops of contemporary Sicily embrace remnants of all these traditions and still produce an astounding array of sweets unequaled elsewhere.

The Food Studies department is hosting a talk with Nick Malgieri. Malgieri, former Executive Pastry Chef at Windows on the World, is an inductee into Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. Malgieri is the author of several award-winning books on baking and desserts including BAKE! Essential Techniques for Perfect Baking and Great Italian Desserts. Currently, Malgieri directs the baking program at the Institute of Culinary Education and frequently serves as a guest teacher at many cooking schools.

American Pie: The Politics of Food in the 21st Century
What: In light of the increasing interest in food studies at Penn, the Muriel Pfaelzer Bodek Fund for Library Public Events will sponsor a series of three lectures focusing on food policy in the 21st century. The speakers, experts in their fields, will address issues relating to global food security, sustainable agriculture, and food waste in America. Series is co-sponsored by the School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Nursing/School of Arts and Sciences Nutrition Minor, Department of History and Sociology of Science, Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative/Netter Center for Community Partnerships, Environmental Education Kitchen at Penn Women's Center, Penn Vegan Society, and Penn Appétit. See more details about the lectures below.

The Food Not Eaten
Jonathan Bloom, journalist and author of American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It) (2010), will speak on how much food we waste, where and why we squander so much, the ethical, environmental, and economic impact of our actions, and, most importantly, how we can minimize waste. Registration requested but not required. Please RSVP here.
When: April 11, 2012, 6 pm
Where: Claudia Cohen Hall G17 Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania, 249 S. 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA

Global Food Security: A 21st Century Challenge
Dr. Alan M. Kelly, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, will speak on the challenges faced by agriculture as it expands production to meet society's growing needs while conserving the environment, controlling the spread of infectious diseases, and accommodating to the vagaries of climate change. Registration requested but not required. Please RSVP here.
When: April 19, 2012, 6 pm
Where: Hill Pavilion Room 130, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 380 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA

The Future of Food: Sustainable Agriculture is not Optional
Dr. John E. Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri, and author of Sustainable Capitalism: A Matter of Common Sense and Small Farms are Real Farms: Sustaining People Through Agriculture, will speak on the need for sustainable agriculture, the challenges facing the movement, and the development of a new and better paradigm, one which is economically viable and which meets the needs of the present without diminishing opportunities for the future. Registration requested but not required. Please RSVP here.
When: April 24, 2012, 6 pm
Where: Claudia Cohen Hall G17 Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania, 249 S. 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA