Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine

The United States boasts a culturally and ethnically diverse population that makes for a continually changing culinary landscape. Sarah Lohman’s talk explores how American food is united by eight flavors: black pepper, vanilla, curry powder, chili powder, soy sauce, garlic, MSG, and sriracha. Lohman explains how these influential ingredients made their way to the American table.

Lohman is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, where she began working in a museum at age 16, cooking historical food over a woodburning stove. She moved to New York in 2006 to work for New York Magazine‘s food blog, “Grub Street,” and now works with museums and galleries around the city to create public programs focused on food. Lohman is the author of Eight Flavors and Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods.

The ISU Book Store will be at the event selling copies of the speaker’s book.