161: Suffrage Cookbooks: History, Food and the Right to Vote

Sound Bites A Nutrition Podcast

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote in 1920. However, the battle for women’s suffrage lasted more than 70 years, beginning in 1848. When we hear about the suffrage movement in the media or read about it in history books, we usually hear about the loud and militant women, or the ones who paraded in great numbers. But the forgotten suffragists, the ones who went door-to-door with a cookbook under their arms, were just as important in winning the right to vote.

Laura Kumin’s new book ‘All Stirred Up: Suffrage Cookbooks, Food, and the Battle for Women's Right to Vote’ includes recipes from the suffrage cookbooks, in their original form and also adapted for the modern cook. But this is just as much a history book as it is a cookbook.

Tune in to this episode to learn about:

• An overview of the suffrage movement
• How the history of women’s right to vote impacts women today – especially in this election year
• How men – and some famous men – fit into the suffrage story
• Who were the “antis” and what were their concerns about women voting
• How did suffragists convert people to their cause and how did cookbooks help
• What is an “emergency salad”
• How many suffrage cookbooks still exist and how many are forever lost

Laura had a long career as a lawyer before she became an author, teacher and cooking coach. Her specialty is combining history, culture and cooking, with an eye toward illuminating the little-known corners of a historical period or movement. Her first book was 'The Hamilton Cookbook: Cooking, Eating & Entertaining in Hamilton's World.' Full shownotes and links to access recipes at www.SoundBitesRD.com/161