Speaking Engagements

Sarah Wassberg Johnson is accepting speaking engagement requests for virtual programs starting in July, 2023 and beyond. Please use the form at the bottom of this page to make your request!

To see previous engagements, please visit the Events page.

If you would like a topic not listed above, please feel free to make a request, but be aware that an additional program development fee may apply.

Speaker One Sheet

Food & Wartime Talks - $250 virtual, $400 in-person

The following illustrated talks are based on original research by Sarah on both World War I and World War II. Each talk is approximately 60 minutes long.

"Approaching Armistice: Food at the End of the First World War" What do you know about the Hudson Valley's home front during the First World War? Learn how New Yorkers coped with rationing, food preservation, and the startling end to World War I. From the formation of food bureaucracies to restaurants punished for violating rationing rules, to the women who canned their way past food shortages; illustrated with period photographs and propaganda posters.
"Can or Collapse: Food Preservation and Canning Kitchens in New York During WWI" When the United States entered the First World War, the field of home economics was relatively new. But the women of New York rose to the challenge to adapt American eating habits to a new reality as the U.S. struggled to feed its soldiers and the Allies. By emphasizing home canning, Americans could free up commercial canneries to supply the war effort. Home economists across the state, alongside women's clubs, opened community canning kitchens. Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson as she outlines the stories of kitchens from Buffalo to New York City, and everywhere in between.
"Eat More Potatoes: Milk Strikes, Food Boycotts, and the High Cost of Living, 1916-1917" In the lead up to the First World War, farmers and city dwellers alike struggled with the High Cost of Living. New York was particularly hard-hit, as farmers of the New York Dairymen's League struggled with low prices for their fluid milk, even as consumer prices rose. Jewish women on the Lower East Side dealt with stagflation and the skyrocketing prices of even staple foods like cabbages and onions in the winter of 1916-1917. Follow food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson as she guides you through the Dairymen's League's milk strikes, Lower East Side food boycotts and riots, and the lasting repercussions on pushcart operators, Orange County garden truck farmers, and New York as a whole throughout the First World War.
"Food Will Win the War: Food Conservation on the WWI Homefront" Rationing, home canning, victory gardens - these are all familiar hallmarks of World War II, but did you know they all got their start during the First World War? Learn about wartime conditions on the American home front during the War to End All Wars, when rationing was voluntary, peer pressure was stiff, victory gardens were called war gardens, and Herbert Hoover impressed the country with how he handled the formation of the United States Food Administration - the career that would ultimately launch him into the presidency. Illustrated with stunning propaganda posters, join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for a comprehensive overview of how the United States handled food at home during World War I.
"Mr. & Mrs. Novice: Victory Garden Propaganda During World War II" Meet John and Jane Novice - the fictional stars of a 1942 Sunday "New York Times" article entitled “Mr. & Mrs. Novice.” Used to convince ordinary New Yorkers (and Americans) to get in the spirit of victory gardening during World War II, Mr. and Mrs. Novice illustrate the attempts to increase the food supply among the general populace, often to comedic effect. Using propaganda posters and engaging excerpts from the article, food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson explains victory gardening in the context of the war as well as who was, and who wasn’t, targeted by propaganda.
"Preserve or Perish: The Orange County Food Preservation Battalion During World War I" Women of Orange County, do your bit! The rallying cry of the First World War called for volunteers to "do their bits" to participate in the war effort. In Orange County, society women of Monroe, Tuxedo, and Harriman banded together to do their bit - and their best - to help win the war. With directives from Herbert Hoover of the United States Food Administration, these women engaged the Erie Railroad in a week-long instruction train, opened a canning kitchen, hired home economists, and helped ordinary women (and men!) learn about home canning, drying, rationing, and food conservation. Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson on this illustrated journey through the first months of the First World War in Orange County.

General American Food History Talks - $250 virtual, $400 in-person

The following illustrated talks provide important context to American food history. Each talk is approximately 45-60 minutes.

"Absolutely Pure: A History of American Brand Name Foods" You’ve heard of the big ones - Campbell's, Jell-O, Kraft, Kellogg's, Hershey - but do you know how they got to be so big? And what about the name brands that aren't as famous, or that disappeared altogether? Borden, Libby's, Best Foods, Cottolene, Nabisco, Necco? Brand name foods dominate our lives, our media, and even our politics. So how did we get here? Food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson discusses what Americans ate before brand name foods appeared on the scene, how and why brand name foods became popular, why so many companies are still around today, and what happened to a few who didn't survive. Along the way we'll also learn about war, health and sanitation, trust-busting, the labor movement, home economics, and all the other threads connect our food system together.
“Apples in America: A History” Why is apple pie considered so American? Why did hard cider fall from favor? Who was Johnny Appleseed, really? And why does an apple called “Red Delicious” taste so terrible? Find out in this illustrated lecture with food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson as she explains the fascinating origins and history of apples, how they came to the United States, and their important historical uses, from hard cider to pie, from the colonial period to the present.
"Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Supper: American Meals in Historical Context" Do you break your fast every morning with cereal or eggs? Think snacking between meals is bad? Know the difference between dinner and supper? Lunch and luncheon? American meals have changed a lot over the decades, and what, how, and when you ate depended a lot on your location, your career, and your socio-economic status. Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for this fascinating tour of American meals and how they've changed, from the Colonial period to the late 20th century and how "three square meals a day" became the gold standard of eating.
"Cooking by the Book: Celebrity Chefs, Cookbookery, and the Changing Landscape of American Cuisine" Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for a journey through America’s cuisine as told by cookbooks. Along the way we’ll meet celebrity chefs obscure and familiar from all over the country and across the decades. Spanning the late 18th century to the present, Wassberg Johnson discusses how cookbooks reflected and influenced changes in home cooking in the United States.
NEW! “Koekje, Cooky, or Cookie? A History of American Christmas Cookies” Why do the Brits call them biscuits and we call them cookies? The answer lies in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland. But cookies have a peculiar history. Once the purview only of the wealthy, their flavors, shapes, and textures have changed over time. Influenced by changing technologies, household labor, slavery, social status, agricultural innovations, and immigration, cookies have become the standard American Christmastime treat. But how did we get there? In this illustrated lecture, food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson discusses the history of cookies in America, Christmas traditions through the ages, and why we eat so many cookies during the holiday season.
"Road Food: How the American Highway System Invented Fast Food" McDonald’s, Burger King, White Castle, Taco Bell, KFC – fast food is quintessentially American. But the development of fast food is deeply connected to improvements in transportation, the development of the personal automobile, changes in American agriculture, and the Eisenhower Interstate Highway system, which took more than 35 years to complete. From Harvey Girls on the Atcheson, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad to today’s interstate highway landscape of Anytown, USA sameness, food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson traces the origins of fast food and how it has impacted American culture and diets at home and abroad. Learn about how some of the most popular fast food companies developed, how the road trip influenced American tastes and expectations, and how the automobile changed the United States and its food culture for better, and for worse.
NEW! "The Surprising History of American Cheese: From Monterey to Vermont and Everywhere In Between" When you hear American cheese today, you’re probably thinking of something very specific – highly processed, perhaps individually wrapped. But the history of cheese in the United States, which was called “American cheese” long before James L. Kraft, is a fascinating and complicated one. From the 18th century cheese course to pizza and mozzarella sticks, Americans have long had a different relationship to cheese than many nations. Cheeses invented in the United States include Monterey Jack, Colby, Brick cheese, Velveeta, and Philadelphia cream cheese, as well as American takes European cheeses like Swiss, Vermont and New York style cheddars, mozzarella (especially string cheese), Liederkranz, Maytag Blue, and Neufchatel. But Americans didn’t always eat cheese like we do today. What changed? In this illustrated presentation, food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson examines the history of these American cheeses, the dairy industry, and what events and cultural forces changed how Americans ate cheese.
NEW! “Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween Food Traditions”
Americans love Halloween, and we’re all familiar with the treat part of trick-or-treating. But candy didn’t always play a central role in Halloween. Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for a voyage through the past as she recounts the sometimes-spooky, mostly wholesome origins of American Halloween foods. Tracing traditions from Scotch kale and Irish turnips to early American pumpkins and gingerbread to Victorian folklore around food and romance, all the way through to 20th century costumes parties, “deviled” foods, and the somewhat nefarious origins of trick-or-treating. Along the way we’ll learn how candy came to be at the center of American Halloween and the companies who popularized some of America’s favorite treats.
"When the Groom Had His Own Cake: American Wedding Food Traditions" Join Food Historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for this look at over two centuries of American wedding traditions, from the colonial period to the present. Featuring historic menus and images, Wassberg Johnson chronicles what has changed – and what hasn’t – about how we celebrate weddings with food. Special emphasis on how wedding cakes have changed throughout the years.
"When Sugar Was Good For You: The Development of Nutrition Science in America" Sugar gives you energy, right? That means it must be good for you! Learn more about the history of nutrition science in America with food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson. From our earliest forays into nutritional basics, to our national obsession with vitamins and health fads, learn about how we got to where we are today when it comes to nutrition science. Focusing on the turn of the 20th century to post-WWII innovations in nutrition to today.

Cooking Demos + History Talks - $300 virtual, $500 in-person

The following talks include pre-recorded video cooking demonstrations from the Food Historian Kitchen, followed by a live illustrated lecture on the history of the topic. Talks are usually 60-90 minutes. Talks may be presented without the recorded cooking demonstration.

“As American as Pumpkin Pie: From Colonial New England to PSL” Nothing says fall like pumpkin pie. Or is it pumpkin spice? Pumpkins are Indigenous to the Americas, and pie is from Britain. But it took the confluence of Indigenous and colonial foodways to give us that quintessentially American dish – pumpkin pie. In this illustrated lecture with food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson, learn about the history and origin of pumpkins, their role in Colonial New England, and how pumpkin pie came to dominate Thanksgiving and American ideas about our food heritage. Includes optional pre-recorded cooking demonstration of a scratch recipe for pumpkin pie (from whole pumpkin to crust!) from Lydia Maria Child’s 1832 cookbook, The Frugal American Housewife.
“From Thomas Jefferson to Kraft: A History of Macaroni and Cheese” How did Italian pasta and French cheese sauce become a dish so quintessentially American? Food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson traces the origins of macaroni and cheese from the ancient world to the present, with stops in Italy, England, France, Colonial America (especially Thomas Jefferson’s household), Fannie Farmer’s kitchen, the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Minnesota, and New York, to name a few. Learn how American cheese was developed, how macaroni and cheese went from side dish to Kraft Dinner, and why it remains one of America’s favorite meals today. Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for this special combined cooking demonstration and talk. Sarah will demonstrate the making of macaroni and cheese from scratch with homemade mornay sauce.
“Hot Chocolate: From Indigenous American Rituals to Victorian Children’s Breakfast” Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for this special combined cooking demonstration and talk. Sarah will demonstrate how to make hot chocolate and hot cocoa at home, the difference between the two, and the history of hot chocolate. Learn about its religious history and Indigenous origins, how it became a popular breakfast food, and why Victorian and Progressive Era Americans wanted kids to drink more of it.
“Indian Meal and Molasses: The Making of New England Cuisine” If you’ve read enough historical fiction (Laura Ingalls Wilder, I’m looking at you), you’ll know how crucial cornmeal and molasses were to early American settlers. But how did New England colonists come to adopt “Indian meal?” And what is molasses – a byproduct of the Caribbean slavery-fueled sugar plantations – doing on New England tables? Food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson explains the use of Indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques by early European settlers, as well as the widespread use of molasses, a product of Caribbean slavery, in Colonial American foods. This illustrated lecture includes an optional pre-recorded cooking demonstration of a scratch historic recipe for Indian pudding from Amelia Simmons’ 1796 American cookbook.
"Dainty Desserts for Dainty People: The Feminized History of Gelatin" Gelatin desserts are today considered retro and even low-class, but when industrial gelatin was first developed, gelatinous foods were the labor-intensive purview of the upper classes. Calves’ foot jelly and blanc mange were the height of fashion, but coexisted with terrines and head cheese. The discovery of granulated gelatin in 1845 was an accident – the inventor had been experimenting with recipes for glue. The patent languished unused for 50 years until Pearl Wait bought it in 1895. A year earlier, Charles Knox developed a gelatin recipe to make his wife’s life easier. By the 1900s, Jell-O and Knox Gelatin were huge successes, changing American cuisine at a time when society was also changing significantly. Once the purview of children and the sick, gelatin desserts became increasingly associated with ladies’ tea rooms, luncheon parties, and more. Along with the development of commercial rennet by Christian Hansen Laboratories to create Junket, Jell-O and Knox dominated the market. All three companies were also founded in New York State, along the Erie Canal corridor. Food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson traces the origins of these companies, their influence on American food and society, and how gelatin desserts went from labor-intensive delicacies to school and hospital cafeteria standbys. This history talk includes a cooking demonstration of strawberry bavarian cream from the 1915 Knox Gelatine cookbook, Dainty Desserts for Dainty People.

Custom Topics - $500

Sarah can develop new talks on new topics upon request. Custom talks start at $500 and include the development of a 45-60 minute illustrated lecture and the public presentation.

If the hosting organization can provide cooking facilities, live cooking demonstrations are a possibility, depending on recipe and topic.

Talks Under Development

The following talks are under development and can be made available upon request:

"From Graham Mush to Cocoa Puffs: A History of Breakfast Cereals"
"The Devil's Drink: Sugar, Rum, Molasses, and Slavery in America"
"American Vegetarianism: From the 19th Century to Today"