The Thousand Dollar Dinner
Podcast from The Feast August 26, 2016 Dog days of summer getting you down? Why not treat yourself to a story about one of the first families of ice cream in 19th century Philadelphia? Learn how a modest ice cream shop went head to head with New York’s famous Delmonico’s to become one of the finest restaurants in America. A special feature from The Feast this week, in collaboration with Becky Diamond, author of “The Thousand Dollar Dinner”, we’ll cool you down with some scandalous vanilla ice cream and take you behind the scenes of one of America’s first great cookery challenges. Written & Produced by Laura Carlson Technical Director: Mike Portt Link to free download 
Susan S. Yeske: Dining In -
Recipe of the Week A peach pie with pits and all Whole peaches were used in this Victorian-era pie which is mentioned in Diamond’s book, “The Thousand Dollar Dinner.” Victorian food expert Becky Libourel Diamond carefully cut small slices of peach pie, taking care to remove the pits and set them aside. Pits in a pie are usually a sign that the cooked mixed them in accidentally, but in this case that is where they were supposed to be. (more...) 
On with the Road Show!
Pierre Blot, cooking road shows, and the celebrity chef BY BECKY DIAMOND The impeccably dressed chef strode onto the stage, donned in a crisp white hat, white jacket, and apron. Applauding wildly, hundreds of women in the packed venue collectively rose from their seats. Although many waited for hours, they were entertained watching the chef’s energetic assistant skillfully prep the food with her huge carving knife. Smiling broadly at the cheering audience, the chef’s eyes twinkled. He clasped his hands together and took a bow, thanking the ladies in his charming French accent. (more...) 
Back on the Road…Show! Celebrity chefs on the rise BY BECKY DIAMOND Pierre Blot’s idea of taking culinary lectures and demonstrations on the road was a hit, and Juliet Corson picked up where Blot left off. Often referred to as Blot’s successor, Corson may have trained with the culinary master, as evidenced by an article in The Churchman, which called her “a pupil of Blot.” Although she began her career as a librarian and writer, Corson segued into cooking instruction in 1873 through her involvement with The Free Training School sponsored by the Women’s Educational and Industrial Society of New York, created to assist women forced to seek employment following the financial panic of 1873. Corson taught the program’s cooking class while a chef (who was probably Pierre Blot, according to America’s Collectible Cookbooks by Mary Anna DuSablon) did the actual preparations. Then in 1876, Corson founded the New York Cooking School on West 10th Street. (more...) 
Members Only
Finding friends in food clubs BY BECKY DIAMOND The picturesque banks of the Schuylkill River teemed with the sights and sounds of a delicious feast. A group of men, all members of the select “Colony in Schuylkill” club were busy performing their assigned tasks. In a huge cast iron pan, over a lively wood fire, several freshly caught perch were frying in fragrant butter. Plump beefsteaks sizzled on a nearby gridiron. Sweet-spicy pork was slowly roasting over an open fire. On a table nearby, ingredients were being assembled for a potent concoction they called Fish House punch: Aged mellow rum, cognac, pure spring water, fresh lemons, sugar and peach brandy. (more...) |
PA Books: “The Thousand Dollar Dinner”
TV Program on PCN Network - First aired Sunday, Feb. 28, 2015 In 1851, fifteen wealthy New Yorkers wanted to show a group of Philadelphia friends just how impressive a meal could be and took them to Delmonico’s, New York’s finest restaurant. They asked Lorenzo Delmonico to “astonish our Quaker City friends with the sumptuousness of our feast,” and assured him that money was no object, as the honor of New York was at stake. They were treated to a magnificent banquet, enjoyed by all. However, not to be outdone, the Philadelphia men invited the New Yorkers to a meal prepared by James W. Parkinson in their city. In what became known as the “Thousand Dollar Dinner,” Parkinson successfully rose to the challenge, creating a seventeen-course extravaganza featuring fresh salmon, baked rockfish, braised pigeon, turtle steaks, spring lamb, out-of-season fruits and vegetables, and desserts, all paired with rare wines and liquors. Midway through the twelve-hour meal, the New Yorkers declared Philadelphia the winner of their competition, and at several times stood in ovation to acknowledge the chef ’s mastery. Becky Diamond is a journalist and research historian who specializes in reconstructing eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American recipes. She is the author of “Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School.” Description courtesy of Westholme Publishing. PA Books airs Sunday nights at 7PM. Link to free download on iTunes 
A sumptuous story
By Michelle Wood '17 Studying journalism while at Rider, Becky Diamond ’90 had a true love for writing. She also had a serious interest in the culinary arts and found a way to combine her two passions into a successful career. She has just released her second book. The Thousand Dollar Dinner tells the story of a 19th-century culinary challenge between Philadelphia restaurateur James Parkinson and the Delmonico family of New York. Diamond takes readers through the luxurious 17-course feast that helped launch fine restaurant dining in America as we know it today. Her book introduces the culinary norms of the 1850s and describes how America’s eating habits have changed and developed over time. (more...) |
Case Closed BOOKS Yardley author Becky Libourel Diamond dissects the over-the-top meal that put Philly on top. (Once and for all.) Convoluted as the 19th century was with pretentious formality and bottomless ignorance, things were a lot simpler then, too. In 1851, a group of New Yorkers and Philadelphians with too much money and time on their hands pitted the New York restaurant Delmonico’s against Philadelphia chef James Parkinson in a “culinary duel.” Twelve hours and 17 courses later, Parkinson emerged on top, proving, once and for all, that Philly was the dining capital of the country. Why are we even still talking about this? Because Becky Libourel Diamond wrote a book about it, the just-published The Thousand Dollar Dinner: America’s First Great Cookery Challenge (Westholme Publishing). She’s also planning to recreate some of the epic meal for the Historic Foodways Society in March. “I’ll discuss the significance and preparation methods of the various foods served,” the Yardley author says, “and Vicki Miller of Vinocity will explain the history and stories behind the wines.” Diamond’s also drawn interest from some undisclosed Philly chefs about restaging Parkinson’s menu, but no one’s committed yet. It’d be purely for show, of course. I mean, our championship was won 165 years ago. --Bill Gelman (more...) |
The 12-hour, 17-Course Showdown
Author Becky Diamond, trained at Rider and Rutgers, recounts 1851's epic "Thousand-Dollar Dinner" between New York and Philadelphia. By Suzanne Zimmer Lowery | December 27, 2015 NJ Monthly On January 7th at the Princeton Public Library, author Becky Libourel Diamond will discuss a culinary competition that predates the Food Network by more than a century. In fact, it is legendary, and much more than ego was at stake. This was a battle between cities: New York versus Philadelphia. Diamond will recount what was known as The Thousand Dollar Dinner, a 12-hour, 17-course grand bouffe to determine which city could create the most outlandish and unsurpassable feast. In early 1851, 15 wealthy New Yorkers invited a group of Philadelphians to a sumptuous, money-is-no-object dinner at Delmonico’s, then New York’s finest restaurant, to prove their city’s culinary superiority. Not to be outdone, the Pennsylvanians commissioned chef James W. Parkinson to outdo the Delmonico’s dinner at his noted Philadelphia establishment, Parkinson’s. (more...) |
Reprinted from the December 16, 2015, issue of U.S. 1 Newspaper
In Print, In Your Neighborhood: The Year in Books
by Dan Aubrey
The Thousand Dollar Dinner is Yardley, Pennsylvania, writer Becky Libourel Diamond’s savory account of “America’s First Great Cookery Challenge.” The book’s focus is an 1851 gastronomical contest between two groups of 15 “good-livers” — wealthy men in New York and in Philadelphia who “spent one day in every year and all their spare cash in trying to rival each other’s banquets.”
When the one-upmanship grew more serious, two titans of the table were recruited to dole it out: Lorenzo Delmonico, the New Yorker who presided over one of the finest restaurants in the nation, and Philadelphia restaurateur James Parkinson, who was told not to worry about cost.
Since the results are known — the New Yorkers stood and applauded chef Parkinson’s meal midway into their 12-hour dinner — the book’s main entree is a chapter-by-chapter description and historic overview of each of the 17 courses, making the book a fun history of food and culture.
It also reflects Diamond’s forte as a journalist and researcher who recreates 18th and 19th century American recipes and the book her earlier book, “Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School”
The Thousand Dollar Dinner, $26, Westholme Publishing. Diamond speaks at Princeton Public Library, Thursday, January 7, 7 p.m.
In Print, In Your Neighborhood: The Year in Books
by Dan Aubrey
The Thousand Dollar Dinner is Yardley, Pennsylvania, writer Becky Libourel Diamond’s savory account of “America’s First Great Cookery Challenge.” The book’s focus is an 1851 gastronomical contest between two groups of 15 “good-livers” — wealthy men in New York and in Philadelphia who “spent one day in every year and all their spare cash in trying to rival each other’s banquets.”
When the one-upmanship grew more serious, two titans of the table were recruited to dole it out: Lorenzo Delmonico, the New Yorker who presided over one of the finest restaurants in the nation, and Philadelphia restaurateur James Parkinson, who was told not to worry about cost.
Since the results are known — the New Yorkers stood and applauded chef Parkinson’s meal midway into their 12-hour dinner — the book’s main entree is a chapter-by-chapter description and historic overview of each of the 17 courses, making the book a fun history of food and culture.
It also reflects Diamond’s forte as a journalist and researcher who recreates 18th and 19th century American recipes and the book her earlier book, “Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School”
The Thousand Dollar Dinner, $26, Westholme Publishing. Diamond speaks at Princeton Public Library, Thursday, January 7, 7 p.m.
Princeton Public Library hosting author Jan. 7
PRINCETON — Author and research historian Becky Libourel Diamond will discuss her book, "The Thousand Dollar Dinner: America's First Great Cookery Challenge," Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. at Princeton Public Library.
The book tells the story of an 1851 culinary challenge between Philadelphia restaurateur James Parkinson and the Delmonico family of New York. (more....)
PRINCETON — Author and research historian Becky Libourel Diamond will discuss her book, "The Thousand Dollar Dinner: America's First Great Cookery Challenge," Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. at Princeton Public Library.
The book tells the story of an 1851 culinary challenge between Philadelphia restaurateur James Parkinson and the Delmonico family of New York. (more....)
Food+City 2015 Gift Guide
The holidays are fast approaching, and you might be scratching your head over what to get that foodie/techie/futurist/history nerd you love so much. From stories of shipping containers, to molecular gastronomy, to one killer dinner party in 19th century Philadelphia, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite food books that look at how we eat (and have eaten) in an unusual light.
The Thousand Dollar Dinner: America's First Great Cookery Challenge
Author: Becky Libourel Diamond.
In 1851, a friendly competition between a group of New Yorkers and Philadelphians culminated into a thousand dollar dinner for the win. Diamond details the 12 hour long, 17 course meal, in all its decadence using fascinating and detailed historical research.
The holidays are fast approaching, and you might be scratching your head over what to get that foodie/techie/futurist/history nerd you love so much. From stories of shipping containers, to molecular gastronomy, to one killer dinner party in 19th century Philadelphia, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite food books that look at how we eat (and have eaten) in an unusual light.
The Thousand Dollar Dinner: America's First Great Cookery Challenge
Author: Becky Libourel Diamond.
In 1851, a friendly competition between a group of New Yorkers and Philadelphians culminated into a thousand dollar dinner for the win. Diamond details the 12 hour long, 17 course meal, in all its decadence using fascinating and detailed historical research.
Radio Interview with Max Tucci of MAX & Friends, LA Talk Radio
Original show date: 12/13/15
Original show date: 12/13/15
Holiday Gift Guide: For the Bookworm
Entertainment Weekly
November 27 2015
The Thousand Dollar Dinner, by Becky Libourel Diamond
DECEMBER: A mouthwatering tale of one luxurious 1851 dinner.
Entertainment Weekly
November 27 2015
The Thousand Dollar Dinner, by Becky Libourel Diamond
DECEMBER: A mouthwatering tale of one luxurious 1851 dinner.
 Becky Libourel Diamond, a native of Southampton, with a display of her new non-fiction book " The Thousand Dollar Dinner" at Barnes & Noble in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania.
A FINE FOOD FEUD - A new book recalls Philadelphia and NY's culinary faceoff
Posted: Monday, November 30, 2015 5:30 am Burlington County Times By Kristen Coppock, staff writer Chef James Parkinson had something to prove. In a culinary duel, the Philadelphia restaurateur pulled out all the stops in an effort to prove that his city’s fine dining scene could compete with that of New York City. The wealthy food lovers who attended Parkinson’s 17-course meal, served over 12 hours, were impressed. The celebrity chef received several standing ovations that day, according to food writer Becky Libourel Diamond, and the luxurious meal was dubbed the Thousand Dollar Dinner by local newspapers, due to its reported cost. If the food fight had occurred during modern times, it likely would have been captured by cable television cameras and splashed over social media. That it happened in 1851 makes it a legend. (more...) 
Local Author Becky Libourel Diamond “The Thousand Dollar Dinner”
PHILLYBITE 06 NOVEMBER 2015 Yardley, Pa. (November 6, 2015) – Local author Becky Libourel Diamond will kick off her fall book tour on Nov. 14th at the Ebeneezer Maxwell Museum in Philadelphia, followed by a book signing Nov. 21st at B&N in Fairless Hills. Diamond will discuss and sign her new book, The Thousand Dollar Dinner, the tale of an unusual 19th century duel between the two cities considered at the time to be the culinary capitals of the United States – Philadelphia and New York. (more...) |
 James W. Parkinson, 19th century Philadelphia restaurateur, in The Confectioner's Journal, 1875.
4 Outrageously Expensive Dinners Of The Past
By Linton Weeks, NPR History Dept. OCTOBER 07, 2015 "The tradition of lavish, super-indulgent dinners in America, says Becky Libourel Diamond, author of the soon-to-be-published book The Thousand Dollar Dinner, comes from the fact that our country has always been known as the Land of Opportunity for Pursuers of Happiness. Pass the champagne and caviar. "Expensive dinners became a way for the upper class to show off their wealth and status in society," Diamond says. "An opulent dinner is more than just a meal; it is an experience. In the 19th century, presentation and entertainment were key factors in pulling off a successful fine-dining event." (more...) |
Diamond will sparkle at historic mansion in G’town
Posted on November 13, 2015 by Len Lear
Chestnut Hill Local
In 1851 two rival groups of foodies challenged each other to a culinary duel. The New York and Philadelphia “clubs of good livers” each hosted the other in their home city to judge which one could deliver the most outstanding feast. The first banquet was held at Delmonico’s famous New York City restaurant, but the bizarre, decadent 12-hour, 17-course gorgefest held in Philadelphia and prepared by Chef James Parkinson was dubbed by Philly newspapers as the “Thousand Dollar Dinner” because it allegedly cost the Philadelphians $1,000 (approximately $32,000 in today’s dollars) to prepare.
Chef James Parkinson chose items sure to dazzle and delight his guests, including fresh oysters, a variety of turtle preparations, decorative cold dishes set in gelatin and intricate sculptures made out of patisserie called “pièces montées.” Parkinson had a creative, innovative way with food, such as the invention of pistachio ice cream, Champagne frappe à la glacé (a semi-frozen froth made with the sparkling wine) and a luxurious sorbet created specifically for the “Thousand Dollar Dinner” using an extremely rare and expensive Hungarian Tokaji wine. (more...)
Author Becky Libourel Diamond will kick off her fall book tour on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2 p.m., at the Ebenezer Maxwell Museum, 200 W. Tulpehocken St. in Germantown. She will discuss and sign her new book, “The Thousand Dollar Dinner,” the tale of an unusual culinary duel. (Photo by Heather Raub)
Posted on November 13, 2015 by Len Lear
Chestnut Hill Local
In 1851 two rival groups of foodies challenged each other to a culinary duel. The New York and Philadelphia “clubs of good livers” each hosted the other in their home city to judge which one could deliver the most outstanding feast. The first banquet was held at Delmonico’s famous New York City restaurant, but the bizarre, decadent 12-hour, 17-course gorgefest held in Philadelphia and prepared by Chef James Parkinson was dubbed by Philly newspapers as the “Thousand Dollar Dinner” because it allegedly cost the Philadelphians $1,000 (approximately $32,000 in today’s dollars) to prepare.
Chef James Parkinson chose items sure to dazzle and delight his guests, including fresh oysters, a variety of turtle preparations, decorative cold dishes set in gelatin and intricate sculptures made out of patisserie called “pièces montées.” Parkinson had a creative, innovative way with food, such as the invention of pistachio ice cream, Champagne frappe à la glacé (a semi-frozen froth made with the sparkling wine) and a luxurious sorbet created specifically for the “Thousand Dollar Dinner” using an extremely rare and expensive Hungarian Tokaji wine. (more...)
Author Becky Libourel Diamond will kick off her fall book tour on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2 p.m., at the Ebenezer Maxwell Museum, 200 W. Tulpehocken St. in Germantown. She will discuss and sign her new book, “The Thousand Dollar Dinner,” the tale of an unusual culinary duel. (Photo by Heather Raub)
First Cooking School
Bucks County Magazine, December 5, 2012
Local Yardley author, Becky Libourel Diamond, examines the life and impact of Elizabeth Goodfellow, a 19th-century pastry chef and caterer who not only started America’s first cooking school in Philadelphia, but also invented the lemon meringue pie and created the format for today’s written recipes. In her latest book, Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School, Ms. Diamond weaves the aromas and colorful array of fruits and vegetables of Philadelphia’s markets with Mrs. Goodfellow’s lessons on the art of cooking. Ms. Goodfellow also popularized regional foods, such as Indian (corn) meal, and presaged modern society’s interest in farmer’s markets by stressing the use of wholesome ingredients that are locally grown. Published by Westholme Publishing, also in Yardley, Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School is available from the publisher, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
Bucks County Magazine, December 5, 2012
Local Yardley author, Becky Libourel Diamond, examines the life and impact of Elizabeth Goodfellow, a 19th-century pastry chef and caterer who not only started America’s first cooking school in Philadelphia, but also invented the lemon meringue pie and created the format for today’s written recipes. In her latest book, Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School, Ms. Diamond weaves the aromas and colorful array of fruits and vegetables of Philadelphia’s markets with Mrs. Goodfellow’s lessons on the art of cooking. Ms. Goodfellow also popularized regional foods, such as Indian (corn) meal, and presaged modern society’s interest in farmer’s markets by stressing the use of wholesome ingredients that are locally grown. Published by Westholme Publishing, also in Yardley, Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School is available from the publisher, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
Annual Holiday Marketplace to Offer Unique Gifts Ideas from Pennsylvania's Historical Sites
Fri Nov 9, 2012 11:44am EST
HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) will hold its seventh annual Holiday Marketplace on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 15-16, in the atrium of the Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North St., Harrisburg.
Open to local residents and employees working in or near the Capitol Complex, the Holiday Marketplace showcases Pennsylvania-themed holiday gifts from a number of PHMC's historic sites and museums across the state.
Products include hand-crafted items such as beeswax candles, holiday decorations, reproductions of vintage toys and games, books, pottery, and maple sugar candy.
This year, Ephrata Cloister, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, Pennsbury Manor, Somerset Historical Center and The State Museum Store will be participating.
The Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will offer items that reflect and support Pennsylvania's heritage and natural beauty. The Keystone Cafeteria will offer seasonal fare.
Two special presentations during the Marketplace will highlight Pennsylvania's agricultural and culinary heritage.
Author Becky Diamond will speak about her book 'Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School' on Nov. 15 at 12:15 p.m.
Mark Ware of Somerset Historical Center will present a maple sugaring demonstration on Nov. 16 at 12:15 p.m.
Holiday Marketplace hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information on Holiday Marketplace, visit: www.paheritage.org.
Media Contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639
SOURCE Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Fri Nov 9, 2012 11:44am EST
HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) will hold its seventh annual Holiday Marketplace on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 15-16, in the atrium of the Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North St., Harrisburg.
Open to local residents and employees working in or near the Capitol Complex, the Holiday Marketplace showcases Pennsylvania-themed holiday gifts from a number of PHMC's historic sites and museums across the state.
Products include hand-crafted items such as beeswax candles, holiday decorations, reproductions of vintage toys and games, books, pottery, and maple sugar candy.
This year, Ephrata Cloister, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, Pennsbury Manor, Somerset Historical Center and The State Museum Store will be participating.
The Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will offer items that reflect and support Pennsylvania's heritage and natural beauty. The Keystone Cafeteria will offer seasonal fare.
Two special presentations during the Marketplace will highlight Pennsylvania's agricultural and culinary heritage.
Author Becky Diamond will speak about her book 'Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School' on Nov. 15 at 12:15 p.m.
Mark Ware of Somerset Historical Center will present a maple sugaring demonstration on Nov. 16 at 12:15 p.m.
Holiday Marketplace hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information on Holiday Marketplace, visit: www.paheritage.org.
Media Contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639
SOURCE Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Yardley's Diamond launches book and cooking tour this weekend
Posted: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 11:42 am | Updated: 3:17 pm, Tue Oct 2, 2012.
By Jen Wielgus | 0 comments
Yardley resident Becky Libourel Diamond will treat guests to a taste of the past during her fall book tour.
Original 19th century recipes from America's first cooking school will be prepared over an open fire at Newtown's Market Day, and Diamond will conduct a cooking class at Whole Foods Market in Princeton N.J. She'll also be signing copies of her new book, "Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School," at the Newtown Bookshop and Doylestown Bookshop, as well as Barnes & Noble stores in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill N.J.
Long before Julia Child and Martha Stewart became household names, another little-known culinary talent, Elizabeth Goodfellow, was significantly impacting American cookery with a series of gastronomic firsts.
(more...)
Posted: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 11:42 am | Updated: 3:17 pm, Tue Oct 2, 2012.
By Jen Wielgus | 0 comments
Yardley resident Becky Libourel Diamond will treat guests to a taste of the past during her fall book tour.
Original 19th century recipes from America's first cooking school will be prepared over an open fire at Newtown's Market Day, and Diamond will conduct a cooking class at Whole Foods Market in Princeton N.J. She'll also be signing copies of her new book, "Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School," at the Newtown Bookshop and Doylestown Bookshop, as well as Barnes & Noble stores in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill N.J.
Long before Julia Child and Martha Stewart became household names, another little-known culinary talent, Elizabeth Goodfellow, was significantly impacting American cookery with a series of gastronomic firsts.
(more...)
Another first for Philadelphia
By Lynne Goldman On September 10, 2012
Growing up in Philadelphia with a high school history teacher as a father and observing the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, it was easy to get a little tired of “history.” It’s all around us. Which makes it all the more fun when someone comes across a new pocket of history that was waiting to be discovered.
Becky Libourel Diamond was leafing through a cooking magazine one day and saw a reference to a Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow – the proprietress of the nation’s first cooking school in Philadelphia in the first half of the nineteenth century. “I love cooking and I love history,” says Diamond. For the former journalist and library studies major it was a perfect fit.
Mrs. Goodfellow began her school on Dock Street in the bustling center of colonial Philadelphia. “Many people don’t realize that Philadelphia was the food capital of the United States,” Diamond explains. Vegetables, meats, fish, baked goods and all manner of food stuffs flowed into a twice weekly grand market in the city from area farms, as well as luxury and exotic items from the Caribbean and Europe. (Yes, the first farmers’ markets!)
People came from all over the country to shop and stroll the markets.
(more....)
By Lynne Goldman On September 10, 2012
Growing up in Philadelphia with a high school history teacher as a father and observing the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, it was easy to get a little tired of “history.” It’s all around us. Which makes it all the more fun when someone comes across a new pocket of history that was waiting to be discovered.
Becky Libourel Diamond was leafing through a cooking magazine one day and saw a reference to a Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow – the proprietress of the nation’s first cooking school in Philadelphia in the first half of the nineteenth century. “I love cooking and I love history,” says Diamond. For the former journalist and library studies major it was a perfect fit.
Mrs. Goodfellow began her school on Dock Street in the bustling center of colonial Philadelphia. “Many people don’t realize that Philadelphia was the food capital of the United States,” Diamond explains. Vegetables, meats, fish, baked goods and all manner of food stuffs flowed into a twice weekly grand market in the city from area farms, as well as luxury and exotic items from the Caribbean and Europe. (Yes, the first farmers’ markets!)
People came from all over the country to shop and stroll the markets.
(more....)
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Philadelphia City Paper - Meal Ticket Blog
Library Co. to Host Lecture on America's First Cooking School
Philly is a city teeming with historical significance and national firsts, and a new book explores one most of us probably didn’t know about: apparently,
Philadelphia was home to the country’s first cooking school. On Thursday, Sept. 13th at 6 p.m., author Becky Libourel Diamond will give a lecture based on her book, “Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School.” The event, which is co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, will take place at the Library Company of Philadelphia. (1314 Locust St.)
In addition to running a successful cooking school on Dock St. in the early 19th century, Elizabeth Goodfellow was apparently also the baker we have to thank for inventing lemon meringue pie. While she never published anything of her own, the book draws on the notes and reflections of Goodfellow's students. The author will discuss the influence Mrs. Goodfellow’s school had on culinary programs that followed it and on American cuisine as a whole. During the event, attendees compelled to learn more will receive a 20% discount on the book. (The lecture itself is free, but you can register in advance here.)
Posted by Carly Szkaradnik @ 12:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment
Philadelphia City Paper - Meal Ticket Blog
Library Co. to Host Lecture on America's First Cooking School
Philly is a city teeming with historical significance and national firsts, and a new book explores one most of us probably didn’t know about: apparently,
Philadelphia was home to the country’s first cooking school. On Thursday, Sept. 13th at 6 p.m., author Becky Libourel Diamond will give a lecture based on her book, “Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School.” The event, which is co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, will take place at the Library Company of Philadelphia. (1314 Locust St.)
In addition to running a successful cooking school on Dock St. in the early 19th century, Elizabeth Goodfellow was apparently also the baker we have to thank for inventing lemon meringue pie. While she never published anything of her own, the book draws on the notes and reflections of Goodfellow's students. The author will discuss the influence Mrs. Goodfellow’s school had on culinary programs that followed it and on American cuisine as a whole. During the event, attendees compelled to learn more will receive a 20% discount on the book. (The lecture itself is free, but you can register in advance here.)
Posted by Carly Szkaradnik @ 12:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Library Company of Philadelphia to Get a Taste of America’s First Cooking School
Local author to speak about the Philadelphia cook who pioneered culinary instruction and invented the lemon meringue pie
Yardley, Pa. (September 4, 2012) – The Library Company of Philadelphia will host local author Becky Libourel Diamond on September 13, at an event co-sponsored with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Ms. Diamond will discuss her new book, Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School. She’ll provide a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to be a student under this culinary innovator’s tutelage.
Philadelphia can claim many firsts, but few may realize the city’s impact on today’s culinary instruction. America’s first cooking school thrived in the early 1800s on Dock Street. Established and run by Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, its influence can be followed to today’s celebrity chefs and the nation’s top culinary institutes.
Mrs. Goodfellow not only taught Philadelphia’s young women how to cook – lessons that were handed down and documented through the generations – but she also pioneered the format of the written recipe and invented the lemon meringue pie, yet another “Philly first.”
Today’s local movement will appreciate Mrs. Goodfellow’s culinary aesthetics. She insisted on only pure, wholesome ingredients. This attention to quality and freshness has come full circle today with the explosion of artisan cooking, farmer’s markets, and “buying local.”
Ms. Diamond conducted much of the research for her book at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and Library Company of Philadelphia archives.
The lecture will be accompanied by a display of documents from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s collection, including several historic cookbooks.
The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6 p.m. at the Library Company of Philadelphia, located at 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Those interested in attending can register at http://goodfellow.eventbrite.com.
Historical Society of Pennsylvania members can purchase Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School at the event for a 20% discount. Published by Westholme Publishing, Yardley, Pa., the book is available from the publisher, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
More information about the Historical Society of Pennsylvania is available at www.hsp.org. Learn more about the Library Company of Philadelphia at
www.librarycompany.org.
About Becky Libourel Diamond
Becky Libourel Diamond writes professionally for a number of publications. She most recently contributed to the book Storied Dishes: What Our Family Recipes Tell Us About Who We Are and Where We’ve Been. Ms. Diamond lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and children.
Media Contact:
Diane S. Thieke
Simply Talk Media
diane@simplytalkmedia.com
609-577-4075