I have an exciting couple of weeks ahead! I’ll be leaving this week for Kansas (hopefully no tornadoes or wicked witches) where I am meeting up with my daughter Kristina for the National Festival of Breads, a cooking contest sponsored by the Kansas Wheat Commission, King Arthur Flour, and Fleishmann’s Yeast. Kristina, owner of Cooking Contest Central, was asked to be a judge at this year’s contest. While Kristina is busy judging, I am going to another part of town on my own adventure at the Kansas State Library. This library happens to be the site of the extensive collection of cookbook author Clementine Paddleford, who is considered America’s first traveling food writer. I have already written a couple of blogs about her, but have always dreamed of visiting her archives at the library.
Yes, Clementine is just as eccentric as she looks and has quite a few stories to tell about regional cooking in America. I can’t wait to write more about her after my visit to the library. I think you will find her very intriguing!
After Kansas, I will be flying to Los Angeles to stay with Kristina for a while. We will be doing lots of cooking, taking photos, exploring parts of LA, and covering another cooking contest, this time for Dole Pineapple where the head judge is Chef Ben Ford, son of actor Harrison Ford. Another fun report coming!
I’ll be reporting all these adventures soon, so come back later to read all about them. Just give me a little time to digest all that bread, pineapple, and LA food.
Wonderful! I know you and Kristina will have an exciting time and we will look forward to hearing about all your adventures.
Thanks, Kim. We will have a lot of catching up to do, with all your girls’ adventures, too!
Hope tornado season will be over-I used to live in Tornado Alley! So much fun learning about all of these different aspects of the love of cooking! Have an awesome time!
Thanks, Emma! I bet you don’t miss tornados in Australia!
OK-well now I am just sad I did not enter and win these contests. Have a ball!
Lisa- We’ll meet up somewhere again!
Welcome to Kansas Debbie. One never knows when a Tornado or bad weather will happen, and as for wicked witches, well, that too can be arranged, especially at the Oz Museum in Wamego, KS, about 20-30 miles east of Manhattan.
As you know Miss P is a very interesting character.
Cindy, you are such a delight! I could listen to you talk all day about Clementine. Oh, wait – we did! Are you ready for some more tomorrow?
I will be ready when you arrive…see you in the morning!
We’re looking forward to your visit! Thanks for helping get the word out about our outstanding cooking collection, the largest collection of its kind at an American public university.
(I’m the curator of the cooking collection.)
Hi Roger- I am looking at this after we met today. I had the best time in your library and can’t wait to get back tomorrow. There is so much to see and I’m afraid my two days will not be enough. Looking forward to more conversation with you. And we forgot to talk about the Food Network..