Events
Links Books Restaurants Events Tours Movies TV Shows Ads	Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2005 Washington, DC The Smithsonian's annual Folklife Festival on the national mall always includes the food ways of different cultures. This year's 39th annual event celebrates the food culture of the USA as one of its three main subjects. The others include the nation of Oman and the US Forest Service. "Food Culture USA" explores how food has helped to bring Americans of diverse backgrounds together. Co-curator Stephen Kidd of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage says," The growing interest in food has introduced a number of movements in the US, which include a boom in organic products and produce; the ascendancy of the soybean; the benefits of free-range meat and sustainable farming; and the interest in experiencing food at alternative markets rather than shopping at conventional grocery stores." A prominent feature of this year's festival is a 150 foot by 120 foot adaptation of The Edible Schoolyard garden at Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley, CA. The garden involves students in all aspects of production and preparation of fresh food, as part of the academic curriculum. The garden, founded in 1997 by chef Alice Waters, receives over a thousand visitors a year. The garden set up on the mall for the festival is expected to be experienced by over a million visitors in two weeks. The idea is to promote similar gardens throughout the nation's schools, thus realizing, a century later, the vision of horticulturalist Liberty Hyde Bailey. A group of students from Brainfood, DC, visit the Edible Schoolyard on the mall. Brainfood's mission is to use food as a tool to build life skills with youth in a fun and creative setting. Through culinary-related activities, they strive to expand cognitive skills, encourage creativity, foster self-reliance and empower youth as resources in their own community. The garden features a gazebo where presentations and discussions were held about the garden, school lunch reform and the benefits of integrating food into school curricula. "Food Culture USA" is based on the research of culinary historian and cookbook author Joan Nathan who chronicles the food revolution the US has undergone over the last 40 years. Rhode Island farmer Harry Record (above) was invited to demonstrate his white flint corn, a challenging heritage crop which is the traditional ingredient in New England pancakes known as Jonny Cakes. Culinary professionals explain the tricks of their trade including (above) the art of decorative food garnishes. Some of the nation's top chefs and cookbook authors participated in the festival. See the list of participants at the conclusion of this report. In addition to interactive exhibits and presentations on spices (above) other tents focus on responsible and sustainable production of honey, chocolate, wine, coffee, tea, soy, and dairy. People demonstrate wildcrafting, the gathering and cooking of wild foods. Ann Wilder (above) is on hand to tell her fascinating story. As a frustrated hobby cook who couldn't find the right seasonings, she decided to start Vann's Spices, now one of the nation's premier purveyors of spices and herbs. Oman, the Kansas-sized nation located on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, is the first Arab nation to be featured at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. "Oman: Desert, Oasis and Sea" features more than 100 musicians, dancers, craftspeople and cooks representing the diverse cultural traditions from this crossroads sea-faring nation, long in contact with India, East Africa and the Middle East. Omani cook Samira Bakhit Abdulla Al Badri shows off a platter of kingfish prepared with Omani spices and coconut milk. The government of Oman and the Smithsonian has teamed up to display traditional fishing boats and gear, boat building, camel care, a desert campground, coffee roasting, building techniques using mud plaster, calligraphy, metalworking, textiles and the art of incense and aromas. Hungry visitors could eat Omani specialties prepared at the Oman Cafe, set up in big tents on the mall. Mishkak, bite-sized pieces of meat skewered on date palm sticks and served with rice, are traditional fare for the first day of Eid. The meat is basted with honey or date syrup and marinated in the juice of limes or lemons. The skewers are cooked over hot coals and seasoned with a mixture of Omani spices know as "bizaar." These festival visitors are also trying Omani salad and date juice flavored with rose water. The third part of the Folklife Festival features the US Forest Service celebrating that agency's 100th year. In addition to exhibits and presentations on firefighting, tree products and ecology, stream management and bird banding, an entire pavilion is devoted to campground cooking. In addition, volunteers demonstrated fire starting techniques used throughout human history. Photos and reporting by Tom Hughes Links to organizations and people mentioned in this report: Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage School Lunch Initiative Brainfood Vann's Spices Joan Nathan Food Culture USA participants Oman US Forest Service Fire starting technologies Back to the Top Return to Home Page