Episode 679: There's an Archivist for That?! Part IV: Food and Drink Archives
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In this episode of Lost in the Stacks, host Alex McGee and co-hosts Fred Rasco and Marlee Givens explore the fascinating world of food and drink archives, spotlighting Audrey Rusick, head of food and drink collections at UC Davis Library. The episode dives into how archives extend far beyond traditional documents, preserving the cultural, political, and social histories embedded in food and drink. Rusick shares her journey from studying department store window gazers to becoming a leading archivist in food studies, emphasizing how food archives reveal stories of community, identity, and resistance—such as the Alcatraz Women's Club Cookbook and the use of African-American performers to test racial segregation in restaurants. The UC Davis collections, renowned globally, include rare cuneiform tablets from 2033 BCE, extensive wine and coffee archives, and materials tied to pivotal moments like the Judgment of Paris and the rise of California cuisine. Researchers, chefs, scientists, and even legal experts use these collections for diverse projects, from climate change studies to menu storytelling. The episode closes with a celebratory musical tribute to Kermit Lynch, a wine expert and blues musician, underscoring the deep cultural resonance of food and drink.
Food and drink archives preserve cultural, political, and social histories beyond recipes—such as community-building in isolated places like Alcatraz.
Archivists like Audrey Rusick use interdisciplinary approaches to uncover how food reflects identity, race, gender, and power dynamics.
UC Davis Library holds one of the world’s most comprehensive food and wine collections, including cuneiform tablets over 4,000 years old.
Archival materials are used by chefs, scientists, legal experts, and activists—proving archives are living, evolving centers of research.
The story behind a simple sandwich, like a 'wish sandwich,' can reflect deeper cultural humor and human longing.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Opening: A Symphony of French Flavors
The episode opens with a poetic listing of French wines and cheeses, setting a sensory tone for the theme of food and drink archives. The hosts introduce the episode's focus: archivists in unexpected fields.
The Archivist’s Journey: From Shoplifting to Food Studies
“I thought this was really fascinating, this idea that there's someone who's looking, essentially performing as an everyday person for their profession.”
Food as Cultural Archive: The Alcatraz Women's Club Cookbook
“One of the ways then in which the women work to form community was by, you know, having a women's club and sharing recipes and doing that through a cookbook.”
The Intersection of Food, Race, and Power: Testing the Color Line
“I was looking at a number of historical examples of this, and I had read an article by Rene Romano about work that had been done in conversations at the State Department in the 1950s...”
UC Davis’ Global Food and Wine Collections: From Cuneiform to California
“The oldest item in our collection is a food and drink related item. We have a cuneiform clay tablet from 2033 BCE that is a receipt for barley.”
“Archives are not just about preservation—they are tools for justice, innovation, and storytelling across generations.”
“The oldest item in our collection is a food and drink related item. We have a cuneiform clay tablet from 2033 BCE that is a receipt for barley.”
“One of the ways then in which the women work to form community was by, you know, having a women's club and sharing recipes and doing that through a cookbook.”
Hosts
Guest
Audrey Rusick
person
UC Davis Library
organization
Kermit Lynch
person
Alcatraz Women's Club Cookbook
book
The Judgment of Paris
other
Martin Yan
person
Duncan Hines
person
Nut Tree Restaurant
other
Jerry Baldwin
person
Davis Farmers Market
other
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