This community exhibit and event series will explore how food is intertwined with the rhythms of our daily lives: preparing, eating, sharing, gathering, remembering; from folklore to religious ceremonies to cultural customs.
Community Exhibit
At Piscataway Public Library, we love to exhibit stories from our friends and neighbors, as you’ve seen in our previous exhibits: Piscataway Stories, When It Happened, Journey to Piscataway, and for the annual Community Arts Day.
Here are some prompts to get you started:
- Tell us about a recipe that is special to your family.
- What snacks do you eat at home? Where do you buy them?
- Do you have a food memory from when you were growing up?
- What is a food memory you have from your grandparent’s kitchen?
- Is there an item in your kitchen that has been passed down through your family?
- Is there a special piece of equipment you own and use to make a recipe from your culture?
Have a story you want to share? Fill out the form here and our staff will be in touch.
Events
Historical Fiction Discussion: Chocolat | Monday, July 7 at 2pm Online
Join neighbors and library staff to discuss Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Pickling | Monday, July 7 at 7pm at Kennedy Library
Love pickles? Want to make your own? Join Library staff to learn the basics!
Preserving Fruit | Monday, July 14 at 7pm at Kennedy Library
Learn how to make the local fruit season last all year.
Delightful Dumplings | Thursday, July 17 at 4pm at Westergard Library
Chinese dumplings are a delicious comfort food. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and fillings, and are enjoyed on different occasions. Participants in grades 1-5 are invited to join us for stories about Chinese dumplings. Learn about the significance and types of dumplings in Chinese culture, then make a dumpling craft and enjoy a taste of real dumplings.
Condiments, Dehydrating & More | Monday, July 21 at 7pm at Kennedy Library
Learn how to make your own condiments and how to dehydrate fruit for snacks or fancy drinks.
International Inspiration | Thursday, July 31 at 6:30pm at Kennedy Library
Join us as Chef Sank of Eat Krave Love demonstrates fusion cooking. Samples will be provided.
Indian Cooking – Paranthas | Tuesday, August 5 at 6:30pm at Kennedy Library
Learn to cook fresh Indian paranthas that are easy-to-make, nutritious and delicious to eat! Paranthas can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner or simply with a cup of chai as a snack. Learn about different flours, spices, and how to make tasty fillers so you can create your very own favorite paranthas!
Korean Cooking | Saturday, August 23 at 1pm at Kennedy Library
Taste of Korea: Korean Cuisine, Full of Wisdom and Nature
Learn about the health benefits of Korean food, 2 dishes will be demonstrated. After the demonstration, a home-cooked full Korean meal with a traditional table setting in Bangjja bronzeware will be served, and a short film on Korean culture will be screened.
Indian Cooking – Paneer Peppers | Thursday, November 6 at 6:30pm at Kennedy Library
Turn your deliciously beautiful red, orange, yellow in to showstoppers on your dinner table! Experience a burst of flavors as you bite in to the warm juicy sweet peppers filled with spiced paneer. In this workshop you will make fresh paneer and learn about Indian spices and how they are used in various dishes to give the right flavors!
More events will be added to our calendar soon! View and register for all upcoming events here.
Past Events
On Immigration & Sandwiches | Sunday, March 23 at 1:30pm at Kennedy Library
Join us to kick off our Food for Thought project! For this event, we’ll read author Pooja Makhijani’s essay “On Immigration and Sandwiches: The Story of One Beloved Restaurant, One Central New Jersey Suburb, and One Child of Immigrants” then come together with the author for a discussion over sandwiches from Tastee Sub Shop.
Book Discussion | Tuesday, April 8 at 7pm at Kennedy Library
Join Library staff to discuss Sarah Lohman’s works, Eight Flavors and Endangered Eating.
Read one book, or both books – finishing either book is not required to join the conversation!
Sarah Lohman will be visiting Piscataway Public Library at the end of April, offering a workshop on recipe writing and a book talk and signing focused on her more recent book, Endangered Eating.
Recipe Writing | Saturday, April 26 at 1pm at Kennedy Library
Join author Sarah Lohman for a recipe writing workshop: capture your family recipes before they’re lost, or record you own new recipes.
Endangered Eating – Heirloom Cider Apples | Sunday, April 27 at 2pm at Kennedy Library
Apples have been called the country’s “most endangered food.” Hear from author Sarah Lohman about the history of apples and hard cider in America, and trace the stories of three revived rare apples.
Food Writing | Wednesday, April 30 at 7pm at Kennedy Library
Explore food writing in a workshop with author Pooja Makhijani. Because of food’s omnipresent role in our lives, using food in writing can help narrow in on, or expound upon, the weightiest of topics: history, geography and time. In this hands-on workshop, Pooja Makhijani focuses on the craft and art of narrative food writing, guiding participants to explore how sensory details of food can help us unlock fertile memories.
Decorating with Duck Donuts | Tuesday, May 6 at Kennedy Library and Wednesday, May 7 at Westergard Library
Join business owners from Duck Donuts to learn about entrepreneurship and owning a business in the food services industry. Then, we will decorate our own donuts!
This event is for individuals 12-18 and in grades 6-12 only.
Filipino Cooking | Tuesday, May 13 at 6pm at Kennedy Library
Join us for a special cooking demonstration and cultural talk with Chef Maricel Gentile in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Chef Maricel will showcase the art of making pancit, a beloved Filipino noodle dish that holds deep cultural significance. She will share insights into what makes Filipino cuisine unique, why pancit is central to Filipino food culture, and the traditions that bring people together around the table.
Food Writing | Wednesday, May 21 at 7pm at Kennedy Library
Explore food writing in a workshop with author Pooja Makhijani. Because of food’s omnipresent role in our lives, using food in writing can help narrow in on, or expound upon, the weightiest of topics: history, geography and time. In this hands-on workshop, Pooja Makhijani focuses on the craft and art of narrative food writing, guiding participants to explore how sensory details of food can help us unlock fertile memories.
18th Century Bill of Fare | Monday, June 16 at 6:30pm at Kennedy Library
Learn about what Piscataway residents ate in the 1700s!
Juneteenth Poetry Jubilee | Saturday, June 21 at 1:30pm at Kennedy Library
Poet and writer Rachelle Parker returns for our 5th Annual Juneteenth Poetry Jubilee to celebrate freedom and explore the poetics of food culture with our community!
The Food for Thought project was made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this project do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.