Key Ingredients

Following an appearance in 150 rural communities across the country in 2008, the Smithsonian exhibition Key Ingredients: America by Food is now traveling to Hawaii, where it will also feature a display on sustainable food by local organizations.

The exhibition explores the connections between Americans and the foods they produce, prepare and eat today by looking at the historical, regional and social traditions that lie behind everyday meals and celebrations.

Artifacts, photographs, and illustrations are used in the exhibition to examine the evolution of the American kitchen and the influence of restaurants, diners, and celebrations, with particular focus on their role in building a sense of community.

Key Ingredients illustrates how the nation’s recipes, menus, ceremonies and etiquette have been shaped by America’s rich immigrant experience, the history and developments of food preparation technology and the continually changing availability of raw ingredients.

An interactive web site—www.keyingredients.org—has been developed in conjunction with the exhibition, providing a place for people to share their family recipes and food stories, learn about other food traditions and identify favorite small town eateries.

Each of the 150 towns hosting the exhibition has held events, programs and local displays alongside the main show, linking their own knowledge and local food specialties to the national story.

Key Ingredients will be on display in Hawaii from February 14–April 12.

More Information: www.keyingredients.org

Bess Mucke
[email protected]