The day began with a foraging tour led by Naturalist “Wildman” Steve
Once the food was eaten and only discarded rib bones and salmon
Brill, a local foraging expert. He took a group of 15 students into the
skin remained, participants watch local artisan Anita Fina Kiewra
woods adjacent to campus on a quest to gather seeds, nuts, berries, and
demonstrate honey extraction. She passed around an array of honeys
various greens. From her forage walk across the campus grounds, Pro-
gathered from specific locations at various times of year to demon-
fessor of Culinary Arts Katherine Polenz ’73 brought back handfuls
strate the differences between them.
of fresh, fragrant, and sweet red and golden raspberries to share.
And finally, students sat under the shade of a tree for a lecture entitled
While those participants foraged, others helped Assistant Professor of
“Symposia Then and Now, or, Why Did We Quit Drinking?”—focused
Culinary Arts Darryl Mosher as he started and stoked a wood fire in
on the nature of academic symposia as drinking parties! Marist Col-
a stone-lined pit at the base of the hill next to the Student Recreation
lege philosophy professor Dr. Gregory B. Sadler, who specializes in an-
Center. The pit was only a few feet deep, but it took a group of students
cient and medieval philosophy, gave the lecture. To enhance the event,
two hours to prepare the area the previous afternoon—seems everyone
a maple-apple hard cider created on campus by Associate Professor
wanted a turn using the pickaxe or shovel to see what the experience
of Hospitality and Service Management Doug Miller ’89 was shared
was like.
by all of drinking age. As the day came to a close, all agreed that the
Other students and staff, including Dean of Culinary Arts Brendan
food was excellent, the opportunities to learn were abundant, and the
Walsh ’80, gathered around a table and donned safety goggles and
company was—as always at the CIA—convivial, diverse, and engaging.
leather work gloves (not historically accurate, but necessary) for a flint-
Dr. Costura organized this event as “a way for participants to con-
knapping (shaping) class. Research archeologist and stone-tools expert
nect to the foodways of people in other cultures, and gain respect
Emmett O’Keeffe, an accomplished stone-worker and an Ad Astra
and understanding for the skill and effort it takes to prepare food
Research Scholar with the University College, Dublin, demonstrated
in non-technological societies.” Her work was funded by the CIA’s
the skill. He brought several primitive knives to use as models—includ-
Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) and The Julia
ing razor-sharp blades of flint and obsidian attached to deer and elk
Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. She created this
antler handles with pine-pitch and sinew.
experiential event as a pilot-test for a new BPS elective entitled Ancient
After the hands-on toolmaking, the students took their blades and
Foods in a Modern World: Latin American Crops in a Global Arena,
gathered around a makeshift station to butcher salmon, lamb, and
scheduled to begin on the Hyde Park campus in January 2014.
pork, and prepare various root vegetables for roasting. They were
Andi Sciacca is director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning
surprised by how quickly they could adjust their cutting styles to work
(CETL). Interested in working with the CIA’s faculty on upcoming programs?
efficiently with the meat and by the sharpness of the primitive tools.
Contact us at CETL@culinary.edu.
The feast was cooked over the open fire. To relax while waiting, some tried their hand at using an atl-atl to throw a spear while others created paint by mixing vegetable pigments and saliva so they could paint stories of the day on strips of burlap. When it was time to eat, everyone gathered around the fire with flat stone plates and stone-tools to assist with serving. The lamb was the unanimous favorite, with the pork ribs and suckling pig a very close second. Dr. Costura brought ground mustard seed and varieties of salt that were probably used in early preparation and preservation of meats. Most agreed that the salmon and mustard were particularly piquant when combined.
open-fire cooking
naturalist “wildman” steve brill leads foraging tour
painting on burlap
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