A Feast for Fans of Culinary Literature

Foodies and fans of culinary literature will want to attend a special talk featuring Joan Reardon and Jennifer Bartolotta. Reardon is an author, culinary historian and biographer with ties to Julia Child. Bartolotta is the director of strategic partnerships for Bartolotta Restaurants, head of Care-A-lotta and founder/CEO of Train-2-Grain. The talk will take place from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. on April 29, and is part of Alverno's Teach & Learn Weekend April 28 - 30.

The conversation will cover several topics, including Reardon's culinary expertise, why she chose the chefs she wrote about, what Julia Child was like in person, what constitutes a great chef in Reardon's mind, how she knew cooking and food were her passions, and how she decides what warrants a book. Questions from the audience are welcome.

After the talk, attendees are invited to take part in a tasting featuring four dishes inspired by M.F.K. Fischer, Alice Waters and Julia Child. The talk is complimentary, but registration is required. There is a $20 fee for the tasting. For more information about Alverno's Teach & Learn Weekend, or to register for any of the events, please visit https://www.alverno.edu/alumweekend/.

Reardon wrote the best-selling As Always, Julia; M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, and Alice Waters; M.F.K. Fisher Among the Pots and Pans; Poet of the Appetites: The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher; and Oysters: a Culinary Celebration. Reardon has a PhD in English literature, and she won an International Association of Culinary Professionals Award for culinary writing. She also publishes and edits a quarterly newsletter for Le Dames d'Escoffier Chicago, and serves on the advisory board of Gastronomica magazine. She is currently writing a book on Madame Kuony, Alma Lach and Abby Mandel, three women who made distinctive contributions to the cuisine of the Midwest.