Terrebonne library to present ‘Tidbits of Taste and Time’

South Louisiana knows food. Great food, too.

We revel in it, hold festivals to celebrate it, and are envied around the globe for our culinary skills.

But do we really know the history of our cuisine?

Gerald Patout, head librarian from the Historical New Orleans Collection, will present “Tidbits of Taste and Time: The Culinary Holdings of the Historic New Orleans Collection” Nov. 14, from 6-8:30 p.m., at the Terrebonne Parish Main Library.

The lecture will explore New Orleans’ and Louisiana’s legendary cuisine and cooking and the evolution of this art form, which is firmly rooted in our historic pathways.

The presentation focuses on noteworthy culinary information resources, as well as the THNOC’s collaborative effort to build an up-to-date New Orleans cookbook bibliography.

The History Channel awarded the THNOC an inaugural Save Our History grant to partner with elementary and high school students on a project detailing the history of Creole cooking.

The New Orleans-based organization was one of 29 history groups from across the country to receive the community preservation grant. The monies are intended to fund innovative, education projects designed to unit communities and engage youngsters in the preservation of local history.

The THNOC also received a preservation grant from the Culinary Trust in Louisville, Ky., for the complete restoration and preservation of the New Orleans’ group’s rare 1885 copy of the Creole Cookery Book, one of the region’s most noted Creole cooking manifestos.

In January 2007, a major culinary exhibit and symposium will be held at the THNOC. In anticipation of that offering, Patout is touring the state lecturing about the culinary holdings of the institution, as well as identifying and located related culinary artifacts and publications.

His quest includes finding the only copy of the supposedly 1840s New Orleans published cookbook, “La petit cuisinere habile” and the single copy of the equally rare 1866 Verstille’s Southern Cookery. Both are believed to be in South Louisiana.

Patout is also searching for various issues of the Times Picayune’s Creole Cook Book, which was first published in the 1900.

The Easter Sunday, April 15, 1900, issue of the newspaper reported, “…in undertaking to publish a Creole Cook Book, the Picayune first contemplated a pamphlet of 50 or 60 pages, believing that in this brief scope might be included all the dishes which are embraced in the scope of strictly Louisiana cookery. But as receipts accumulated, it was found that these limits could not possible by observed; when the work was finally completed, it was found to have run up to 352 closely printed pages.”

Patout is also searching for brochures, pamphlets or any related cooking materials.

Because South Louisiana is so fertile with rich culinary traditions and printed artifacts from the predominant sugar and seafood industries, the librarian believes findings could be tucked away in business records, family papers or in the hands of local historians and genealogists.

Patout said the lecture is intended to draw attention to Louisiana’s remarkable and rich culinary heritage and traditions, and to create a public awareness of individual’s role in helping keep that history alive.

For more information, contact the library at (985) 876-5158.