Wolf Peaches, Poisoned Peas, and Madame Pompadour’s Underwear: The Surprising History of Common Garden Vegetables

Tuesday, May 9th, 6:30 – Wolf Peaches, Poisoned Peas, and Madame Pompadour’s Underwear: The Surprising History of Common Garden Vegetables – Rebecca Rupp discusses the stories behind many of our favorite garden vegetables, among them the much-maligned tomato and potato, the (mostly) popular pumpkin, and Vermont’s Gilfeather turnip. Find out why a lot of us don’t like beets, how a 17th-century pirate named the bell pepper, how carrots won the Trojan War, and how George Washington was nearly assassinated with a plate of poisoned peas. Rebecca Rupp is the author of nearly 20 books for both children and adults, and blogs on food science and history for National Geographic. We are proud to present this delightful talk, thanks to the generosity of the Vermont Humanities Council.