The Ark of Taste with Dr. David Shields

We are excited to be hosting Dr. David Shields for a talk on his newest book The Ark of Taste! Dr. Shields will be talking about the history of food in the south and some of our most notable heirlooms that have recently been rescued from extinction. We will also do a small tasting of prepared foods, seed swap, and book signing. Dr. Shields knows more about southern heirloom crops and cuisine than anyone I've ever met - from okra to black walnuts to collards to peaches - so don't sleep on this one!

Dr. Shields is a professor at the University of South Carolina. He is the Chair of the Ark of Taste Southern Region for Slow Food USA, as well as the Carolina Gold Rice Foundation. His critical research has helped revive over thirty heirloom crops, including Carolina Gold Rice, the Bradford Watermelon, and the Hicks Mulberry. He is a prolific writer, with books such as Southern Provisions, Taste the State, and The Culinarians, and also has a Substack full of fascinating articles I highly recommend called Foodlore and More (https://substack.com/@davidsanfordshields). One of my favorite things to do is peruse his articles for delicious old-time recipes. He also has a wonderful little website dedicated to heirloom southern fruits called Old Southern Orchards.