O Say Can You See?

Everyday discoveries in Julia Child's kitchen

Editor’s Note: Today’s post is the fourth in a series of six about the museum’s work in Julia Child’s kitchen. Anneliese Bustillo is a Museum Studies graduate student at The George Washington University.

I often claim that I can make homemade whipped cream. By that, I mean to say that I can pour heavy whipping cream into my KitchenAid Artisan mixer, turn it to the highest speed, and walk away. I return in a few minutes to check that peaks have formed. Then, I add some sugar, mix the cream a little more, and voila! Needless to say, I'm no aficionado of the culinary arts. In fact, I often take all the credit for the work of my stand mixer. I was therefore nervous the first time I entered the kitchen of cooking legend Julia Child.

My nerves quickly disappeared as I stepped inside the kitchen for the first time. It became immediately evident that Julia, too, cherished her stand mixer and the many other gadgets and appliances she owned. I was in the workspace of a professional chef, but this particular room was nothing short of warm and welcoming; I felt like I was stepping into a friend’s kitchen. Julia seemed more real to me than I ever expected.

Anyone who has visited the Bon Appétit! exhibition knows that all the corners and walls are covered with the cookware used by Julia. Every day I worked in the kitchen was full of new discoveries; I constantly learned about kitchen tools that I never knew existed. One day, I came across an object that appeared to be a small silver platter with a tall rim and a handle large enough for one finger. Over the finger loop were the initials “PCC,” those of Julia’s husband, Paul. I looked at the piece for a good five minutes, unsure of what to write in the “object name” section of the condition checklist. Finally, I gave in and searched through the records to find that this “silver platter” was in fact a wine taster. As much as I would love to say that idea crossed my mind, I was not even close.

The wine taster with the initials "PCC."

Every week in the kitchen, I had little adventures like this. There was so much to discover: Julia had salad spinners for washing greens, a knife solely to devein shrimp, a cherry pitter, and a KitchenAid stand mixer engraved with the words “Bon Appétit!” One day, I noticed that Julia had an apple slicer (just like mine!) that cores the fruit and produces eight perfectly even pieces. It may be a superfluous device, but in my mind, seeing that Julia owned one of those slicers seemed to validate that it’s a useful gadget in any kitchen. It’s these moments that made me feel closest to Julia.

The apple slicer in Julia Child's kitchen.

As we examined the objects one by one, we made notes about how it had changed since it was first accessioned and suggestions for how to best preserve the object, so that the Smithsonian can display it for generations to come. I feel as though our work has been important and necessary, but, above all else, it has been enjoyable. I imagine, years from now, I will still be gushing over having that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step into Julia Child’s kitchen and experience the feeling that she still lives on through the room and its objects.

Anneliese Bustillo is a Museum Studies graduate student at The George Washington University.

Thanksgiving in a can

For early Thanksgiving meals, I bet someone went out and hunted a turkey, gathered some cranberries, and harvested some spinach and beans. Today, we might purchase our freshly killed turkey (“hunted” by someone else), buy a container of fresh cranberries, and get our veggies from the local farmers’ market. How we obtain the food has changed, but the ingredients are essentially the same.

It would seem that Thanksgiving dinner has evolved along a straight line, but I think it made a big detour. There was a time, in the mid-20th century, when the idea of Thanksgiving dinner was similar but the “raw ingredients” were anything but natural and basic. Sure there was turkey, cranberry sauce, and trimmings. The turkey, however, was frozen and inoculated with something mysterious to keep it moist; the cranberry sauce was striped, thanks to the indentations of the can from which it emerged; the green beans appeared more grey than green because they were covered with mushroom soup containing merely a hint of mushrooms and fried onions, also canned, that were more heavy on the flavor additives than the onion. 

It tasted delicious because it tasted like Thanksgiving and it was prepared with love. Quick, modern, and easy were the mantras, rather than fresh, local, and organic. Ignorance was bliss, and sometimes yummy.

If you are feeling nostalgic for a Thanksgiving meal the Jetsons would love, here is a favorite of the Braskich family, courtesy of Naomi Coquillon, Education Specialist at our museum. She wants you to enjoy its bright green color, and notes that in her house, it is a side dish—not a dessert!

Pistachio Fluff
2 packages instant pistachio pudding mix
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows
1 12 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
½ cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and pineapple. Add nuts then marshmallows and mix well. Fold into whipped topping.

Sprinkle with additional pecans. Serve chilled.

We hope you have a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving. Will any artificially flavored, brightly colored, or instant recipes be enjoyed at your feast?

Kathy Sklar is the business program manager at the National Museum of American History.

 

Don’t say “yuk” to yucca

Much of what we do at the museum is for the visitors: exhibits, programs, lectures, and performances. We want our guests to enjoy themselves. Heritage month celebrations are no exception; we hope our visitors will learn something special from the unique and focused programming.

In addition to pleasing visitors, our Hispanic Heritage Month celebration has become a highlight for our staff. An essential part of our museum-wide observance is the special menu in our Stars and Stripes Cafe. The Latin flavors are appreciated not only by the guests who get to try a different special every day, but also by the kitchen staff tasked to prepare the dishes.

Salmon tostada from the Stars and Stripes Cafe

When I approached our chef William Bednar and asked him to create Hispanic-themed specials, he said (as he always does), “no problem.” But this time, in addition to opening his cook books, he turned right around to his staff and asked them for their ideas. Many of our cooks and servers are from Latin America. Some of the countries represented are El Salvador, Bolivia, Guatemala, and Colombia. This month is their turn to be “top chef” and dictate the recipes to Chef William. The result is an abundance of wonderful home cooking served to the masses in our café.

Agustin and Amilcar, Stars and Stripes Cafe cooks

Like any family, there is lots of discussion along the way: different countries favor different seasoning; one person learned to add masa (corn flour) to empanadas, while others use only wheat flour. Pupusas are an example of a dish that is different in different regions. Originating in El Salvador, pupusas migrated around South America and morphed along the way. Basically, they are thick, hand-made corn tortillas with a stuffing. The pupusas I tried were stuffed with cheese. The dough and filling may vary, but the one constant that seems most important is that they are handmade. Selling hundreds of pupusas a day means a lot of rolling and patting, but no one complains, especially not those of us who taste the savory treats.

A key ingredient in many Latin foods is yucca. It is a starchy root vegetable that is like a cross between a white and sweet potato. This month I have tried it fried, mashed, and accompanying other ingredients on our salad bar. I was skeptical, because I don’t usually care for potatoes, but these chulitos made a believer out of me. Don’t take my word for it, though; try some yourself. If you can’t make it to the Stars and Stripes Cafe, try them in your own kitchen. Here is a recipe for Chulitos, a.k.a. Cassava Mini Bites, a.k.a. Stuffed Yucca. No matter what you call them, they are delicioso.

 

Chulitos

Chulitos, or Cassava Mini Bites (Stuffed Yucca)

2 pounds yucca, peeled and grated 
1 pound chicken, diced
¼ bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
Black pepper to taste
3 cups canola oil for frying

Directions

1) Boil yucca in salted boiling water until tender and squeeze out extra liquid. Season with salt and pepper and mash to paste.
2) Saute onions, garlic, bell peppers. Add chicken. Once seared, add tomato paste and cook until chicken is tender. Remove and cool.
3) Place a 1.5 ounce ball of yucca in your hand (oil hand lightly so it does not stick).
4) Place a .5 ounce portion of chicken filling and place in center of yucca. Enclose the chicken and roll into a ball.
5) Fill a pot with 2 inches of oil heated to 350 and deep fry golden brown. Drain and season with salt and pepper.

Kathy Sklar is the business program manager at the National Museum of American History.

 

No chop suey here

How long is a long bean? And who was General Tsao? These are questions you might ask after you visit our Stars and Stripes Cafe during the month of May. In celebration of Asian Pacific American heritage month we are featuring Asian-inspired dishes. I tried the long beans and fried rice today, and the beans are at least 12 inches long. They are delicate string beans, lightly stir fried.

When we wanted to infuse our cafe with interesting Asian food, we went straight to our Chef William Bednar. Chef William never disappoints, and this was no exception. He was undaunted about serving Asian food to thousands of unsuspecting visitors. We gave him some ideas of popular and authentic Asian dishes, but that was really not necessary. Chef comes with years of skills, knowledge, experience, and his own wok.

Our idea was to have something at each of our food stations. The barbeque station that serves hot entrees would be pretty easy. Chef took it beyond easy when he offered smoked duck and shredded duck with a raspberry hoisin glaze. He created Asian chicken salad sandwiches and lettuce wraps for the sandwich board and had wakeme (seaweed) salad and cold sesame noodles in the salad bar. But pizza? I thought that would be a stretch but the pizza with an Asian plum sauce was actually delicious.

Chef even created exotic Chinese desserts. “Almond Lake” looked like white triangles of tofu, but it is a mixture of almonds, sugar, water, and agar agar. (A thickening agent.) To be honest, not many people tried it, but I did and liked it. There was also “Forbidden Black Rice” a sweet and sticky rice dessert. Here chef took some creative license, as the “real” recipe calls for purple rice. The food supplier we use drew the line at purple rice, so he defaulted to the black. I still loved it.

I was curious if everyone was as intrigued with our specialties as me, admittedly a brave eater. Turns out that our visitors enjoy the dishes they are most familiar with—egg rolls, fried rice, and General Tsao’s chicken. Museum staffers, frequent patrons of the cafe, have been very pleased with the new additions to the repertoire and have embraced these unfamiliar specialties. Some of their favorites are the seafood dumplings with the chef’s homemade mustard, nappa slaw, and vegetarian spring rolls. The kitchen staff is enjoying this break from routine as well. They have enjoyed cooking with different ingredients and recipes, and eating it as well.

The month is not yet half over, so there are many more chances to experiment and enjoy. On the chef’s menu is pad Thai, spare ribs braised with pineapple, and beef with broccoli. I am hungry for my next lunch.

And who is General Tsao? I don’t know, but he had a great recipe for chicken.

Kathy Sklar is the business program manager at the National Museum of American History.

The grooviest place on the National Mall

Feeling groovy? You will be if you visit the newly renovated store at the National Mall entrance to the museum. Its new look is a tribute to the recent past, specifically the popular culture of the 1950s-1980s, and it should not be missed. Actually, it is almost impossible to miss. Its bright pop-art colors really do “pop” off the walls. The glitter and sparkle of the disco ball catches your eye and draws you in. Once you walk in you are treated to a water dispenser that looks like a juke box and a tote bag shaped like a boom box.

 

Who had the day-glo vision that transformed the store? Rebecca Pomarzynski, Graphic Designer for Smithsonian Enterprises. Becky is not just a designer, she is the entire department. She is responsible for the retail store design of the Smithsonian's 31 stores (in 15 locations), and the promotional and graphic materials in them. She has the challenge of being able to satisfy buyers and curators and still develop a look that will appeal to visitors.

  

Becky works quietly but has a big impact. I have worked at the Smithsonian for over 10 years, and only once during that time have I been in a meeting where someone presented a new idea that was unanimously approved on the spot. The whole room (and it was a big room filled with a cross section of Smithsonian staff from all the museums) was in shock—at how much we liked what we saw and how much we all agreed about it.

What was it? It was Becky’s design for the graphic identity (i.e., logo) for the “Lincoln at the Smithsonian” bicentennial collaboration. Becky stood up before this crowd and succinctly presented her idea for an image that would tie together a myriad of programs and exhibits, and even merchandise for the stores. All present agreed it was just what we needed, and we were done.

It’s not always that easy, but Becky enjoys the challenges of her position. She likes working in different formats and with diverse subjects. Dinosaurs one day, fine art the next. A simple sign here, a major remodel there. Her favorite project? Of course, the new Mall store at the National Museum of American History.

Kathy Sklar is the business program manager at the National Museum of American History.