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Cookbooks, Culinary Arts, Culinary History : Find Books, Media, & Recipes
Discover campus and community resources for celebrating and examining foodways through cookbooks and other food research and writing.
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Search The Sifter
The Sifter: A Tool for Food History Research
Food historian and honorary curator for the Schlesinger Library culinary collection, Barbara Ketcham Wheaton, has realized a magnum opus in The Sifter. This publicly accessible finding aid to the contents of cookbooks and other texts of significance regarding food consumption and preparation is now available to search and contribute (much like Wikipedia and other wiki projects).
Search for Cookbooks
Search for cookbooks using the campus library catalog or alternatively by searching WisCat or WorldCat to find collections near to you.
E-Texts
Note: "Library-Licensed" resources require a visit to a subscribing library in order to use the resource. Off-campus access to UW-Madison library-licensed databases is permitted to registered students, faculty and staff who may log in with their UW-Madison NetID and password.
- Etiquette and Advice, 1631-1969 (Library-Licensed)Collection from the Winterthur Museum covers more than 400 British and American books on etiquette.
- Everyday Life and Women in America c. 1800-1920 (Library-Licensed)Digital collection of fully searchable images of monographs, pamphlets, periodicals and broadsides addressing 19th and early 20th century political, social and gender issues, religion, race, education, employment, marriage, sexuality, home and family life, health, and recreation. Collection is especially rich in conduct of life and domestic management literature.
- Food and Drink in History (Library-Licensed)Primary source material documenting the story of food and drink throughout history, illustrating links between food and identity, politics, power, gender, race, and socio-economic status.
- Food History: Printed and Manuscript Recipe Books,1669-1990 (Library-Licensed)Collection of full cookbooks and recipes in manuscripts from the collections of the Winterthur Museum and Library. Includes recipes for the kitchen, medicinal formulas, and more.
- Food Studies Online (Library-Licensed)Makes available, through one, searchable platform, primary archival materials from the United States and the United Kingdom, imagery, documentary video, pamphlet ephemera and selected, digitized monographs and trade publications that speak to a breadth of scholarly interest in food studies and food systems.
- HathiTrust Food Studies Collection (Open-Web Resource)Digitized texts on cooking, gastronomy, food production, and more.
- HEARTH: Home Economics Archive, Cornell University Libraries (Open-Web Resource)Core electronic collection of books and journals in Home Economics and related disciplines. Titles published between 1850 and 1950 were selected and ranked by teams of scholars for their great historical importance.
- The Housekeeper's Book: Containing Advice on the Conduct of Household Affairs: With a Complete Collection of Receipts for Economical Domestic Cookery (Open-Web Resource)From the "Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture: Image and Text Collections", UW Digital Collections.
- Project Muse (Library-Licensed)Journals and e-books in the humanities and social sciences. Coverage in art, anthropology, literature, film, theatre, history, ethnic and cultural studies, music, philosophy, religion, psychology, sociology and women's studies.
- Trade Catalogues and the American Home (Library-Licensed)Primary source collection of illustrated trade catalogues, trade cards and marketing ephemera documenting commercial tastes and consumer trends in America from 1850 to 1950.
- Twentieth Century Advice Literature (Library-Licensed)Included are how-to books and guides; employee manuals, sorority and fraternity pledge manuals; scouting manuals; textbooks that deal with home economics, health and hygiene, and sex education; teacher-training and course manuals; commercial literature that promotes specific behaviors; and government instruction manuals for a variety of workplaces and industries.
- What America Ate: Preserving America's Culinary History from the Great Depression (Open-Web Resource)Interactive website and online archive about food in the Great Depression, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Includes some two hundred community cookbooks and thousands of food advertising materials from the 1930s.
Food Literature; Food Writing
- The Food SectionRegional (US Southern) food news.
- Gastro ObscuraFood-focused content from Atlas Obscura.
- New WorlderNewsletter and podcast exploring the world of cuisine in the Americas (and occasionally further afield).
- The Recipes Project | Food, Magic, Art, Science, and MedicineCollaborative international research community that brings together and showcases interdisciplinary research on recipes across broad temporal and geographic spans.
- TasteOnline publication, cooking and culture, recipes.
Food and Beverage Blogs (many with recipes!)
- Afroculinaria: Exploring Culinary Traditions of Africa, African America and the African Diaspora (Archive)Follow link to Flipboard, "Understanding Your Plate Is Understanding Yourself".
- Chocolate and Zucchini (Archive)Subscribe to newsletter.
- Cooks without BordersStories, recipes, cookbook reviews, and video interviews.
- Dorie GreenspanSubscribe to newsletter.
On the Radio, Podcasts
- Corner Table, CapTimes (Madison, WI)Archive. Eating and drinking in Madison, produced by the Capital Times; hosted by food writer Lindsay Christians.
- The Food Chain, BBC World Service"...the business, science and cultural significance of food..."
- Gastropod: Food through the Lens of Science and History, Web PodcastHosted by reporters/writers, Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley.
- Gravy, Southern Foodways AllianceJournal and podcast.
- Heritage Radio Network"Making Food Radio since 2009"--various shows, "Eat Your Words, "Eating Matters", "Time for Lunch" and more...
- Milk Street RadioHosted by Christopher Kimball.
- NPR, Food"What's on your plate."
- Proof Podcast, America's Test Kitchen"Weird, surprising and funny backstories around food."
- Spilled Milk"A comedy show about food" with comedians/writers Molly Wizenberg and Matthew Amster.
- The Splendid Table, American Public Media, Minnesota Public RadioHosted by Francis Lam and formerly Lynne Rossetto Kasper.
- The Sporkful"It's not for foodies; it's for eaters!" with creator/host, Dan Pashman.
On Television, YouTube
- Around the Farm TableHost and fourth generation dairy farmer, Inga Witscher, welcomes viewers with program content featuring Midwestern farmers and artisan food producers.
- Books and Cooks: Book Talks and Tastings (YouTube)Series of short book talks about new cookbooks. Hosted by Library Director, Svetha Hetzler, Sun Prairie Public Library (WI).
- Cooking with the Cap TimesCap Times food editor and host Lindsay Christians interviews chefs as they prepare meals for an in-person audience (recordings available from site).
- Create TV, FoodTelevision channel distributing public television DIY series: food, travel, home and garden, arts and crafts, fitness and other lifestyle interests.
- Insider Food (videos)"What you want to know about food." A section of Business Insider.
- Tasting History with Max MillerHost prepares a recipe with a side of history. New content each Tuesday.
- Wisconsin FoodieIn this Emmy-winning series, host Luke Zahm, explores Wisconsin food traditions through interviews, tastings, and travels with chefs, restaurateurs, and producers.
- World's Table, BBCChefs, destinations, and recipes.
Recipe Sites
There are many recipe providers and sites. Here is but only a taste: