The Southern Food and Beverage Museum:
This museum is dedicated to celebrating southern food and drink. This regional museum opened in temporary headquarters in 2004, and has found a home at the New Orleans Riverwalk Marketplace. June 5, 2008 marks the grand opening.
Opening Exhibits:
One of the opening exhibits is
Louisiana Eats! Laissez Faire – Savoir Fare explores the diverse cuisine of New Orleans and Louisiana, with its French, Spanish, Creole, African, Caribbean, Italian, and German influences.
Eating in the White House – America’s Food features photographs, menus, invitations and other artifacts, of the past and present White House residents. The likes and dislikes, and habits of Presidential families will be discovered. Some White House tableware will be on display.
Menu Project:
The Menu Project collects menus from all over the south, and would love to have contributions from everybody. The menus will be catalogued and ultimately available on a database constructed by the Museum. As some New Orleans restaurants have not reopened, or have changed their menus since Katrina, this project is especially important here.
The Library:
The Library collects cookbooks from all over, including community or specialty cookbooks. It also features books on things Southern, such as southern agriculture,hunting,etc., as well as all food related books. The library hopes to be the "most complete document of contemporary Southern foodways and drink." Strange diet and other idiosyncratic books or booklets are also sought after and treasured.
Archives:
The museum archive contains records, photos and other materials from restaurants in the South. It also contains letters, personal recipe collections and recipe scrapbooks, and welcomes submissions.
Artifacts:
Wine glasses, oyster plates, cooking implements, and all objects connected to Southern cooking and cuisine will be collected and displayed here. Linens, photos, business ledgers--all are sought to be gathered into this unique exhibit. Again, this new museum is looking for donations and submissions.
Contact:
More information, including ticket prices, will be available at the
Southern Food website.
