As we first mentioned in the dining newsletter Pitch Forks, the Kansas City, Missouri public libraries are hosting the Food for Thought series this month. Last week at the Central Library, Ken Albala spoke about pancakes' utilitarian yet posh history.
Tonight at the Plaza Library, New School historian and the definitive expert on junk food in America, Andrew F. Smith, will speak about those delicious all-beef patties on a sesame bun in a lecture on the history of the hamburger.
Smith's new book is called Hamburger: A Global History. He'll explain how hamburgers went from a street vendors' food in the 1890s to showing up on respectable diner menus, and then, in 1921, had a eureka moment, when the first hamburger chain was born in Wichita of all places. Today, one in eight U.S. workers have been employed by McDonalds. (Including musician Pink.) Smith will also touch on the burger's evolution and nutritional downsides.
To get the audience into the proper mood, a reception beforehand promises free burger samples from the Westport Flea Market. It gets better. Both the reception and the speech are free.
The reception is at 6 p.m. with the speech at 6:30. Afterward, Smith will autograph copies of his book. While no RSVP is needed, the library does appreciate you calling ahead. The Plaza branch's phone number is 816-701-3481.
-- Owen Morris
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Wichita of all places? Don't you know that Wichita is the founding place of the first national pizza chain as well.
Wichita, an entrepreneurial paradise! Though, Wichita no longer has any White Castles. But they do have the best hamburger chain in KS, Nu-Way.
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