“Joyce White is my “go-to” expert whenever I undertake a foodways project. Her programs are informative and inspiring and her food is delicious!”
Alexandra Deutsch,
Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
CHOCOLATE PROGRAMS
NEW IN 2026!
This new presentation is a journey across time, revealing the evolution of chocolate's use in recipes from ancient Mesoamerica to the Belgian introduction of the praline in 1912.
Step into the rich and fascinating story of chocolate in Chocolate Through Time, an engaging and interactive presentation that traces its journey from ancient Mesoamerican origins to the modern world. Discover how chocolate evolved from a sacred drink and medicinal substance into one of today’s most beloved confections. Along the way, exp
Step into the rich and fascinating story of chocolate in Chocolate Through Time, an engaging and interactive presentation that traces its journey from ancient Mesoamerican origins to the modern world. Discover how chocolate evolved from a sacred drink and medicinal substance into one of today’s most beloved confections. Along the way, explore the cultural significance of chocolate across different societies and see how technological innovation and mechanization transformed its production. Through a compelling timeline and vivid historical context, this program brings the enduring allure of chocolate to life.
This interactive tasting experience guides participants through the world of chocolate, teaching them how to read labels and make informed choices between mass-produced and artisanal varieties. From cacao—the fruit at chocolate’s origin—to modern production methods, the program explores how processing techniques shape flavor, texture, and
This interactive tasting experience guides participants through the world of chocolate, teaching them how to read labels and make informed choices between mass-produced and artisanal varieties. From cacao—the fruit at chocolate’s origin—to modern production methods, the program explores how processing techniques shape flavor, texture, and appearance. Along the way, participants sample a range of chocolates, including cacao nibs, 18th-century-style spiced chocolate, milk and white chocolate, and dark chocolates made from different cacao varieties. This program can stand alone or serve as a perfect companion to Chocolate Through Time.
MARYLAND PROGRAMS
Discover the foods that sustained Marylanders from the earliest days of settlement through Annapolis’s 18th-century Golden Age. This program highlights how diet varied across class, wealth, race, and time, revealing the rich complexity of daily life in colonial Maryland. Explore the ingredients grown, raised, and harvested locally, and un
Discover the foods that sustained Marylanders from the earliest days of settlement through Annapolis’s 18th-century Golden Age. This program highlights how diet varied across class, wealth, race, and time, revealing the rich complexity of daily life in colonial Maryland. Explore the ingredients grown, raised, and harvested locally, and uncover the lasting influence of Indigenous Marylanders, British settlers, and African Americans in shaping the region’s foundational cuisine. You’ll also take a closer look at the fascinating array of imported goods that arrived by ship—from spices and fine cheeses to tamarind, Durham mustard, and isinglass—offering a glimpse into Maryland’s connections to a wider global marketplace.
This presentation explores the rich history of Maryland’s most iconic foods and food traditions. From crab cakes and Smith Island Cake to coddies, stuffed ham, and lemon sticks, audiences will discover the stories behind both well-known favorites and lesser-known regional dishes. The program also highlights Maryland’s influential food ind
This presentation explores the rich history of Maryland’s most iconic foods and food traditions. From crab cakes and Smith Island Cake to coddies, stuffed ham, and lemon sticks, audiences will discover the stories behind both well-known favorites and lesser-known regional dishes. The program also highlights Maryland’s influential food industries and agricultural achievements, including its historic role as a leading producer of peaches and strawberries.
This informative presentation traces the history of spirited drinks in Maryland from the 17th through the 19th century. Audiences will explore the beverages early Marylanders enjoyed—from cider and perry to whiskey, punch, toddy, shrub, and bounce—while uncovering the social customs and traditions that shaped drinking culture over time.
TEA PROGRAMS
This presentation explores the history of tea, from its origins to its enduring role in social tradition. Audiences will learn about the different types of tea and how they are processed, as well as how the custom of taking tea has evolved. The program also clarifies the distinction between high tea and afternoon tea and highlights the origins of classic accompaniments such as scones, crumpets, English muffins, and clotted cream.
This presentation explores the processes used to transform Camellia sinensis into a wide range of varieties and the teas available in 18th-century America. Audiences will learn about popular teas of the period—such as Bohea, Gunpowder, Young Hyson, and Congou—while gaining insight into how tea was consumed and valued in early America. This program can stand alone or serve as a perfect companion to Taking Tea: Teatime Through the Centuries.
SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH
This engaging lecture traces the evolution of sugar and dessert from the medieval period through the 19th century, showing how a rare luxury became central to Western foodways. It explores the rise of the global sugar trade and its transformation from a medicine and elite indulgence to an everyday ingredient. Through vivid visuals and historical examples, audiences will discover how desserts evolved alongside sugar’s growing availability—from simple medieval confections to the focal point of Tudor banquets, to its evolution throughout the Georgian and Victorian eras.
DINING WITH JANE AUSTEN
Step into the world of Jane Austen and explore the Service à la française dining customs of Georgian and Regency England. From rout cakes to formal dinners, this presentation reveals what Austen’s characters ate—and what it tells us about society and etiquette.
SEASONAL PROGRAMS
This autumnal presentation explores the political, social, and cultural forces that shaped Thanksgiving into a uniquely American holiday. Tracing its evolution from the 1621 harvest celebration at Plimoth Plantation through the influence of figures such as George Washington, Sarah Josepha Hale, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the program reveals how both the meaning of Thanksgiving—and the foods we associate with it—have changed over time.
This festive presentation explores the rich culinary traditions that shaped early American Christmas celebrations. From candies and cakes to breads, drinks, and cookies, audiences will discover how these beloved holiday foods traveled across the Atlantic and became part of American tradition—along with the origins and meanings behind their seasonal significance.