Trenton Downtown Association

Eating takes center stage in Trenton
Friday, January 30, 2009
By SUSAN SPRAGUE YESKE
Special to the Times

After spending eight months traveling around the state, providing local and national historic perspectives on why we eat what we eat, the Smithsonian exhibit, "Key Ingredients: America by Food" has arrived in Trenton.

National food history, as well as the Garden State's heritage of blueberries, M&Ms and tomato pie, will be featured, along with tasting and visual events focused on Trenton, says Mary Rizzo, associate director for the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.

"We've saved the best for last," said Rizzo.

The national exhibit, which opens tomorrow at the State Museum's galleries at 225 West State St., has inspired dozens of local events as it moved around New Jersey since arriving in late May.

Trenton will follow suit with its own "Taste of Trenton" exhibit set to open tomorrow at Ellarslie, The Trenton City Museum. Ellarslie also will host two tasting events, one featuring chocolate and the other tomato pies, while the William Trent House will teach about Colonial candy-making, ice houses and root cellars in two separate programs.

Not to be outdone, the Trenton Downtown Association will host a bargain-priced "Trenton Sampler" featuring Southern, Italian, Caribbean and Chinese food.

"A Feast for the Eyes," a juried art show with food as its theme, is currently on display at Gallery 125.

The tandem exhibits by the State Museum and Ellarslie is a rare event, said Trenton Museum Society President Carolyn Stetson.

"We were inspired by the 'Key Ingredients' Smithsonian exhibit," she said, which led to a search through the Ellarslie collection to find food-oriented items.

"Originally we were going to cover dishes," she said, "but we realized we had quite a few advertising novelties from Trenton."

That led to a historic exhibit that includes memorabilia from Trenton's days as a manufacturer of oyster crackers, pork roll, Champale malt liquor, pottery and beer. One event will allow residents to bring in antique bottles and, at no cost, have them evaluated by experts.

"Key Ingredients: America by Food" is a popular exhibit that has traveled around the country. It explores the connections between Americans and the foods they produce and prepare, and the historical, regional and social traditions that are part of everyday meals as well as celebrations.

It was developed by Museum on Main Street, a partnership of the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils. Featured in the exhibit are artifacts, photographs and illustrations that show how Americans have expanded their access to frozen, prepared and fresh foods. It has been hosted at 150 venues across the nation and is a favorite of schools that bring students for class trips.

These events are associated with the "Key Ingredients" exhibit:

"Key Ingredients: America by Food" opens tomorrow at 225 West State St., Trenton and continues through March 15. It is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday-Friday. An opening reception for the exhibit is scheduled for Feb. 17 5-6:30 p.m. at the galleries on West State Street. (njch.org/keyingredients)

A Feast for the Eyes is a juried art show at Gallery 125, 125 S. Warren St., Trenton. Featuring food as art, it is open through March 7.

A Taste of Trenton at the City Museum at Ellarslie in Cadwalader Park opens tomorrow and continues through March 15 in the second-floor galleries. Curated by volunteer Richard Willinger, it features historic items from Trenton food history. The city was a manufacturing site for nationally known products including Champale malt liquor and oyster crackers. Not far away were the tomato fields that served the Campbell Soup Co. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m. (ellarslie.org/events.htm)

Trenton Sampler sponsored by the Trenton Downtown Association Feb. 13 from 6-8 p.m. at Gallery 125, 125 S. Warren St., Trenton, will give an affordable taste of some of the city's most popular foods for $5. Participating eateries are: Café International, Café Ole, Gilmore's Café, Howard's Place, Maxine's 2, Rainbow Town, Settimo Cielo, and Tanya's B.Y.O.B. Cuisines include Southern, Italian, Caribbean and Chinese food. Complimentary wine and drinks will be served.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or reserved by calling (609) 393-8998, ext. 13. All ticket holders will be entered into a raffle for a $75 gift certificate to the participating eatery of their choice. Ticket proceeds will be divided among the participating restaurants and eateries. (www.trenton-downtown.com)

A Taste of Chocolate at the City Museum at Ellarslie in Cadwalader Park will be held Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. Wine and chocolate tastings will be featured for the limited-admission event. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased on the Ellarslie website (ellarslie.org).

Colonial Candy Making at the William Trent House, 15 Market St., 12:30-4 p.m. Feb. 14. Staff of the Trent House will demonstrate how Colonial cooks made sweet treats from varied ingredients. Visitors can come and go throughout the afternoon. (williamtrenthouse.org) (609) 989-3027

Oyster Crackers, Tomato Pies and Champale is a special learning and tasting event at the City Museum at Ellarslie on Feb. 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the museum in Cadwalader Park. Speakers will talk about Champale and other Trenton breweries as well as the history of the Trenton Farmers Market. At 2:30 p.m. four local tomato pie makers, including Papa's, which is the city's oldest family-owned tomato pie restaurant, will compete for the People's Choice vote on their favorite tomato pie. Suggested donation is $2. Visitors also can bring antique Trenton bottles for experts Brenda Springsted and Richard Willinger to offer history and background information.

Food for Thought: First Friday Lunchtime Lecture is a 40-minute "Key Ingredients" exhibition tour and talk scheduled for noon March 6 at the galleries, 225 W. State St., Trenton. Museum staff will conduct a gallery walk through the traveling exhibition.

Root Cellars and Ice Houses March 14 at 2 p.m. at the William Trent House shows how our forefathers kept food as fresh as possible without refrigerators or freezers. Presented by historian Judith Krall-Russo, it explains the importance of ice houses and root cellars. (williamtrenthouse.org) (609) 989-3027