Political Appetites: How a new nation cooked up politics—one recipe at a time by Dr. Nancy Siegel

Political Appetites: How a New Nation Cooked Up Politics—One Recipe at a Time, by Dr. Nancy Siegel

November 21, 2026, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Free with museum admission. The lecture will be followed by a book signing.

Food has long carried political meaning, and revolutionary America was no exception. Join art and culinary historian Nancy Siegel for a lecture uncovering how meals, ingredients, and even kitchenware helped Americans define what democracy should look—and taste—like. From tea boycotts and homemade “Liberty Tea” to Washington Pie, Election Cake, and Mammoth Cheese, learn how ordinary foods became vehicles for protest, persuasion, and celebration during the years surrounding the Revolution and the Early Republic.

Nancy Siegel is Assistant Dean and Professor of Art History & Culinary History at Towson University. She specializes in American landscape studies, underrepresented women artists of the 19th century, print culture, and culinary history of the 18th and 19th centuries. She gives historical cooking demonstrations, tastings, and lectures on landscape and food histories, and serves as an art and culinary consultant for museums and nonprofit institutions. This lecture is based on her book, Political Appetites: The Power of Food in Revolutionary America (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026), and the documentary Feeding the American Revolution (WMHT/PBS).

Following the lecture and book signing, join us for the LiberTea Party, a ticketed event where you can sample historic foods and drinks inspired by the flavors and traditions explored in Political Appetites. Visit the LiberTea Party event page for tickets and more information.