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WINTER 2024-25: EAT UP! Welcome to your bi-weekly newsletter from Connecticut Explored with the latest stories, the newest Grating the Nutmeg podcast, programs and exhibitions from our partners.
The Farm Workers’ Movement from California to Connecticut
Imagine heading to your local grocery store and being greeted by 50 determined people vehemently boycotting California grown grapes. Would you still buy the fruit or listen to their claims? In 1970, choosing to eat grapes, a staple ingredient in colorful fruit cocktails, held clear political significance.
In 1969 labor activist Cesar Chavez traveled to Connecticut with a mission. Basche writes, “He addressed an audience of labor leaders and clergy at the Hartford Seminary Foundation, as reported in The Hartford Courant on October 14, 1969. His goal? A two-dollar hourly minimum wage and better working conditions for members of the United Farm Workers (UFW), AFL-CIO.”
Read more about the important impact unionization of farm workers in California had on the people in Connecticut by subscribing to Connecticut Explored!
The Steamed Cheeseburger: A Connecticut Culinary Icon
If you love burgers, you might agree there is nothing quite as perplexing as the origin of the steamed cheeseburger. Although the birthplace of this style of burger remains a mystery, local lore traces its roots back to two towns in Connecticut. Enduring the Great Depression, the steamed cheeseburger has cemented its savory legacy.
Curious about which two towns in Connecticut claim the steamed cheeseburger, restaurants that continue to serve this beloved burger, and more interesting facts?
The Latest From Grating the Nutmeg
The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir with Griffin Dunne
In this episode, Host Mary Donohue talks to Griffin Dunne, actor, producer and director and now New York Times best-selling author about his family memoir The Friday Afternoon Club. His Hartford to Hollywood family includes generations of writers, movie producers, journalists, and actors including his father Dominick Dunne, uncle John Gregory Dunne, and aunt Joan Didion.
Listen: The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir with Griffin Dunne
Programs and Exhibitions to Enjoy This Month
Connecticut Public
Connecticut Public offers a feast for food lovers, with an array of programming and recipes perfect for the winter seasons. At the heart of this culinary celebration is Seasoned, where we explore local food traditions and seasonal ingredients.
Connecticut Garden Journal with Charlie Nardozzi provides expert tips for harvesting and preserving autumn’s bounty, ensuring your holiday table is both fresh and festive. For those seeking comforting, nostalgic dishes, NPR’s family recipes and stories offer heartwarming inspiration. And with The Splendid Table, hosted by award-winning food journalist Francis Lam, listeners can explore global cuisines and discover new dishes to spice up their holiday gatherings - Listen now!
Connecticut Public; ctpublic.org
New Haven Museum
Take a moment to peruse the interactive online map charting the harrowing journey of the people who led the Amistad Revolt.
Amistad: Retold On view
114 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT, www.newhavenmuseum.org
Hill-Stead Museum
Rediscover the magic of Hill-Stead with our newly restored Impressionist masterpieces! This winter step into a world of vibrant color and warm light as Hill-Stead unveils its recently restored paintings by Monet, Degas and Manet. After more than a century of discoloration, we now - finally! - see these masterpieces as the artists intended.
View the Collection Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00AM- 4:00PM.
35 Mountain Road, Farmington, CT, https://hillstead.org
Editor’s Picks:
Ruth Glasser, “Tobacco Valley: Puerto Rican Farm Workers in Connecticut” Connecticut Explored, Fall 2002.
Cecilia Bucki, “The Labor Movement in Connecticut,” Connecticut Explored, Winter 2013-2014.
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