America's Sweet Tooth: 250 Years of Sweets, Treats, and Traditions

About this event

What can a slice of pie, a candy bar, or a chocolate chip cookie tell us about American history? Quite a lot, as it turns out. As Thanksgiving approaches and Americans turn their attention to the desserts that define the holiday table, food historian Francine Segan traces the origins of America's most beloved sweets-from the pies and cakes early settlers brought from England to the social media sensations reshaping how we eat desserts today. Along the way, she reveals how American desserts have been shaped by invention, accident, and necessity: how kerosene lamp by-products helped inspire candies like jelly beans and candy corn; how Prohibition fueled a boom in commercial candy; and how Depression-era scarcity led home cooks to ingenious recipes like "water pie." Segan also uncovers unexpected truths behind familiar names and myths-from German chocolate cake (not German) to Betty Crocker (not a real person) and the debated origins of Baby Ruth bars, alongside classics like chocolate chip cookies that have become part of the American culinary imagination. Registrants receive a companion handout featuring recipes spanning American dessert history. General Information View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom .