From the Vermont Humanities Speakers Bureau and hosted by SAM in The Bliss Room, this event is part of our new speaker series SAM Talks. These talks are free and open to the public.

THE SPEAKER

Rebecca Rupp has a Ph.D. in cell biology and biochemistry from George Washington University and now works as a professional writer. She is the author of some 200 articles for national magazines, on topics ranging from the natural history of squirrels to the archaeology of privies, and nearly 20 books for both children and adults. She blogs on food science and history for National Geographic.

THE TALK

Wolf Peaches, Poisoned Peas, and Madame Pompadour’s Underwear. Common garden vegetables have long and fascinating histories. Science and history writer Rebecca Rupp will discuss the stories behind many of our favorites, among them the much-maligned tomato and potato, the (mostly) popular pumpkin, and Vermont’s dynamic duo of kale and Gilfeather turnip. Find out why a lot of us don’t like beets, how a 17th-century pirate named the bell pepper, how carrots won the Trojan War, and how George Washington was nearly assassinated with a plate of poisoned peas.