CHAA Meetings
The Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor generally meet on the third Sunday of the month at 4 p.m. Eastern, September through May. Meeting invitations are sent to members and other interested individuals, but all are welcome to attend. Our monthly talks are hybrid: an in-person audience gathers at the Ann Arbor District Library, and a virtual audience gathers online via the library’s YouTube channel. Please check this website for the date and location and format of each meeting, as these will vary.
Members receive emailed information regarding meetings in advance and a reminder on the day of each meeting.
Next program
Sunday, December 8, 4 p.m.
Ann Arbor District Library
315 S. Fifth St., Ann Arbor MI
Fourth Floor Meeting Room and Online here.
Register to receive a reminder a few days before the event.
Classic Michigan Food and Drinks: The Stories behind the Brands
Michigan is home to an amazing array of food and drink brands, each with a fascinating story behind it. Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals like Kellogg’s and Post changed how the world eats, and Gerber first made baby food commercially available. Other state food stars include northern Michigan cherries, fudge, and pasties, and brands such as Faygo, American Spoon, Jiffy, Sanders, Vernors, and Better Made. Presenters Gail Offen and Jon Milan of southeastern Michigan, authors of Classic Michigan Food and Drinks (Nov. 2024), trace the fascinating history and stories that surround these edibles.
About the authors
Gail Offen and Jon Milan are always curious to see, eat, and write about what makes Michigan unique, and they give lively presentations about Michigan history and culture. The pair have previously written three books together: Grand River Avenue: From Detroit to Lake Michigan (2014); Iconic Restaurants of Ann Arbor (2016); and Michigan Haunts: Public Places, Eerie Spaces (2020). Their most recent book, Classic Michigan Food and Drinks, is their favorite one yet— but they ate waaaay too much fudge writing it!
Upcoming programs and links to past programs.
Join Us!
Our membership year runs from September to September. The annual membership is $25. You can print out the membership form here. We also accept membership dues via credit card (with or without PayPal). Click on the membership link at the top of this page for more information.
The Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor (CHAA), founded in 1983 by Jan Longone and friends, is an organization of scholars, cooks, food writers, nutritionists, collectors, students, and others interested in the study of culinary history and gastronomy.
The mission of the group is to promote the study of culinary history through regular programs open to members and guests, through the quarterly publication Repast, and through exchanges of information with other such organizations.
Monthly meetings of the CHAA are normally held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from September through May on the third Sunday of the month at 4 p.m. (unless otherwise announced).
Membership in CHAA is open to anyone interested in culinary history. Dues are $25.00 for an individual or couple and include a subscription to Repast. The membership year is from September to September. For those who cannot attend meetings, a yearly subscription to Repast is $20.00.
Repast is the official quarterly publication of CHAA. Besides announcements of future meetings and reports of past meetings, it also contains feature articles, book reviews, a calendar of upcoming events of culinary interest, and special events. For information about contributing articles, placing information, announcements, or other regular features, contact the Editor.