Sometimes a reference source comes along that is just so helpful you want to shout about it to the world. Yesterday that happened to me.
As a writer of historical fiction, discovering The Food Timeline
was a godsend. Incredibly organized, using a simple timeline with links to a huge collection of other websites, it presents food’s history. It includes recipes, literary quotes, and lists of resources. You can learn when popcorn first came on the scene, a recipe for haggis, and tips on how to find an old family recipe.
Of course, the website just had to be designed by a librarian. Lynne Olver, the site’s creator, is a New Jersey reference librarian with a passion for food history. Ms. Olver and The Food Timeline have received multiple honors and awards.
Keep in mind — the site is copyrighted. There’s a paragraph on citations here.
The Food Timeline is free with no subscription, no ads. Why? It was conceived and created by a public librarian, a profession that is “devoted to providing fair and equitable access to information regardless of ability to pay.” What a wonderful statement. Thanks to Lynne Olver, and all who contributed.
And, in case you haven’t already thought of it, you’ll want to bookmark this one!
→ Have you ever found a site or other reference source so useful that you wanted to shout about it? Please share!
Stringing Beads 
As you suggested, I bookmarked. Darn, I could have used this a few months ago but will find it useful when I once again pull out that historical that won’t go away.
Thanks. 🙂
Ah, but I’ve just discovered the hidden wonder of this timeline. It’s not just history. It goes up to the present day and includes such links as a multi-page list of trendy foods from 2007, and a link to President Obama’s Inaugural Luncheon recipes (2009).
Also, there are links for each state’s most popular foods, restaurant recipes, and definitions of types of foods. And that’s just from skimming. It appears that if you have a question about food, it’s there. Go to the site’s FAQs for more details.
Holy cow, Deb, what a resource! I’m forwarding your link to my 3 historical critique partners 🙂 Thanks for a fascinating write up!
Deb, this web site is incredible! I’m thrilled to find so VERY much info all in one place! Wish I could find one fashion site like this!
Thank you!
Light,
Nancy
Great site, Deb, although I think I’ll pass on the haggis recipe…LOL
Here’s a page I’ve had bookmarked for several years: http://www.deannacarlyle.com/articles/verb.html Deanna Carlyle has a list called 1,000 Verbs To Write By, and I just love it for when I’m looking for that perfect verb and my brain isn’t cooperating. 😉
Thanks so much for your comments, Donnell & Nancy. So glad I could pass it on. And I agree, Nancy. I’ve also been looking for a fashion site although the Harper’s Bazaar site has been very useful for me. It’s only19th century fashion, though. Here’s the website…
http://harpersbazaar.victorian-ebooks.com/
Donna, I agree with you about haggis but Deanna Carlyle’s site is definitely going on my bookmarks! I love lists of words, and her’s looks very useful. Thank you for sharing it!
Wow, Another great site. You have no idea, in my fossilized brain how often I can’t think of the perfect verb!!!
Casey
Deb, this site is fabulous! I don’t write historicals, but it’s still interesting. Thanks for letting me know about it.
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