Uncovering local food-growing efforts during World War II. Our country under stress. A clear danger. Efforts, on a personal and national level, to deal with the emergency. Do these phrases remind you of the recent Covid-19 pandemic? As a food historian, I go back further, to the 1940s and the crisis of World War II….
On a culinary-inspired trip to New Orleans, I first encountered the powerful and historic drink called the Sazerac, at the aptly named Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel. The memory lingered, and I discovered, to my surprise, that Nevada had numerous connections to this cocktail — or, at least, to its name, which appeared in almost a dozen saloons in Northern Nevada’s early days.
If you need a reason to renew your love of Nevada’s beauty, I suggest taking the winding route up Geiger Grade toward Virginia City. The colors of the hills, the roaming wild horses, and the views across the valley are awe-inspiring.
Inspiration for this column can come from unlikely places, even a summer hike. Near Truckee, almost by accident, my companion and I discovered Catfish Pond.