NEW HAVEN — What did carrots have to do with the Trojan War? How did it happen that George Washington was nearly poisoned by peas? What is the beef against beets? How did a 17th century pirate come to name the bell pepper?
Common garden vegetables have long and often quirky histories. Science and history writer Rebecca Rupp will tell the stories behind the much-maligned tomato and potato, the pumpkin and “Vermont’s dynamic duo of kale and Gilfeather turnip” in a talk in New Haven next week.
“Wolf Peaches, Poisoned Peas, and Madame Pompadour’s Underwear,” a talk hosted by Friends of the New Haven Library and sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council, will take place on Wednesday, March 23, at 7 p.m. It is open to all.
Rebecca Rupp has a Ph.D. in cell biology and biochemistry, and now works as a professional writer. She is the author of more than 200 articles for national magazines on topics ranging from the natural history of squirrels to the archaeology of privies, and of 20 books, both for children and adults.
Rupp also blogs for National Geographic on food history and science, and had a flashing 30 seconds of fame on National Geographic’s TV special “EAT: The Story of Food.”