America's Sweet Tooth: 250 Years of Sweets, Treats, and Traditions

What can pie, candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies reveal about American history? Food historian Francine Segan explores how desserts reflect the nation’s past, from English-inspired pies to modern social media trends. She examines how invention and necessity shaped sweets such as jelly beans and candy corn, how Depression-era scarcity led home cooks to ingenious recipes like “water pie,” and also uncovers truths behind familiar names and dessert myths—from Betty Crocker (not a real person) to German chocolate cake (not German). Registrants receive a companion recipe handout.