About The Exhibit --
Key Ingredients: America by Food will be traveling to more than 200 rural communities across the US through 2013.

What exactly are kolaces, spaetzle and pierogie? Most of us eat day in day out without giving a second thought to the wealth of history and culture that shapes our dining habits and taste preferences.

Our recipes, menus, ceremonies, and etiquette are directly shaped by our country’s rich immigrant experience, the history and innovations of food preparation technology, and the ever-changing availability of key ingredients.

Curated by Charles Camp, Key Ingredients America by Food explores the connections between Americans and the foods they produce, prepare, preserve, and present at the table – a provocative and thoughtful look at the historical, regional, and social traditions that merge in everyday meals and celebrations.

The exhibition and web site are developed by Museum on Main Street, a partnership of the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils in service to museums and citizens of rural America.

Through a selection of artifacts, photographs, and illustrations, Key Ingredients examines the evolution of the American kitchen and how food industries have responded to the technological innovations that have enabled Americans to choose an ever-wider variety of frozen, prepared, and fresh foods. Key Ingredients also looks beyond the home to restaurants, diners, and celebrations that help build a sense of community through food.

Key Ingredients stimulates comparisons of "back then" and "right now," "over there" and "right here." The exhibition will engage audiences everywhere, creating conversations and inspiring community recollection and celebration.

Each of the 150 venues hosting the exhibition is planning events, programs, and local exhibitions to link their own collections and local food specialties to the national story told in the exhibition.

Ted, I was hoping you could put something on your website about people's speed down Main Street especially the 5th & Main area. Lots of people think the stop light at 5th & Main is their green light to speed as fast as they can before they get to downtown, thing is there are lots of kids walking up down Main St in this area as well as my 2 children play in our yard and I'm scared that one day one of these people will lose control of their vehicle and either hit a kid riding their skateboard or bike down the street to a friend's house or run into our yard hurting our children. I understand school is in and I think everyone should be held accountable for their actions and pay attention to the bus stops, but please pay attention to the children when school isn't in session. That is someone's child whose life you are putting into danger. I can't ask the Collinsville Police Department to sit across from my house and monitor everyone's speed because they do have other things to do, but I can ask the people of Collinsville to be more responsible and obey the speed limit on Main St, there are lots of children going up and down Main St and I'd hate to see someone get hurt. Thanks for your time Ted. -- Beth Davis (9/5/2009)