Food - Overview
Part of a nation's history lies in what people eat. Artifacts at the Museum document the history of food in the United States from farm machinery to diet fads.
More than 1,300 pieces of stoneware and earthenware show how Americans have stored, prepared, and served food for centuries. Ovens, cookie cutters, kettles, aprons, and ice-cream-making machines are part of the collections, along with home canning jars and winemaking equipment. More than 1,000 objects recently came to the Museum when author and cooking show host Julia Child donated her entire kitchen, from appliances to cookbooks.
Advertising and business records of several food companies—such as Hills Brothers Coffee, Pepsi Cola, and Campbell's Soup—represent the commercial side of the subject
"Food - Overview" showing 30 items.
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Bundt Pan
- Description (Brief)
- Nordic Ware, a family-owned manufacturing firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was founded in 1946 by brothers Dave and Mark Dalquist, as “Plastics for Industry.” In 1950, the brothers bought Northland Aluminum Products, a small firm with a line of “Nordic Ware” products including griddles and steak platters. The same year, Dave Dalquist created a cast aluminum, fluted cake pan and trademarked it as the “Bundt” pan. The company continued to grow its product line to include specialty baking and cookware items, including the microwave turntable. Nordic Ware is notable due to its history of product innovation through engineering, and its continued production of cookware in the United States.
- The most recognizable product that Nordic Ware has produced is its top-selling Bundt Pan. Nordic Ware manufactured this pan in the 1950s. The traditionally German Bundt cake become popular after one was used to bake a “Tunnel of Fudge” cake that placed second in the 1966 Pillsbury bake-off. Subsequently, Pillsbury and Nordic Ware paired up to sell cake mixes and pans very successfully.
- Description
- This cast aluminum, fluted tube pan was created in 1950 by David Dalquist (1918-2005), co-founder of Nordic Ware, a Minneapolis-based cookware manufacturing company. Launched as Plastics for Industry in 1946, David Dalquist and his brother Mark began making foundry patterns and industrial plastic products for area businesses. They also made aluminum cookware, including specialty products based on Scandinavian baking tools. Nordic Ware's ebleskiver pans, krumkake irons, and rosette irons were popular with the area's large Scandinavian population.
- In addition to manufacturing Bundt pans, Nordic Ware also produced cook books and recipes, most of which were tested by David's wife, Dotty, in their home kitchen. "300 Ways to Use Your Bundt Pan" and the "Busy Ladies Bundt Cook Book" contain recipes for making casseroles, salads, and even bread in a Bundt.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1950
- maker
- Nordic Ware
- ID Number
- 2007.0034.30
- catalog number
- 2007.0034.30
- accession number
- 2007.0034
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Schutz-O'Neill Co.]
- Date range
- 1800s-1900s
- Variant company name
- Established 1893
- Company Name
- Schutz-O'Neill Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_17746
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Home Sanitation Co., Inc.]
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Home Sanitation Co., Inc.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_19656
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Pillsbury-Washburn Flour Mills Co., Ltd.]
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Pillsbury-Washburn Flour Mills Co., Ltd.
- Related companies
- Pillsbury Flour Mills Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_29210
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Nordic Ware]
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Nordic Ware
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_32568
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Muckle Mfg. CO.]
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Muckle Mfg. CO.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_33114
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Ringer Do-Nut Co.]
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Ringer Do-Nut Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_12185
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Cervin Electric Mfg. Co.]
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Cervin Electric Mfg. Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_12481
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Fairmont Canning Co.]
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Fairmont Canning Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_14280
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries
- No Image Available
[Trade catalogs from Electrahot Mfg. Co.]
- Date
- 1900s
- Variant company name
- Mansfield, OH ;
- Company Name
- Electrahot Mfg. Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_14850
- Data source
- Smithsonian Institution Libraries