Bake Off Wrap-Up

Thank you for joining us here at Special Collections and Archives this year for our Great Rare Books Bake Off journey. In the end, I think our recipe attempts were on the whole successful, no disasters or kitchen fires, and mostly edible! Our recipes spanned from the 17th century to some potentially more familiar recipes

Forgotten Cookies

A guest post by John G. Riley House Intern Roxy Rico. “It’s getting there.” Hopeful, vigorous whisking.  “See? It’s a bit thicker…” “Are you sure?” “I think so…” “Give it to me.” Less hopeful, rather aggressive whisking. Twenty, then twenty five minutes passed like this. We don’t own an electric mixer; naturally, I decided to

Modifying Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is an ancient dish that’s been around for centuries. The Oxford Companion to Food states that rice pudding descended from rice pottages, which go as far back as the Romans. Although it’s unknown exactly where it originated, it is thought to have its roots in India or China, both of which have an

Eggless Cake and Caramel Frosting

I’m Keila, the Sunshine State Digital Network Coordinator in Special Collections and Archives. As a vegan with a sweet tooth, I wanted to find a recipe that would be easily adaptable to one that doesn’t use any animal-derived ingredients. When perusing old recipes, this is not generally an easy task. I was pleasantly surprised when

Exploring the Culinary Past: My Great Rare Book Bake Off Adventure

This post was written by Mason R.K. Hall, Strozier’s Web Development Librarian. As I embarked on my journey through the Great Rare Book Bake Off recipes, I was on the hunt for something unique, maybe even a little weird. It’s fascinating how food and recipes evolve; dishes that were everyday fare for our grandparents seem

Battle of the Dill Dips

I have not done the appetizer category before for the Great Rare Books Bake Off which is slightly surprising as if you’ve ever attended a family gathering of mine, the table groans with the different dips we make for our parties. Our dips are not very cleverly named; veggie dip, fruit dip, chip dip (a

Announcing…The Great Rare Books Bake Off 2023!

It is the most wonderful time of the year here at FSU! The Great British Bake Off Season 14 is premiering and it is still spooky season for a few more days. This will be our fourth year of celebrating all things baking, cooking, and mixing here in FSU Special Collections & Archives. Last year we chose

“You Should Just Digitize It All”

If you are ever to meet a digital archivist someday, and for some reason want to get under their skin, proceed to ask them this one question: “You’re just going to digitize all the books right?” When their eye starts twitching, you’ll know you hit your mark. It is becoming a tradition of mine as

Intern Intro

My name is Julia, and I am the new intern in Special Collections and Archives at Strozier Library! I am very excited about this position and learning more about archives in the context of preservation. I am currently in my second year at FSU majoring in Art History and Anthropology as well as minoring in

Guide on How to Visit Special Collections

Have you ever visited FSU Special Collections & Archives? Not sure where to start?  Well here’s your Guide on How to Visit Special Collections! Although the process does require some planning ahead, it’s quick and easy. First you need to find an item you want to explore. You can get more information about how to