Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Nelson, Kay Shaw |
| Title: | Kay Shaw Nelson Papers |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1950-1980 |
| Quantity: | 11 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Collection of American and international menus, recipes, cookbooks. |
| Language: | English, numerous other languages. |
| Repository: |
Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
Kay Shaw Nelson is an American writer and researcher on a variety of current and historical topics relating to food and travel.
Born in Hanover, New Hampshire, Ms. Nelson graduated from Syracuse University in 1948 with a degree in Russian studies and journalism. She worked as a reporter for several New Hampshire newspapers before taking a job as an intelligence officer for the CIA. Beginning in 1951, she and her husband Wayne, also a CIA intelligence officer, spent many years abroad in the Middle East, the Far East, Europe, Africa, North and South America, and the Caribbean. In 1997 she wrote an introduction entitled "How to go from spies to pies: Operation Gastronomy" for the best-selling cookbook Spies, Black Ties, & Mango Pies: Stories and Recipes from CIA Families All Over the World. The author of numerous cookbooks and hundreds of articles in national publications such as the Washington Post, Gourmet, Woman's Day, and Family Circle, she is also a newspaper columnist and culinary historian.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
"Menu" comes from the Latin "minutus," meaning "small" or "detailed." One of the earliest known menus as print artifact dates from 1541, when the Duke of Brunswick compiled a list of dining options for his guests. Prior to this, early menus were usually intended for the chef, not the guests, as a set of instructions for the order of dishes. The individual menu reached its height in the early 19th century, and many of Europe's most talented artists illustrated them.
The Kay Shaw Nelson Papers consists of clippings, ethnic and regional recipes and cookbooks, menus, and miscellany. The majority of the collection consists of menus dating from the 1950s to the present, representing a wide range of nationalities, ethnicities, cuisines and occasions. In addition to samples from across the United States, the collection contains examples from Asia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Corsica, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, Spain, St. Lucia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, and other countries. The collection is particularly strong in Germany, Australia, the British Isles, and Asia. Airline and ship menus are also represented.
Arrangement of the Collection
The collection is unprocessed and remains in original order.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The collection is currently unprocessed and not available for research. Please contact SCRC for more information.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
Many of the cookbooks donated with the menu collection have been transferred to Rare Books for cataloging. Please refer to the Classic Catalog for a complete listing.
Subject Headings
Persons
Subjects
Genres and Forms
Occupations
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Kay Shaw Nelson Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Gift of Kay Shaw Nelson, 2008-2013.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: MRC
Date: 15 Sep 2008
Revision history:
Inventory
An inventory has not yet been created for this collection. Please contact the Repository listed above for more information.