ONLINE: Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin (CHEW)

press release:  "Sweet Greeks: First Generation Immigrant Confectioners in the Heartland,” presented by Ann Flesor Beck, independent scholar and third-generation Greek confectioner 

6:30 pm, Wednesday, February 3, 2021, Online Meeting via Zoom (see access info below) 

Ann Flesor Beck explores her grandfather Gus Flesor’s coming to the United States from Greece in 1901. His journey led him to Tuscola, Illinois, where he learned the confectioner's trade and opened a business that still stands on Main Street. Sweet Greeks sets the story of Gus Flesor's life as an immigrant in a small town within the larger history of Greek migration to the Midwest. 

Ann Flesor Beck's charming personal account recreates the atmosphere of her grandfather's candy kitchen with its odors of chocolate and popcorn and the comings-and-goings of family members. "The Store" represented success while anchoring the business district of Gus's chosen home. It also embodied the Midwest émigré experience of chain migration, immigrant networking, resistance and outright threats by local townspeople, food-related entrepreneurship, and tensions over whether later generations would take over the business.  

Ann Flesor Beck is a third-generation Greek confectioner and independent scholar. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. With her sister, she co-owns and operates Flesor's Candy Kitchen in Tuscola, Illinois.

You can buy Ann’s book on University of Illinois Press’s website:

https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/47pfz8cn9780252043406.html

How to Join the CHEW Meeting on February 3

Sometime before the meeting, it’s a good idea to download the Zoom app/program onto your laptop, iPad or mobile.* You will need to sign up by providing your e-mail address and creating a password. If you don’t do this ahead of time, you’ll be prompted to download Zoom at meeting time. 

To join in at meeting time on February 3, open this link on your browser: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81829724688?pwd=Q1hDZUVkbUZuRE1VMzk3bFNFYU42QT09

You will be prompted to provide the meeting password (below).

Alternatively, you can join the meeting via the Zoom app: Supply your email address and Zoom password and indicate that you want to join a meeting in progress. Now enter the meeting ID number (below), then click "Join the Meeting." You will be prompted to enter the meeting password (also below).

Meeting ID: 818 2972 4688

Passcode: 816813

*For info about using a mobile phone to join a meeting, or for more instruction about using Zoom, visit the Zoom support page at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/categories/200101697

Dial by your location

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information, visit the CHEW website at chewwisconsin.com/ or visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chewwis To get on our mailing list, or for additional information, email Joan Peterson at info@eatsmartguides.com or Terese Allen at tallen@gdinet.com