On June 26, 2025 we took a fascinating journey through the culinary history of Mount Desert Island with Paul Freedman, author of "Mount Desert Dining," an article featured in the 2025 edition of Chebacco. Paul spoke about how local seafood, seasonal ingredients, and social change shaped 175 years of dining culture on the island. From lavish feasts at the island's most exclusive hotels to humble church suppers, MDI's dining has served as both sustenance and social expression.

Paul Freedman has been a Professor of History at Yale University since 1997. Before that he taught at Vanderbilt University. He is a medievalist whose work has concentrated on Catalonia, the peasantry and church history. Freedman has also written on modern food and cuisine. His books include Ten Restaurants That Changed America and Why Food Matters. In 2024, he co-authored a book for children entitled Bite By Bite: American History Through Feasts, Food and Side Dishes.

This program was a collaboration between the MDI Historical Society and the Jesup Memorial Library.