Los Angeles is a city that has always grown so fast it has little sense of its history unless it has something to do with Hollywood. As a result, many people are surprised to hear that for decades this was a major agricultural region—not just oranges, but fruits and vegetables of all types, to say nothing of the product of its dairies and many chicken farms. A few signs remain, such as the olive trees cursed by homeowners for staining sidewalks.

Charles Perry is the president of the Culinary Historians. He was a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times’ Food section from 1990 to 2008 and has published widely on food history, particularly concerning Southern California and the Middle East.

In this Zoom program, Charles helps CHSC celebrate its 25th Anniversary with his annual President’s lecture.