In the News: Buffalo State History Professor Provides Background for NYT Article on Paraguayan Dish

Bridget Chesterton, professor of history and social studies education, was interviewed by the New York Times for an article that traces the inception of the Paraguayan national dish sopa Paraguaya. The article, “Did a Delicious Mistake Lead to This National Dish?” by Christina Morales, published on January 23, explores the apocryphal origins of the custardy cornbread, involving a nineteenth-century mishap in the presidential kitchen and an attempt to salvage the mistake. The reporter drew from resources and information provided by Chesterton, who is credited in the article. Chesterton, whose research areas include Latin American and food and commodities history, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities in 2016. She holds a Ph.D. in history from Stony Brook University and an M.A. in Latin American studies from the University of New Mexico.

Photo: Flag of Paraguay 1842–1954. Wikimedia Commons.