In 2023, LA Cocina de Gloria Molina received a donation of cookbooks by Josefina Velázquez de León from the Barbara Joan Hansen Cookbook Collection from Kim Fay, author of Love & Saffron, on behalf of Barbara's nephew, Eric Ball.
This donation inspired Josefina Velázquez de León: The Forgotten Legacy of a Mexican Culinary Pioneer. In the late 1960s and 1970s, Hansen became one of the first food writers to document international cuisines in Los Angeles through her work at the LA Times, most notably her groundbreaking column “Border Line.” Like Josefina, Barbara was ahead of her time.
Join curator and food historian Maite Gomez-Rejón in conversation with Kim Fay as they discuss the life and legacy of Barbara Hansen, the importance of food writing, recording recipes, and the role of women in culinary history.