Shirley Sarvis papers, 1957-2007 | Morse Department of Special Collections

By Volodymyr Chumachenko

Collection Overview

Title: Shirley Sarvis papers, 1957-2007

Primary Creator: Sarvis, Shirley (1935-2013)

Extent: 19.0 Boxes

Arrangement: The collection is organized into sixteen series: 1) Wine and Food Pairing, Luncheons; 2) Woman’s Day; 3) Published and Unpublished Recipes; 4) Entertaining; 5) Tastings, Consultations; 6) Julia Child; 7) Sarvis Bio and Pictures; 8) Personal Photos; 9) Magazine Clippings; 10) Magazine and Newspaper Clippings; 11) Recipe Clippings; 12) Dinner, Dessert Recipes and Wine; 13) Europe and Mexico; 14) First Trip to Europe; 15) Trip to Europe; 16) Personal Recipe Notes.

Subjects: Kansas life and culture

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Shirley Sarvis papers reflect her professional career during the second half of the twentieth century, primarily dated 1960-2005. The collection contains her biography and several personal photos, including those from notable birthdays, family pictures, and some portraits. A large portion of the collection is made up of magazine, newspaper clippings, and other documentation in regards to wine tasting and food pairing – specifically focusing on California wines. Additionally, there are numerous recipes relating to Woman’s Day and entertaining in the home – some of which contain personal recipe notes from Sarvis. The collection also holds personal correspondence with friends, publishers, and prominent people in food and wine business, most notably with Julia and Paul Child. Series 13, 14, and 15 contain information and documentation from Sarvis’ trips to abroad, specifically Mexico and multiple trips to European countries.

Biographical Note

Shirley Sarvis was born to George Vernon Sarvis and Wilhelmina Marie Koch Sarvis on February 21, 1935 in Norton, Kansas. Ms. Sarvis graduated from Norton Community High School and went on to Kansas State University to pursue a degree in home economics. After graduating in 1957, Ms. Sarvis moved to Menlo Park, California to begin her career as a food writer. Here, she worked for Sunset magazine from 1957 to 1962, then acted as a freelance food writer from 1962 until 2004, frequently writing for magazines like Woman's Day, Better Homes and Gardens, and Gourmet, among others. During this time, Sarvis gained notoriety as a talented pioneer in wine pairing, widely respected for her excellent palate. Over the years, she became friends with several well-known cooking icons, including James Beard, Julia Child, and Julia’s husband, Paul. Additionally, Ms. Sarvis published almost two dozen cookbooks, among them The Best of Scandinavian Cooking: Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, Women’s Day Home Cooking Around the World, and Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide and taught classes on wine and food pairings. Shirley Sarvis died on January 17, 2013.

Subject/Index Terms

Kansas life and culture

Administrative Information

Repository: Morse Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: No accession restriction: All materials are open for research.

Use Restrictions: The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Physical Access Note: Original materials available during open hours of repository and any digitized materials that are online are available with Internet access.

Preferred Citation: [Item title], [item date], Shirley Sarvis papers, Box [number], Folder [number or title], Morse Department of Special Collections, Kansas State University Libraries.

Processing Information: This collection was processed by Volodymyr Chumachenko, processing archivist.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Wine and Food Pairing, Luncheons],
[Series 2: Woman’s Day],
[Series 3: Published and Unpublished Recipes],
[Series 4: Entertaining],
[Series 5: Tastings, Consultations],
[Series 6: Julia Child],
[Series 7: Sarvis Bio and Pictures],
[Series 8: Personal Photos],
[Series 9: Magazine Clippings],
[Series 10: Magazine and Newspaper Clippings],
[Series 11: Recipe Clippings],
[Series 12: Dinner, Dessert Recipes and Wine],
[Series 13: Europe and Mexico],
[Series 14: First Trip to Europe],
[Series 15: Trip to Europe],
[Series 16: Personal Recipe Notes],
[All]

Series 16: Personal Recipe Notes

Box 19 of 19

Folder 1: Personal Recipe Notes 1978-1979
Folder 2: Personal Recipe Notes 1980
Folder 3: Personal Recipe Notes 1981
Folder 4: Personal Recipe Notes 1982
Folder 5: Personal Recipe Notes 1983
Folder 6: Personal Recipe Notes 1984
Folder 7: Personal Recipe Notes 1985
Folder 8: Personal Recipe Notes 1986
Folder 9: Personal Recipe Notes 1987
Folder 10: Personal Recipe Notes 1988-1989
Folder 11: Personal Recipe Notes (No Dates)