The fonds represents over forty years of Julian Armstrong's career as a food writer and journalist. The fonds contains primarily textual records created and accumulated by Armstrong during her research into the culinary history and traditions of Quebec while a food editor with the Montreal Gazette. Series 1 consists of food research files arranged by Armstrong according to geographic location or subject. Generally, the files are arranged by Quebec town or region, but some are devoted to food research topics related particularly to Quebec, such as "tourtières". The second subseries is arranged by specific foodstuffs, such as "Maple Syrup Pie" or "Bread," or food-related topics such as chefs and restaurants, or nutritional or diet topics. Series 2 contains notebooks of Armstrong's notes taken during travels primarily in Quebec's regions with observations, interview notes, tasting notes, and information such as food prices. The notebooks begin in 1986, dating from when she began her travels in Quebec for her food reporting. Series 3 contains records related to Armstrong's publications and speaking engagements. Series 4 consists of documents created through Armstrong's participation in culinary associations such as Cuisine Canada and in various cooking contests. Series 5 contains notebooks kept by Armstrong between 1969 and 1995 tracking food prices at particular regional grocery stores, organized by food product.

Series 1: Food research files
Series 2: Notebooks
Series 3: Publications and presentations
Series 4: Associations and events
Series 5: Food price records

Series consists of materials relating to Armstrong's publication of "A Taste of Quebec" (published 1995 and updated 2001), including promotional materials and book reviews. It also contains records related to her many speaking engagements on Quebec cuisine and Quebec food history, including to the Ontario Historical Society, Tourisme Québec, and academic and culinary conferences. Her speeches files include handwritten and typewritten transcripts and speaking notes, with post-it notes indicating where certain topics are mentioned or with other annotations.

The second subseries contains research materials, notes, correspondence, conference presentations, ephemeral publications, etc. on specific topics, such as "Maple Syrup Pie" and "Cheese" or from particular conferences or events (such as "Culinary Historians Conference, May 2009"). The subseries also contains research materials related to diet and health topics, such as "Nutritionists," "Omega-3s," and "Salmonella."

This series consists of notebooks of Armstrong's notes taken during travels primarily in Quebec's regions with observations, interview notes, tasting notes, and information such as food prices. The notebooks begin in 1986, dating from when she began her travels in Quebec for her food reporting. The notebooks cover the years 1986-1989, 1992, 1995-2000, 2003-2016. Later notebooks (2000s) tend to be labeled by date only, while early notebooks (1980s) tend to have both date and location. The notebooks include many items laid in, such as business cards, and post-it notes. From 1986 to 1999, the notebooks represent Armstrong's travels throughout Quebec; later notebooks include notes taken in some international destinations in Europe and the United States. The earliest notebook includes notes taken during a French immersion trip to Jonquière in 1986. In general, the notebooks contain handwritten notes on dishes and their preparation, food products and production, restaurants, grocery store food prices, ephemera like business cards, and notes from interviews with chefs, home cooks, and food producers.

This series contains research files compiled by Armstrong during the course of her food research. The files primarily represent multiple visits to Quebec towns and regions. The series is divided into two subseries: (1) Quebec regional food research and (2) Food research subject files. The files in the first subseries are composed primarily of ephemera and research notes collected or created during her travels in various Quebec regions during research food and foodways. These include brochures about and/or published in various regions in Quebec, largely related to agro-tourism; business cards and pamphlets from restaurants, bakeries, and food producers; correspondence with chefs and proprietors, often with recipes attached; clippings; and Armstrong's travel or itinerary notes. Some of the largest files are related to Charlevoix, the Eastern Townships, Lanaudière, and Île d'Orleans.The second subseries contains research materials, notes, correspondence, conference presentations, ephemeral publications, etc. on specific topics, such as "Maple Syrup Pie" and "Cheese" or from particular conferences or events (such as "Culinary Historians Conference, May 2009").

The series also contains a small amount of material pertaining to conferences attended and general cooking ephemera collected by Armstrong, such as loose recipes.

File contains pamphlets and informational guides to Montreal's public markets (Atwater Market, Marché Jean-Talon, and Marché Maisonneuve), notes with contact information and lists of market boutiques, clippings, correspondence on farmers' markets, and press releases.

File consists of research materials and speaking notes on contemporary Quebec food culture for a panel discussion on April 20, 2016, at New York University, on "Food studies 20 years in." Materials consist of typewritten notes with annotations on local food and farmers' markets, speaking notes, and background research materials such as articles, notes, correspondence, and informational packets on local farms.

File includes clippings (many related to Westmount), handwritten lists of contacts, and a paper on the history of sweets and desserts in Canada.

File contains correspondence, clippings, recipes, articles and manuscript notes on marmalade.

File consists of extracts from publications, correspondence about rankings and recommendations of Montreal restaurants, and article on 19 top Montreal restaurants of 2014.