Salem's "Old Bakery" and bean pots

The Old Bakery of Salem, Mass. was originally built in 1683 as a home by Benjamin Hooper, a cordwainer, became a bakery from c1865 at 23 Washington Street and moved in 1911 to the House of Seven Gables complex.

Holiday virtual talks

The upcoming holidays - Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and a special day - 'Stir-up Sunday' to make Plum Pudding for Christmas - are the subject of many virtual talks this year.

Uncle Sam is depicted cutting the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner with various naturalized citizens following the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868.

British foodways virtual talks

There are many upcoming talks on British foodways and tapes of talks: Queen Victoria, Stir-up Sunday Christmas Pudding (Nov 22), Colonial sugar trade, Scottish food and many more. Once I find the tapes of talks after they are given, this post (and other topic posts) will only keep the talks with tapes.

King George III toasting muffins, satire by James Gillray in 1791.

Civil War bake ovens in the US Capitol

First and foremost, thanks to all Veterans and those who are serving now.

Following the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, four thousand soldiers moved into the newly remodeled Capitol. Men from Mass. quickly built two ovens in the basement to make the bread portion of their rations. Other ovens were built, producing 65,000 loaves a day (24/7) for a year and a half.

Being Human: A Festival of the Humanities, UK - 11 food history talks

Food history events, listed below, and many more interesting talks (over 200) in this UK festival from Nov 12 to 22. HERE

Adobe ovens photos; Bread, flour, oven talks

Location, location, location. The ovens were on the ground... or on a building... or in a building... or on wheels (apologies to Dr. Seuss). Next week will be a talk baking in an adobe horno! Two talks are by bakers who use clay ovens, one portable on wheels. Below the pictures are talks on breads, flour and a very good talk on the history of making salt in Scotland and England.

Day of the Dead - Dia de Muertos

Sugar skulls were sold in market stalls (1908 image). Other items for the family alters include candles, Pan de Muerto (a sweet yeast bread), mole and other foods. Several upcoming virtual events are listed below. Some give history and make one of the items such as a sugar skull artist. Dia de Muertos is Nov 2 with activities beginning on Oct 31.

Indigenous foodways talks; Acorn Mush cooked in basket

Incredibly, the steam was from a rock heated in a fire, then stirred in the Wiiwish... IN a basket. The pounded acorns and water eventually thickened and the basket was not burned.

Notice to Milkman!

Quarantine sign tacked to the front door during the Typhoid Fever epidemic of 1911, ordered that the milk bottles were not to be exchanged or the milkman would be fined $5 to $100 (currently $75 to $1500). 

Do you know the Muffin Man's... little bell? October 15 start of street selling, and free chocolate

The "tinkling" of the muffin sellers' small bells commenced on the fifteenth of October until Spring. Some associated the high tone to the colder weather; a writer in 1832 disliked the sound ever since childhood. Ofcourse there were other bells - church, postman, town crier, dustman - but Parliament tried, unsuccessfully, to ban the the muffin men's bells before 1851. and chocolate? ...more at the end.

Drink up! Talks: Taverns, Beer, Wine, Cocktails, Whiskey...

There is no denying it... there are more and more virtual talks about drinks as our Covid lockdown continues. Grog (yes, grog by a Naval museum), beer, whiskey/whisky, gin, cocktails, teas and chocolate. Many talks include recommended  samples - either mailed or picked up locally. And even beer games done museum style (Penn Museum of UPenn). Tapes, then the October talks.

Peach Chutnee, India and Mrs. B. C. Howard

Jane Grant Gilmor Howard (1801-1890) wrote the charity cookbook Fifty Years in a Maryland Kitchen in 1873. This "East India receipt" is spiced with finely chopped garlic, ginger, red chili peppers, mustard seed, salt, cider vinegar, sugar and raisins. She had several family connections to India.

6 series of talks and 90 virtual talks now thro October

There are several interesting food history series in October that I want to bring to your attention. Signup just started for Folger and Newberry libraries "Food and the Book: 1300-1800." A conference next week on "Material Culture of Sugar in Early New England" is at Historic Deerfield. Also the British Library’s "Food Season," "Masterworks of Japanese Tea Culture," and a series by Enfield Shaker Museum. "Food History Seminar" by Institute of Historical Research has 6 talks. Next week a talk on the study and redoing of the 1739 kitchen at Newlin Grist Mills. October already has over 70 talks.

Ideas for local business pair-ups in virtual talks with museums and tour companies

More and more talks provide the option to buy a box of samples (beer, alcohols, tea) or ingredients to make along with the talk. Starting Oc 9, Plimoth Grist Mill (yes, the one with the Mayflower) will have a virtual mill tour then 3 more dates making cornbread, Indian Pudding and pancakes using its cornmeal, which can be picked up or shipped. It is a great way to support small businesses, and small businesses (ie. cheese shop; tea shop) are even presenting virtual talks.

Bacon racks held soap, paper bags of herbs, ropes of onions, rennet and... meat

Bacon or meat racks hung from the ceiling beams in front of hearths in Great Britain. By 1823 "every kitchen" had the racks which were also an "impediment to upright walking." Image from 1758.

Dr. Clarissa F. Dillon - One Cool Colonial series

Clarissa F. Dillon, the authority (she wrote the book!) on 18th century kitchen gardens, is introducing us to unusual plants and their uses in true quarantine fashion - virtually. We get to follow along as she tends her period correct garden at the 1696 Thomas Massey House, see the end results (medicinal, cosmetic, and yes, as food) and delight in Clarissa’s vast knowledge, sharp wit and great sense of fun. She is One Cool Colonial... in 10 minute episodes.

Archive listing of past virtual talks during Covid lockdown

The original calendar post will maintain the current and future virtual talks listing and other materials Calendar of virtual talks. This post is to "archive" all (including not taped) virtual talks on the events list from the past months.  Many talks are not taped, so only a third of the talks have tapes to view and marked in red as Tape. Those which are taped will be placed in the various categories (ie museums, culinary groups, subjects) on the other post... when I have time. 

19th century Naples lemonade stand - shrine

This image, from 1840, shows one of the flamboyant stands in Naples which "look much like the shrines of the Madonna in other Italian cities."  The stands sold "orangeade and lemonade mixed with snow." Complete image, below.

Oral and written history project on foodways during quarantine

The Center for Food and Culture is collecting oral histories and also written answers to online questions (if you prefer) on comfort foodways during the pandemic. Help them... and future researchers... by participating HERE.

17 Freezing Pots, Sorbetieres, Ice Cream Makers & Freezers from 1751 to 1916 in Ice Cream History

The cylindrical sorbetiere and scraper was still sold in 1903.  But in the 1840s models were patented with paddles to churn the cream or milk as it froze. I've put some pictures I've collected of a wide variety of styles of ice cream makers  together to easily compare and contrast. Many of these images, with descriptions, are in future (Walker, Gouffe) or past posts (Fuller HERE) and 5 descriptions in 'Gunter's Tea Shop' with more posts HERE.