Schedule of Events
Marcia Houston
Open Fire Cooking Workshop
July 23 - 24, 2010A workshop on the art and practice of cooking on an open fire will be offered on July 23 through 24 at Pine Mountain Settlement School. Marcia Houston of Berks County, Pennsylvania will lead the workshop. She has decades of experience in hearth cooking and baking, and continues to do research on the cooking culture of early settlers.
Participants will learn about early foodways through looking at diaries, store ledgers and inventories. These primary source documents will provide a first-hand glimpse into 18th and 19th century cooking. The class will learn about how the seasons and the availability of food and spices influenced daily meals and the food prepared for special events. On the first day, the class will bake yeast bread, fruit pie and peppermint custard using a bake kettle or Dutch oven. While those dishes are baking, the class will make whipped cream and butter. The evening presentation will include discussion about early kitchen gardens and food preservation.
Participants will start the second day with interpretation of early receipts (recipes), a review of safe food handling practices, and demonstrations about the proper use and handling of early redware cooking crocks, iron pots and utensils. As the class prepares for that day's meal, Marcia will lead a discussion about what food would have been available locally in the season and the culture of the early settlers. The use of native and naturalized plants will also be discussed. After preparing and enjoying a fire-cooked meal, participants will end the workshop with a discussion on early kitchen gardens and food preservation.
This workshop will be of interest to anyone wanting a basic understanding of how to do research on early cooking practices, and how to cook on an open fire and on a fireplace hearth. The topic of cooking for interpretation or demonstration will also be covered.
Marcia Houston has spent the last 15 years working at an 18th century historic site in Berks County Pennsylvania, The Daniel Boone Homestead, birthplace of the famed frontiersman. Her interest in hearth cooking and baking prompted her research and subsequent interpretation of the Welsh, English, and German families of the Oley valley.
Marcia has provided interpretive cooking and baking demonstrations at several historic sites. She volunteers for the Pennsylvania German Heritage Center at Kutztown University, where she helps with the cataloging of the center's extensive collection. She is also continuing her research into 18th and 19th century food ways, textiles and early timber industry.
Workshop participants may check in for the workshop between 11 and noon on Friday, July 23rd.
Pine Mountain Settlement School is a National Historic Landmark located on the north side of Pine Mountain in northern Harlan County, Kentucky. The School's property covers 800 acres of forests, valleys, and streams in the state's southeast mountains. The School is also home to the 348-acre James E. Bickford State Nature Preserve.
Workshop size is limited to eight participants. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required at the time of registration, with the balance due upon arrival at the Settlement School. A registration form is available on the School's web site: www.pinemountainsettlementschool.com or by calling the office at 606-558-3571 between the hours of 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Rates
Cost of the workshop is $125, which covers tuition, lodging, and meals. Participants should wear comfortable work clothes, including long pants, and comfortable shoes – no open-toe shoes or sandals. Participants should bring a kitchen towel and apron, cutting board and sharp knife.
Lodging
Lodging is dormitory-style, with single rooms and a shared bathroom. Participants may want to bring reading materials, games, and musical instruments for free time on Friday evening. The Settlement School does not provide television service.
Meals
Lunch will be served at noon on Friday. The workshop will begin at 1p.m. in Laurel House, the School's central building, and will continue through the afternoon. The evening meal will be prepared over an open fire. The workshop continues on Saturday with breakfast and ends with an open-fire cooked lunch.
Advance Deposit
A non-refundable advance deposit of $50.00 is required at the time of registration and will apply to the total cost of your reservations. Lodging is not guaranteed without deposit.
Download PDF
« Return to Event Listing