![]() ![]() "I think this is really fun and it's an interesting cultural thing to do," said 10-year-old Emily Demicco of Farmington. "Is this how you turn on your stove on back home?" "We just turned on the burner," Witzke explained with a laugh. A small fireplace shovel is used to form a flat circle of coals on the hearth floor to heat the frying pan. One group cuts onions and melts butter in the Spyder to sauté. Regular mugs were used for measuring and, for our purposes, a cup of ingredients comes to the handle of the mug." It was also a lot of 'a pinch' of this or 'a handful' of that. "They used big spoons, what we call a tablespoon, or a small spoon, what we call a teaspoon, for measuring. "You'll have to scrape the carrots with a knife and cut off the potato peels with a knife as well," she said. ![]() Witzke explains that there were no potato peelers or measuring cups in the 18th century. Water and broth are already boiling in the bulge pot, so now it's time to add carrots, potatoes and a cup of mixed beans. Throughout the afternoon, students will be asked to feed the fire with wood, so that a ready supply of burning coals is always available.Īs half the class takes a tour of the Stanley-Whitman House, Witzke instructs the other half to start chopping ingredients for the stew. The fire has been burning about an hour-and-a-half and is ready for cooking. The danger of smoke and fire damage in the 300-year-old house requires that all cooking classes be held in the center, where a replica of an 1800s hearth and beehive oven has been built for visitors to enjoy during educational programs. The center is a separate building next to the 1720 Stanley-Whitman house, located where the family barn used to be. Later, the coals are moved in clumps to various parts of the floor of the stone hearth to heat the food.Īfter instructions are given, Witzke troops the class out the back door of the educational center at the museum to gather more wood. The other essential tool is a wood fire resting on a grate that produces hot red coals. Since cast iron holds the heat, potholders or oven mitts must be used any time a dish needs to be stirred or checked. A bulge pot is basically a rounded stew pot with a handle, so it can hang over the fire.Ī cast-iron crane is attached to the hearth to allow pots to hang over the open flames. The Dutch oven, with a heavy lid, has a trivet inside, so that bakeware can comfortably rest off the bottom of the pan and allow air to circulate around the food. To prepare Witzke's colonial menu of cornbread, fried sausages, stew, fritters and fruit crumble, she instructs the class in the use of cast-iron cookware.Ī "Spyder" frying pan looks much like a regular frying, pan but has legs that allow the pan to rest above the hot coals. Lesson two begins with getting acquainted with the tools of the trade. So you never want to wear those while near a fire." Polyester and polar fleece tend to go up immediately. "You will smolder for a while, so you can smell if your clothing is burning. "If you are wearing materials like cottons, woolens or leather shoes, you won't burst into flames," Witzke explained. Witzke recommends to students that, when they are cooking on an open hearth or any other heat source with open flames, they should always wear clothing made from natural fibers. The tending of the hearth was an all-day project that often required women to keep an eye on busy toddlers while brushing their ankle-length skirts near the open flames. In colonial times, more women died from fire than from childbirth - and with good reason. "Once you learn how to do it and you enjoy it, it's a really relaxing way to cook." "I find it just as easy to cook on the hearth as I do the stove," she explained. 1.But on this day, she's leading a class of 20 students, including grandparents, parents and children, through the ins and outs of cooking the colonial way. Let’s look at the twenty-one best cheese fondue dippers and sides to elevate your next fondue dinner. Cured meats, baby potatoes, and even fresh vegetables all have their place on the table. However, there are many more options for enjoying this cheesy treat these days. The traditional pairing for fondue is stale bread, as the meal originated when Swiss locals needed a way to reawaken old, crusty bread. It’s rich and delicious, offering the ultimate way to elevate anything you serve alongside it. Citrus and Arugula Salad with MarconaĬheese fondue is a super versatile base for your meal. What Side Dishes Go with Cheese Fondue?. ![]()
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