Take a culinary trip circa the 1800’s as a guest of The Ermatinger Old Stone House, Sault Ste. Marie,Ontario. The Summer Kitchen is open year round and invites guests to share in Heritage teas,luncheons, or dinners. In the space known as the Summer Kitchen, groups and individuals can come together for a wonderful dining experience, woven together with oral history of The Old Stone House shared before and as the meal is served . Ian Ganton, Heritage Interpretor ,OSH, leads a group through the time and place in history that brings a person back to the 1800’s.
The menus for teas, luncheons, and dinners are intended to reflect the historical accuracy of meals that would have been served during the 1800’s. With a minimum of 10 people, and not exceeding 24, a group can book this culinary heritage experience in The Summer Kitchen at The Old Stone House. Ian Ganton weaves story-telling and history re-enactment together to bring the heritage culinary experience to the guests. He shares details about items used during that time for cake leavening for example. Baking soda had yet to be invented, and a laborious series of tasks would have been employed to incorporate wood ash into cake batter, thus allowing for cakes to rise during baking. “This is why many cakes in the 1800’s had a green tinge to them”. shared Ian Ganton.
Ian demonstrated how cakes were made (without the wood ash), using the Summer Kitchens’ hearth to bake a ginger and molasses cake. The hearth is used to cook the cake in a cast iron pot, using hot coals. Ian shows the guests food related items that would have been used during the 1800’s, including a brick of compressed tea leaves.
“Fridays by the Fire”, shared Kathryn Fisher, Curator,Ermatinger-Clergue, “is very popular, and often sells out.” This heritage culinary experience starts at noon each Friday. “Fridays by the Fire is a lunch and learn programme,and is $10.00 /person.” shared Kathryn, She recommends that people interested in attending this, telephone ahead to book a spot. Upcoming events include a Victorian Valentines Luncheon and 2015 Family Day activities where chocolate making will be featured.
For information, please contact Kathryn Fisher or Pauline Pennett at 759-5443 to book your private lunch or dinner.
bon appetite
“The Ermatinger Old Stone House has been fully restored to depict the domestic and professional life of Charles Oakes Ermatinger, as well as other respected residents who lived in the House between 1808 and 1896. The home was built with local red fieldstone and the exterior walls range from 30” to 36” thick, which provided natural protection against the elements.The Stone House was constructed using stones of various sizes applied to both faces of the walls and then covered with a lime mortar. This allowed the stones to be perfectly positioned without any attempt at pointing them outward.” (source,OSH website)
http://www.ecnhs.com/Programs/Culinary.aspx
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