HUZZAH!

Happy Birthday, United States of America
HUZZAH!

And yes, I scored a few useful goodies that were found amongst the six
or so tables displaying silent auction items:

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A side trip was taken Tuesday to Lowell National Historical Park, in Lowell,
Massachusetts, where the Kirk Boott Cotton Mill and Museum is located.
Although time was rather limited, it was still fascinating to see the replica
set-up, the working machines, the end products, and to learn about how
life would’ve been for those working (men, women, and children of all
ages) in such an environment:

The daily schedule of workers was strictly regulated:

Mill work was not for the faint of heart, as six days each week, the day
began with breakfast at 6:15 a.m. and didn’t end until nearly 12 hours
later. For all my fellow foodways enthusiasts, note that the mid-day
meal is still referred to as “Dinner”:

Interesting…

Modern (alarm) meets the old (fire water bucket):

Sample bolts of the fabric that were made at the Boott Cotton Mill
during the early years:

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And finally, the Annual ALHFAM Presidential Banquet, which was held one
evening in the refurbished and still-working historic Union Station (c. 1911)
in downtown Worcester. As always, business attire or historic clothing were
the de rigueur:

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I think I can safely say that a good time was had by one and all
during the Conference. HUZZAH!

I will return!

Conference activities and sessions will take place in various campus
buildings. Attendees are either staying in nearby hotels or in the WSC
dorm, Wayslean Hall:

Yep, I’m a dormer. I tell ya, after my first night here…. It’s a pretty decent
dorm as far as dorms go. Modern, clean, AIR CONDITIONED. We’re all in
multi-room suites, with living area, kitchen, shared bath. Now, it’s been
more than three decades since I’ve spent any amount of time in one of
these. In fact, my 35th (yikes!) college reunion is next week, but I’m here
instead of there (hope you appreciate it, ALHFAM!). After last night, however,
well, I sure do envy those folks staying at hotels! Am not sure how long I’ll
last…or if I do…I may join them. ugh Well, one thing is definite: it’s certainly
gonna be an adventure!

More later. Gotta go see if I can find a ride out to our host site, Old Sturbridge
Village. If not, there’s always the local Yellow Cab (have used it several times
already). I’d really like to spend some time there today, if I can. Didn’t come
early to not! Besides, I HAVE to be at OSV tonight. Why, you may ask?
Because I scored a ticket to the Kiln Firing! I can hardly wait. It’s gonna
be sooooo exciting. HUZZAH!

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[note to Mary: See what you're missing?! Will hopefully get LOTS of photos!]

Now, usually, I’d share some pictures with you.
And not to brag, but I think I take some pretty
damn good photos, yes?! Nevertheless, I’d love
to be able to present a few now. Perhaps some
of the food being prepared and cooked. Maybe
several views of the finished dishes. Even one
or two of my fellow classmates hard at work
and having fun.

Unfortunately, however, I can’t. You see, just
a few days prior to the class, everyone was
sent an e-mail wherein it was stated:

…photography is not permitted.

Okaaaaaaaaaay….

Now I’m sure this “new” rule is not dictated
by Historic Speedwell. I’ve taken four classes
at the site, and everyone has always been
allowed to take pictures during class. I’ve
even been there on other occasions, as well,
merrily snapping away, inside and out. No,
this is an instructor’s rule. I won’t go into it
here, but I know that to be the case. So,
despite the fact that the class and the site
are open to the public, we paid to participate,
we did nearly all the work, and we now would
like to show others (particularly folks back at
our own historic sites, or friends and family,
or heck, even blog readers) what took place,
we can’t.

Of course, I took my camera anyway (out of habit,
don’t you know) and got a few exterior photos
of this National Historic Landmark. (So shoot me!)

This is the building where the class was held:

The same house from the back. The class took place
in a large room just inside the lower level door (near
the center, at the bottom of the photo) at a modern,
reconstructed cooking hearth.

Here’s the building behind the one above:

Nearby is a completely restored barn-like structure,
known as the Factory Building. Inside are several
interactive exhibits that pertain to Speedwell’s role
in the invention of the telegraph. It was here that
the first successful demonstration of that ground-
breaking devise took place on January 11, 1838.
There is a working restored, 24-foot overshoot
waterwheel housed in the side extension, as well:

Another house, near the entrance:

During the hearth cooking class, seven early
19th century dishes were prepared. I mainly
worked on a curd dish called a “Devonshire
Junket.” It’s basically a pre-cheese concoction,
consisting of just the curdled milk and its whey.
A cooked cream sauce, spiced with sugar and
cinnamon, was dribbled on top. It reminded us
all of the first lines of the childhood nursery
rhyme (which naturally has British origins):

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey….

Now I know what she was probably eating.
Minus the little creepy crawler, of course.
And I must say, I think it was the best dish
of the lot. HUZZAH!

Of course, it prompted me to do a little research
when I returned home. According to the Oxford
English Dictionary (OED), a junket is

a cream-cheese or other
preparation of cream
(originally made in a rush
basket or served on a rush
mat); now, a dish of curds,
sweetened and flavoured,
served with a layer of scalded
cream on the top. (Popularly
associated with Devonshire,
but answering to the ‘curds
and cream’ of other districts.)

In addition to a few similar receipts, I also found
quite a bit written by the late noted author,
Karen Hess,* including this marvelous line:

The English predilection
for curds is legendary.

Hess also mentions that curd dishes are members
of the same group as soft cheeses, syllabubs,
custards, and so on. Apparently, they were eaten
often during church-ordered fasting periods. As
those restrictions eased, however, they fell out
of favor, and all but disappeared at some point
during the 17th century.

Later, I discovered…um, well, uh…wait a minute…

Awww, what the hey! Rule, schmule. Yep, that’s
right, I broke it. I snuck a photo (or two). Dagnabit,
I’m gonna document my “Junket.” So, go ahead,
call the cops! Have me arrested!

Here now, is my contraband, my “stolen” treasure.
Enjoy!

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* See Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery,
transcribed by Karen Hess, p. 146-7.

So, in honor of myself (!) and my blog guru
Steven Shaw, to whom I owe a Big Thanks
for helping me start and continue this journey
through the fascinating world of blogs, take
a look at this wacky video clip. Filmed last year,
it features Steven and pal Anthony Bourdain
discussing the blogging class Steven teaches
at the French Culinary Institute (FCI), which is
part of NYC’s International Culinary Center (ICC).
And yes, yours truly is the woman (or the “poor
misguided soul,” according to Anthony) he mentions
who’s “an expert on historical hearth cookery.”
HUZZAH!

TA-DA! Baked Potato Pudding

Hey, Steven and Anthony!
Yoo-Hoo! I’m still here!
My blog is alive and well!
HUZZAH!

Before I go, however, here are a few more gobbits
(aka morsels) of information from the book:

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Food supplies came
from a variety of sources,
including local farms and
gardens, town markets,
or the occasional hunt
on surrounding lands.
Much was also grown
or raised within Palace
walls. After arriving
in Hampton’s labyrinth of courtyards, it was all
then accounted for and sent along to be stored,
processed, prepared, cooked, or eaten in a series
of more than 50 different rooms, which spanned
a “staggering” 36,000 square feet.

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For the most part, King
Henry VIII did not take
his meals with the other
600 or so members of his
court. Instead, he had
his own private kitchens
wherein a separate team
of cooks prepared his daily
fare, which he then ate
in private chambers that were far removed from others.

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Forks were introduced
from Italy during Henry’s
reign. They were welcomed
as a cooking and serving
tool, but not as one for
eating. The King would’ve
been the only person to
have one, and he used it
mainly for eating sweet
preserves. His fellow courtiers used a Court-provided
spoon, their own knives, and their fingers. They ate
off wooden trenchers, with their napkins laid across
the left shoulder instead of the lap.

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If anyone would like a copy of this marvelous,
information-packed book, just click the website
here: Hampton Court Palace.
I highly recommend it!

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* The Taste of the Fire, The Story of the Tudor
Kitchens at Hampton Court Palace