“A PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCH – BREAD, CHEESE, PICKLES & BEER”

A SPRING WEEKEND LEARNING ABOUT FOOD & BEER AT GENESEE COUNTRY VILLAGE & MUSEUM




Mumford, NY on Saturday, March 31st 2012 from 9:00 am-7:00 pm - Does your diet change with the seasons? What if you are doing a lot of outside work? During the 1700 & 1800s the food of the common man (and woman) was relatively simple. Beer and ale were commonly brewed in the spring and fall during times of favorable outdoor temperatures. A popular saying in the past states “As we brew so must we bake.” One of the most enjoyable compliments to a seasonal beer and loaf of fresh baked bread would have been cheese produced on the farm or obtained from a local grocer. Spring was also a time to enjoy the pickled and preserved bounty of the harvest before the first crops of the season came in.

This spring, Deborah Peterson’s Pantry, in conjunction with Genesee Country Village & Museum is hosting “A Ploughman’s Lunch- Bread, Cheese, Pickles, & Beer,” a historic foodways program that features some of the region’s most respected food historians. Come join us during an all-day symposium at the museum on Saturday, March 31st from 9:00 am-7:00 pm, but stay for the weekend to take advantage of the many hands-on workshops and tours also scheduled.

Brian Nagel, Director of Interpretation and brewer at the museum, will offer insight into the trials and tribulations of reproducing historic beers. Patricia Mead, Lead Interpreter of Historic Foodways at the site, will help us gain a better understanding of using barm from the brewery to produce bread. Deanna Berkemeier, Lead Interpreter of Domestic Skills, will share her wealth of knowledge in the process of making cheese using vintage receipts (recipes). Pamela Cooley, Independent Historian, will share with us her attempts to gain more knowledge of the author of America's first cookbook, American Cookery, published in 1796.

Deborah has also arranged for hands-on workshops at the site on baking, brewing, & making cheese, plus special tours of local attractions not normally open this time of year. To learn more about the offerings that weekend or register for the symposium, visit www.deborahspantry.com or call 215-256-4615. Space is limited so register early!