On Friday evening, I had the opportunity to work with a great group of volunteers and staff members of the Museum of Old York in Maine. It was the once- a-month Tavern Night at the Jefferds’ Tavern.

Chris, Nancy, Larrissa, Nola, Eileen, Sandie, Jack

We had two cooking fireplaces going, one beehive oven, plus the two fireplaces in the tavern rooms for the guests. Jack helped me lug wood and I kept the fires going while peeling vegetables and other chores. There were many things to do in preparation for our guests, and everyone helped where they could.  

Thirty-two guests who came to dine on, cod cakes with sweet pepper relish , fresh baked oatmeal bread with honey butter ,corn chowder, top round roast sizzled on the hearth, pommes Anna with butternut squash, rosemary, winter greens with caramelized onions, bacon and, if that was not enough, it was finished off with Indian pudding and homemade ice cream.

 As tavern mistress, I greeted one of our returning soldiers who was on his way home from Boston and the battle against the British. We fed him as much as he could eat. It was a small thing to do for the patriotism he showed our cause. He stayed a while and chatted with the guests and told stories of Indians and the war. Nola was busy tending the onions and winter vegetables over the fire.

The guests relaxed by the fire while they were serenaded by Katie on the violin while Larissa, our junior volunteer, stood ready to help serve the food. Chris cooked the beef and carved it for our guests. It was served with a wonderful wine reduction sauce.

It was a busy evening and Eileen, our director of Adult Education, sat to enjoy the fire, Indian pudding and homemade ice cream.  Doesn’t she look like a Vermeer painting?