Over the years I have accumulated many reprints of early cookery books written by men working for noblemen, women who wished to make cooking easier for new wives and servants, recipe collections saved over generations of family members, and my contemporaries at ALHFAM (The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums) who have done so much to advance the art of early cookery. I have tried many recipes and enjoy reading the comments of Karen Hess, Sandra Oliver, Clarissa Dillon and others who have come before me. And so I begin this blog.

How wonderful it would be if the taste of food and drink could be preserved in museums as our artifacts have, yet sadly they can’t and so my journey brings me to the world of our ancestors and into the life of the “Colonial Table.” Here I share my experiences of sweet and savory tastes and aromas of recipes that were made and placed round the table to delight and nourish the soul. I hope you enjoy the journey with me and let me know what you think. Along the way more than just receipts will steal their way into this conversation. The colonial table is not just about food but also the equipment use to make it, the plates one eats off of and many other areas of the pleasure of dining. I live to cook; it is the pleasure of accomplishing an 18th century recipe and sitting at the table consuming its goodness that I’m best at. Please check the Glossary for definitions of unknown terms.

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“necessities for the well-dressed gentry.”