Hearth Cooking Workshop with Mercy Ingraham

This weekend I had the great fortune to attend a hearth cooking workshop with cooking legend, Mercy Ingraham.

The nice fall day was perfect for gathering around the fire and cooking some hearty, cool-weather Colonial food. It's a funny feeling being a guest in your own kitchen (well a kitchen I cook in often enough.) But it was a real treat to get to see a master at work.

It was only minutes before the guests dug in and cooked. The scents in the air were fantastic: a smoky winter soup with sweet potato pie, stewed apples, and roasted pork.




 It was nice to see pie crust made, because I mess it up almost every time. We were lucky to have a pie making pro there as even Mercy admitted to the occasional store bought crust. I learned that I shouldn't worry about the lumps of butter/lard in the crust as that helps make it flaky.  I also learned a fancy pie crust trick, where after you roll the crust out on the table, you can wrap it around the rolling pin to transfer it into the pie pan.  
  

Co-cooks

Busy cooks.

Sweet Potato Pie

Soup with bread and grated cheese.

I am hoping to try making pies this fall and using my new pie crust knowledge. I still could use more tips.

The Sea Plays by the Philadelphia Artists’ Collective

The night is late, the hold is hot and stuffy. WWI is raging and your ship, carrying munitions is just approaching the war zone. All of the windows are darkened and you and your shipmates are on tenterhooks as the boat rocks back and forth.  No one can sleep with enemy torpedoes on their mind. The S.S. Glencairn is an open target, when one of your mates feels a draft. Someone's been signaling to the Germans, and you all think you know who. The story comes to life as the Philadelphia Artists’ Collective turns Philly's Gazela into their stage for "The Sea Plays" until September 23, 2013.  

 Andy and I were lucky enough to get to help out on opening night. The actors were phenomenal and the sights and the smells of scenery draw you right into the stories. Opening night was ominous as a storm approached.

The weather channel said it was going to miss us. But the wind was blowing hard and the storm dropped a ferocious amount of water. Luckily, the storm stopped just short of the guests arriving and, although the crew was soaked, we were able to successfully get everyone on to enjoy the show. 

 

If you get a chance to see the show, it really is fantastic! I'll be helping out at a few more shows this week. Look forward to seeing some of you!

Friday Funny

Remember September 11th

Take today to honor and remember those affected by terrorism. Terrorism is living in constant fear.  It is fearing going outside. It is fearing for your family members.  It is being afraid to speak and too scared to listen.  It is being at home, but not feeling safe. It is not feeling safe anywhere.   

  

 Terrorism is not just something that happens on a grand scale, perpetrated by scary men from foreign lands, although it sometimes is. More often are the terrorists in your own countries, towns, neighborhoods or even households.

September 11^th shouldn’t be remembered for the fear. The legacy of September 11^th is that for the first time in a long time, everyone stood together. In the pain, confusion, and madness, strangers helped each other, stood together and gave willingly. 

With millions standing together, fear became courage.   

Whether it’s American terrorism in the Middle East, American terrorism in the United States, Middle Easter terrorism in the United States, Syrian terrorism in Syria,  terrorism in your home, or terrorism at school, it is all the same.  No one should be afraid to live.

Remember September 11^th.  As Nelson Mandela said “courage [is] not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” Always stand up against terrorism. Help others turn fear into courage. Through courage, terrorism no longer exists.    

Please remember those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as everyone affected by terrorism everywhere in the world and honor and learn from those who fought it or continue to do so. 

Peterson Magazine's Princess Capote Hood Pattern from 1862

This hood is a pretty alternative to the Red Riding Hood that I posted last Friday. Both hoods were published in Peterson's Magazine in 1862 and are constructed similarly.

The ruffles, braid and tassel make this hood an intricate and pretty accessory.

Of course, I am very interested in any headwear that allows me to lay down while wearing it. Farby, I know. But there's nothing like walking a few miles in your corset and heavy dress and sneaking into your tent for a few minutes of temporary relief. You fluff up your blankets and try to lay down for a few minutes, and your bonnet or hat are in the way, making laying down impossible. By the time you get your bonnet or hat off, it's generally time to start cooking. :) 

This is a pretty hood and would be a nice thing to have come the colder events. Enjoy the nice cool weather we've been having.