Taste the Past Thursdays
Prarietown - 2:00pm
Free with general admission
At Conner Prairie, everything is authentic to the time period, right down to the food and the methods used to prepare it for mealtime. Food is an integral part of every culture and food traditions are an important part of family life to pass down through the generations.
Conner Prairie is pleased to partner with the Indiana Humanities Council Food for Thought Program. This program encourages Hoosiers to think and learn about food and its various meanings through events, community gardens, festivals and other channels. Conner Prairie's gardens and Taste the Past program are a great way to experience food as it was grown, prepared and consumed in the 1800s.
Bring an appetite to Prairietown each Thursday afternoon. Help make, and then sample, authentically prepared foods from the 19th century. Our experienced cooks also provide tips and tricks for tasty cooking and answer your questions.
As part of the 2010 Food for Thought partnership with the Indiana Humanities Council, Conner Prairie will feature a new recipe every Thursday. Don't miss a bite!
Muster Cake
2/3 cup brown sugar 5 cups flour
2/3 cup molasses 2/3 cup butter
1 tsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves ¾ tsp baking soda
1 egg
Heat 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2/3 c molasses, 1 tsp each of ginger and cinnamon, ½ tsp cloves to the boiling point. Remove from heat and add ¾ tsp baking soda, then pour over 2/3 c butter in large bowl. Stir until butter has melted, then stir in 1 egg and 5 cups flour. Turn onto board and knead thoroughly. Gather into ball. Chill until firm enough to roll easily, cut into 3 inch squares and bake on greased pans.
Muster Cake a.k.a. Training Cake was a popular 18th and 19th-century cake to make to feed the volunteers and troops when a general muster was called. The “muster” was a calling for all troops and able-bodied men ranging in age from 18 to 45. Men signed up to serve and were assigned to companies and given chores. The military training would begin early in the day.
Want to know more? Read about this recipe here!
Biscuits with Butter and Jam
2 C flour
2 t soda
1 t salt
1/4 C butter
1 cup milk
Mix quickly, pat out, handle very little, cut out, bake quickly
Conner Prairie Food Programs
Conner Prairie is abundant with programs that support the Taste the Past program. Join us at various times of the year to experience different cuisines and recipes at these events:
Country Fair (September 18 & 19)
Hearthside Suppers (Jan, Feb and March)
Gingerbread Village (December 2010 - January 2011)
Conner Prairie by Candlelight (Various December dates)