Taste the Past
April - October
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.
Taste the Past Themes
Sample an authentic taste, straight from Indiana's past. Held at the Curtis home in 1836 Prairietown, Mrs. Curtis will share her prized recipe box and make authentic treats fresh from her garden including tomatoes, asparagus, and melon as well as scrumptious baked goods such as applesauce cake, petticoat tails, and refreshing historic drinks. A different taste will be featured from the pages of historic cookbooks each Thursday at 2 p.m.
April
Six Weeks of Want
What do you eat when the cupboard is bare?
In 1836, spring might have been beautiful, but it was also a very difficult time for most Hoosiers. The six weeks from March through mid April were a time when most families had eaten up most of the food they stored for the winter, and few foods could be harvested off the land. Families would usually have plenty of pork – sausage, ham, bacon, and maybe even some fresh cuts of tenderloin or ribs left over from butchering – and some root vegetables such as potatoes and turnips. Most families usually had enough cornmeal and perhaps flour at this time of year, too. However, any problems encountered with the previous year’s harvest would be felt most pointedly right now. How would you feel if all you had to eat was pork, cornbread, and potatoes for every meal?
May
Cakes You Can Make in the Spring
In May, the flowers are blooming, the air is warm, and green shoots from many different plants can supplement food at the table. It’s no wonder that some lucky Hoosiers might decide to splurge at this time of year and add a cake to their daily meals. Not only would cake be a treat and a change of pace, it would add much-needed calories to each meal for hungry farmers and their families who would be in the midst of planting and cultivating most of their crops. This month, we will be featuring cakes that use ingredients that would be plentiful (or at least obtainable) in the month of May in Indiana.
June
Early Summer Fruit
In June in 1836, your garden could be overflowing with fresh fruit, and the challenge would be to find a way to make that fruit last beyond the week that you harvest it. Most often, early Hoosiers would preserve their fruit as jam, to adorn cakes and breads over the subsequent few months. However those fruits could be used in other ways, including as shrub, a concentrated syrup that can be added to water to make a refreshing drink.
July
Summer Celebrations and a Time of Plenty
In July, the living is relatively easy (except, perhaps, for the heat). Gardens are providing bushels of fresh produce, so tables are overflowing with food. And while the hard work of farming continues at full speed, there are opportunities to celebrate and enjoy life. This month, we will provide you opportunities to join in celebrating our nation’s birthday, as well as giving you a chance to sample some of the delicious historic ways to make use of garden veggies.
August
Refreshments: Drinks and Food that Help You Think 'Cool'
August was often called ‘the sickly season’ in the 1830s because it was a time of year when many Hoosiers contracted and suffered from malaria. It was also a slow time for farmers because even the weeds struggled to thrive in Indiana’s characteristic summer heat. But, life had to go on, and some families would be likely to ease the challenges of life in August by making refreshing drinks and enjoying vegetables that can be served at room temperature.
September
Apples!
September not only brought early Hoosiers relief from the summer heat, but also provided the beginnings of bountiful harvests. Most apple trees would ripen towards the beginning of the month, and Hoosiers would relish these useful treats. People in Prairietown would rely on apples for many, many things, including applesauce, which could be packed away for the winter; cider for drinking; and cider vinegar, which was a vital ingredient for preserving both vegetables and meat. This month, we are offering you the chance to taste many delectable ways to cook with apples – if you like our recipes, be sure to pick up some apples from the Conner Prairie Apple Store and try them out for yourself!
October
Baked Treats
In 1836, October’s chilly nights would once again cause Hoosiers to crave warm, comforting foods, and their rich, bountiful harvests would offer up yummy possibilities. At this time of year, locals could be cashing in on their harvests and thus have more money to spend on sugar, spices, and other ingredients they couldn’t grow themselves.
Food for Thought
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.
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:
Hearthside Suppers (January, February and March)
Gingerbread Village (December )
Conner Prairie by Candlelight (Various December dates)