History Experienced
Colonial Dinners
Eighteenth Century Dining Experiences at the Maxwell House to benefit the Massasoit Historical Association
Twice a year The Massasoit Historical Association recreates an 18th century dinner at The Maxwell House.
The dinner is limited to a seating of 16 diners.
We attempt to recreate a meal which could have been served in an upper class house during the last quarter of the 18th century, using receipts from period English cookbooks as the source for the dishes.
The bake oven is fired to bake the rolls served. The beef is roasted on a spit in front of the fire, the chicken fricasees in it's dutch oven, and the ham gently simmers in it's iron bulge pot.
Diners will be given a brief history in 18th century table manners.
If you are interested in attending a Colonial Dinner, please contact us.
PLEASE NOTE: Eighteenth century recipes made extensive use of alcohol and dairy products, i.e. heavy cream and butter. We regret that we are unable to honor special diets and cook in the spirit of the period.
Sample Menu Items
These items have been served at our dinners. Menu items may vary according to season and availablility.
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Ham with a Furniture of Brandied Peaches
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Roast Beef Surrounded by Pickled Green Beans
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Beetroot Pancakes with Sherry sauce
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White Chicken Fricassee
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Brandied Cherries
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Rose Water Wafers
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Kickshaws (Raspberry, Strawberry and Apricot Jam Tarts)
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Syllabubs (Lemon and Sherry Cream Dessert)
18th Century Manners
As per the School of Manners, 1701
"Feed thy self with thy two Fingers and the Thumb of the left hand.
Bend thy Body a little downwards to thy plate, when thou movest any thing that is sauced, to thy mouth.
Gnaw not Bones at the Table, but clean them with thy knife (unless they be very small ones) and hold them not with a whole hand, but with two fingers.
Bite not thy bread but break it, but not with slovenly Fingers, nor with the same wherewith thou takest up thy meat.
Dip not thy Meat in the Sauce.
Take not salt with a greazy Knife.
Sup not Broth at the Table, but eat it with a Spoon.
Smell not to thy Meat, nor move it to thy Nose; turn it not the other side upward to view it upon the Plate.
Throw not any thing under the Table.
Hold not thy Knife upright in thy hand, but lay it down at thy right hand with the Blade upon thy plate or trencher.
Before and after thou drinkest, wipe thy lips with thy Napkin.
Pick not thy Teeth at the Table, unless holding up thy Napkin before thy mouth with thine other Hand. "
