Old English Cooking In Colonial Williamsburg
by Buche Kochdes
http://www.uwcooking.com
Christmas is a special time in American households
where traditional English and Colonial dishes are
prepared following recipes that have been passed down
for generations. The mouth-watering aromas that drift
your way from these preparations are associated in your
mind with happy family reunions and hearty feasts.
These recipes are a mix of old English traditions and
the prosperous produce of New America. This is typical
of all cuisines across the world where Old World
cooking, along with family cultures and traditions, blend
with the new age.
In America, every special occasion meal has a main
course of ham or turkey, along with which are served
the customary special dishes peculiar to families or a
particular region. Turkey has been a hot favorite for
many years as a main course meal for special
occasions and holidays both in England as well as
America.
Many dishes still cooked today in colonial
Williamsburg, Virginia derived from the abundance of
produce available in our country's coastal agricultural
regions in the East: corn, apples, seafood, and other
fruits and vegetables. Simple yet flavorful ingredients
were combined to complement the table's full offerings.
With the help of the cookbooks available in
Williamsburg, Virginia, these age-old recipes can still be
easily cooked today. The same ingredients are still
available and can be used, but for health reasons the
chefs or the cooks may substitute butter or oil for lard.
Another tradition of serving a dish which used tidewater
oysters is still being followed in the towns along the
Atlantic.
Another ancient English custom that is still followed
today is Wassailing. "Wass hael" actually means to
"be whole" or "be well", and was a salutation given as
a toast, originating from the Feast of Yule. In Western
parts of England, wassail was toasted to the health of
the apple trees as a good omen for next year's cider.
Wassail was toasted in western counties of England
for the good health of the apple trees for the next
years cider produce. Till today, the custom of passing
around the wassail bowl on Christmas Eve and New
Year's Eve is followed. And today you can drink plenty
of wassail, if you spend some merry evenings in
Williamsburg, Virginia.
In this reenactment of a colonial town, authentic
traditions are recreated daily to the delight of visitors.
Make a visit to colonial Williamsburg any time of the
year and you'll be transported back to the cooking
traditions of the first colonies in America.
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