TASTE OF HISTORY

Colonial candy making on display at Pottsgrove Manor

Treats for your sweet was the theme of the day during the “Sweet Treats and Historic Candy Making” event at Pottsgrove Manor.

Visitors were able to watch candies and desserts being created just as they were during Colonial days.

The educators explained how American colonists enjoyed different types of goodies, including a variety of cakes, puddings and gelatins made from boiled calves feet, dried fish bladders or boiled deer horn.

Neil Hobbins, site supervisor at Pottsgrove Manor, and volunteer Nick Chukinos, created 18th century desserts such as blown almonds, a sugar plate, chocolate wine, and sugar dough to the delight of visitors.

“Sweets in the 18th century were such a process,” said Hobbins. “They take days to prepare. A typical family did not eat as well as the Potts family did.”

It took Hobbins hours to create a whipped topping for the event. He had made a chocolate cake, added ginger syrup on top of it, and then the whipped topping for a typical 18th century dessert.

“They did not want anything to go to waste,” Hobbins said. “They used up everything that they had.”

The Potts family had ser-

vants that cooked for them. They had 13 children, and once they reached the age of 7 or 8, the children were sent off to boarding school.

Also during the special weekend event, Susan Benjamin, food historian, author and founder of True Treats Historic Candy located in Harper’s Ferry, W.Va., offered a lecture for visitors.

During the talk, she spoke about how some of the favorite treats came to be.

“Sugar has always been significant to the human diet,” Benjamin said. “All through history food was healthy, medicinal or it killed you. The ideas about sugar changed over time.”

Benjamin signed copies of her book, “Sweet as Sin”, which is available for purchase at the Pottsgrove Manor museum shop.

The dishes that were prepared were both attractive to look at and delicious luxuries that would impress guests at upper class parties and dinners. Visitors were able to witness the laborious process needed to create these sweet treats.

“The servants made all of their food,” Hobbins said. “The apprentice cook worked in the large oven.”

Sugar was an indulgence in the 18th century kitchen, so the educators explained and demonstrated how other methods were used to create a sweet taste. They often used fruit to sweeten their foods.

The programs offered at the Pottsgrove Manor are typically appropriate for all ages and, it is a suggested $2 donation per person. Tours of the Potts family manor house were available throughout the day on Saturday, and the museum shop was open. Within the shop there are many unique and inspiring gifts and souvenirs.

Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King St. near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422 near the Carousel at Pottstown and Manatawny Green Miniature Golf Course.

Pottsgrove Manor is operated by the Montgomery County Division of Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites.

For more information, or to learn about upcoming programs, call 610-3264014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor

CHRISTINE MAWHINNEY LARK — FOR MEDIANEWS GROUP Visitors to Pottsgrove Manor gather in the kitchen for a demonstration of Colonial-era dessert and candy making.

CHRISTINE MAWHINNEY LARK — FOR MEDIANEWS GROUP Sweets in the 18th century were simple, but still delicious like this sugar plate.

CHRISTINE MAWHINNEY LARK — FOR MEDIANEWS GROUP Volunteer Nick Chukinos and Neil Hobbins, site supervisor, show off some sweet concoctions from a bygone era in the kitchen at Pottsgrove Manor.

CHRISTINE MAWHINNEY LARK — FOR MEDIANEWS GROUP A sampling of 18th-century desserts on display at Pottsgrove Manor.

CHRISTINE MAWHINNEY LARK — FOR MEDIANEWS GROUP Food historian and author Susan Benjamin talks about food preparation in the 18th century during her lecture at Pottsgrove Manor.

CHRISTINE MAWHINNEY LARK — FOR MEDIANEWS GROUP An edible sugar plate on display at Pottsgrove Manor during a demonstration of 18th-century candymaking.