Well worth the wait and most definitely well worth the extra work.
There is a lot more effort when it comes to cooking on an open fire but the taste from what’s prepared has something special in the offering.
Especially if it’s a homemade cookie.
A cooking class of a different sort took place at the Park House Museum in Amherstburg last Saturday afternoon and saw bakers learn just how much more work it takes to cook on a fire nestled in a brick fireplace.
“Anything you can cook in a stove, you can cook over a fire, but you need different tools,” said museum curator Kat Schryburt.
For example, there is a bit of a difference between the biscuit oven they used and a reflector over which comes with a spit and is used to cook meat.
While the Park House Museum is closed for the season, it is set to open again in a few months, and several people donned aprons and took part in a traditional way of cooking which dates back to the 1850’s.
Over the weekend, they made apple butter, chocolate chip cookies, Victoria sponge cake, sugar cookies with icing and buttermilk biscuits.
“We try and make some Victorian recipes with some traditional fun ones,” explained Schryburt as she tended to the hearth.
From selecting the right wood to fuel the fire, to reaching in and standing up and down, cooking the old-fashioned way is quite labour intensive.
“Once you get used to this, it’s easier. You have to get your stuff hot before you start cooking.”
One thing that a traditional gas or electric oven cannot provide is an appealing taste that Schryburt explains comes directly from the type of wood selected. On Saturday the fuel of choice was hickory.
“These have an extra layer of flavour. It can be impacted by the type of wood you are burning.”
While it took about three hours to complete the delicious desserts on Saturday, the previous weekend saw a whole meal cooked on an open-fire and making the bread was a day-long task.
The Park House was built in River Rouge in Michigan and floated across the river to Amherstburg to its original destination near the Gordon House. In the 1970’s it was moved to its present location at 214 Dalhousie St. and turned into a museum.
Re-opening for regular hours in March, tours are available throughout the year by calling 519-736-2511.
Park House offers unique cooking class
By Fred Groves
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