Har-Ber Village Museum Holding Cook Like a Pioneer Workshops

Long before the modern kitchen stove and oven, cooks commonly used fireplaces to prepare meals. This historic process of cooking a meal over an open flame is known as open-hearth cooking and was a method used by pioneers and colonialists.

Today, the art of open-hearth cooking has almost been forgotten. But not at Har-Ber Village Museum in Grove.

On Saturday, Oct. 14 and 21, the pioneer-era village and history museum will be holding open-hearth cooking workshops in its living history cabin.

From 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the workshops will teach participants how to cook like a pioneer over an open hearth. Participants will prepare, cook and sample the results. The classes will include recipes, directions and modern conversions.

Instructor and living historian Tim Field will teach “Hearth Cooking Squash and Pumpkins” on Saturday, Oct. 14. The workshop will feature dishes prepared with squash and pumpkins, which were often included in pioneer menus.

Utilizing 19th century recipes, participants will prepare and cook in cast iron vessels on the fireplace hearth in the living history cabin.

On Saturday, Oct. 21, the focus switches from fall’s bounty to sweeter fare. Led by Field, the “Hearth Cooking Sweets and Treats” workshop will fill the living history cabin with the smells of cinnamon, cloves, molasses, honey and apples as treats enjoyed by the pioneers are prepared.

Workshop participants will prepare sweets and special-occasion baked goods using 19th century recipes and cook them in cast iron vessels on the fireplace hearth.

Each workshop is $40 per person and reservations are required. Both classes are limited to 10 participants, so call (918) 786-446 today to reserve your spot beside the hearth.

Har-Ber Village Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Its season continues through November 4. The village will reopen again on the third Saturday of March 2018 for its 50th anniversary.

Admission to Har-Ber Village Museum is $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors 63+ and $5 for children ages 6-13. Children under 6 and members are free.

Museum admission is not necessary to shop in The Country Store gift shop, to eat at The Cafe at Har-Ber Village or to walk the nature trail.

A smoke-free, pet-friendly site, the museum is located at 4404 West 20th Road, in Grove.

For more information on the workshops or Har-Ber Village Museum, call (918) 786-6446, visit www.har-bervillage.com or its Facebook page.