Derby Historical Society docents demonstrate open hearth cooking

One of five fireplaces in the David Humphreys House, 37 Elm St., Ansonia.

ANSONIA - The David Humphreys House was the place to be this afternoon to learn about 18th-century cooking practices and to taste food prepared by Derby Historical Society docents.

Visitors enjoyed hot apple cider, beef stew, vegetable soup, corn bread, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, white pot (a bread pudding with cranberries) and apple cake.

Daughter Allegra was one of the docents; her job was to make two apple cakes in cast-iron pots next to the fire. 

Photos below:

 

Docent Dawn Sotir works in the keeping room at the David Humphreys House Saturday.

Allegra adds cinnamon sugar to the top of the first apple cake. 

The finished product. It was delicious!

Here she is getting coals to cover the cast-iron Dutch oven containing a second cake.

The cake cooks with coals underneath and on top of the Dutch oven. 

Herbs drying over the fireplace in the keeping room.

And a seasonal display was set up in a corner of the keeping room.


Next month the historical society will hold its annual Christmas Fair and Cookie Walk from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Humphreys House.

Save the date! It promises to be a fun event. 

Hull family of Derby in 1812 topic of Shelton educator's talk at reception

Carolyn Ivanoff
(www. civilwar.org photo)

ANSONIA - The Derby Historical Society will hold its 25th annual appeal reception from 5-7 p.m. Monday at Molto Bene Italian American Kitchen, 557 Wakelee Ave.

The featured speaker is Seymour resident Carolyn Ivanoff, a Housemaster at Shelton Intermediate School, who speaks and writes frequently on American history.

She will present "Fame and Infamy for the Hulls of Derby in 1812."

In 2003 Ivanoff was named Civil War Trust Preservationist Teacher of the Year.

The Dr. John Ireland Howe Award will be presented to Martha Dulla-Andrade for her many years of service to the Valley.

Ticket price is a donation of $45 or more to the annual appeal. 

For information about the historical society visit www.derbyhistorical.org.